Magic: Puzzle Quest
- December 10, 2015
- 505 Go Inc.
- 10h median play time
"Magic: Puzzle Quest" combines the match-3 RPG format with the lore of "Magic: The Gathering." Players can recruit Planeswalkers, build decks, and engage in real-time PvP battles. The game also features daily challenges, card crafting, and the ability to join coalitions for cooperative play and tournaments.
Reviews
- Great blend of Magic: The Gathering and match-3 gameplay, providing a unique experience.
- Generous free-to-play model, allowing players to progress without spending money.
- Engaging mechanics and a wide variety of cards keep the gameplay fresh and interesting.
- Frequent crashes and long loading times hinder the overall experience.
- Pay-to-win elements create an imbalance, making it difficult for free-to-play players to compete.
- Bugs and glitches, especially during events, can lead to frustrating losses and wasted attempts.
- gameplay508 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this game is a blend of match-3 mechanics and Magic: The Gathering elements, offering a unique yet sometimes convoluted experience. While many players appreciate the strategic depth and variety of cards, they also express frustration over unclear mechanics, slow loading times, and a lack of comprehensive tutorials. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and addictive, but it suffers from balance issues and a steep learning curve for newcomers.
“The gameplay is fun and engaging, but editing decks is an absolute pain.”
“I love the gameplay and how it is possible to get good decks without spending money.”
“The gameplay is strategic and compelling.”
“Now gameplay has some problems too: slow turn speed, overpowered cards you can never beat, going against higher level characters when your level is low, and a bad auto deck builder.”
“The tutorial doesn't explain most of the basic game mechanics in detail, and when cards and planeswalkers have added effects... again, thank goodness for Reddit.”
“Gameplay is pretty linear: the game doesn't tell you that you can hold the top card back if you don't want to cast it, or how to sequence cards to get fast starts or more shield gems or kill opposing creatures, etc. The game also doesn't tell you what ability icons and keywords actually do.”
- story394 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story aspect of "Magic: Puzzle Quest" has received mixed reviews from players. While many appreciate the integration of Magic: The Gathering lore into the puzzle quest format, they express a desire for more engaging and expansive story content, as well as improvements in balance and difficulty. Players also note issues with connectivity, bugs, and a lack of offline play options, which detracts from the overall experience of the story mode.
“The story mode is long and enjoyable.”
“I love the storyline and the characters keep me interested.”
“Great storyline and a great mix of the card game and match 3!”
“The story mode is too short and once it's finished, it's finished forever.”
“The interface is incredibly convoluted, the AI gets the advantage and if you want to play through the story, get ready to pay big time because you won't even pass the first opponent.”
“Progressing through story mode is such a slow grind it's not practical to just hope to build up over time, because the rewards are so small they don't build very quickly at all.”
- stability263 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with frequent reports of crashes and freezes during gameplay, particularly when using certain abilities or spells. Many players express frustration over losing matches and rewards due to these issues, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game. While some users note improvements in customer support and occasional bug fixes, the persistent glitches and slow performance continue to hinder a smooth gaming experience.
“I've experienced no glitches or bugs so far.”
“It's been bug free for me and I haven't experienced any problems.”
“Great game, no glitches.”
“Game is barely stable as it constantly crashes or freezes mid-match even with all the animations turned off.”
“It's a bugtastic game, though, and if you're someone who is easily frustrated by having to quit (and lose) matches that affect rewards because the game freezes up when you play a card, definitely don't install this.”
“I really want to enjoy this game but every time I get game-stopping bugs like elemental tokens not going away and covering the game zone, awkward freezes after other players' decks are just going off the charts with combos because of 'fortunate' CPU-favoring mana cascades... it's just very jarring to have to stop the game prematurely even when you want to try and turn things around but can't due to the freezes.”
- graphics165 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive high praise for their stunning artwork and detailed designs, particularly the card illustrations that reflect the rich lore of Magic: The Gathering. However, some players express frustration with long loading times and occasional performance issues, which detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the visual appeal remains a standout feature, contributing to the game's addictive nature.
“I love the art style and the way that you play the game.”
“Fantastic graphics, very detailed info, match fights are challenging but not overly so and there's so much to do.”
“Great game with awesome graphics.”
“Loading a menu with no graphics can take 30 seconds.”
“Considering the game is a card game with trivial graphics, the load times are inexcusable.”
“The graphics are too simplistic and yet very demanding on your device.”
- monetization129 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the high prices of in-app purchases and labeling it as a cash grab. While some appreciate the option to watch ads for rewards without being forced to do so, others feel that the aggressive microtransaction model detracts from the overall enjoyment and balance of the game. Overall, players express a desire for more reasonable pricing and less reliance on in-game purchases to remain competitive.
“Sure they have in-game purchases and exclusive content, but you don't have to invest to stay competitive.”
“While there are plenty of opportunities to beef up your card arsenal with in-game purchases, those purchases are not at all required for game enjoyment.”
“No ads, in-app purchases are good, and you can even collect lots of goodies doing free-to-play.”
“I enjoyed this game for a good 2 years and then you guys went to the point where it became impossible to achieve anything unless you paid out of your ass in microtransactions.”
“The game is trash and it's full of nothing but in-app purchases and loopholes in gameplay to get you to make those purchases.”
“It used to be such a fun game, now it's little more than a cash grab.”
- grinding57 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often described as tedious and time-consuming, especially for free-to-play users. While some players find enjoyment in the grind and appreciate the leveling system improvements, many express frustration over the paywalls and the imbalance between free and paid content, making progress feel slow and sometimes overwhelming. Overall, while grinding can lead to a rewarding experience, it often requires substantial time investment or financial commitment to unlock desirable content.
“However, to unlock additional planeswalkers and card packs will require you to spend real money as the rewards for playing and grinding the game, logging in, and meeting certain objectives in a match are too few.”
“Virtually everything is locked behind a paywall and you can't hope to get anywhere grinding free to play unless you go at it for months.”
“As soon as a deck full of rares and mythics shows up, you get steamrolled... there are major balance issues, and the events give out next to nothing for prizes... meaning again, they want you to dump money into the game... the only way to unlock specific cards is if you pay real money... otherwise you are grinding packs that give you nothing.”
- optimization34 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, particularly for its poor performance on lower-end devices, long loading times, and inefficient user interface that detracts from the overall experience. While some players find the gameplay enjoyable, many express frustration with frequent freezes, glitches, and slow menu navigation, indicating a strong need for optimization updates to enhance fluidity and responsiveness. Overall, the game's potential is overshadowed by its technical shortcomings, leading to a less satisfying experience for many users.
“I would give this game 5 stars if it was well optimized for flawless gameplay. Loading times are very, very long compared to similar games, not just initial loading, but in between menus. Besides this, it's a great strategic match 3 game.”
“Well, the game is fun in itself; it's a unique way of interpreting Magic: The Gathering. It needs some work on its optimizations in the loading screens and how the check-in and vault can be better optimized for fluidity. Overall, fun game, just needs the tech to be better.”
“It has become a lot better and more optimized in the last years, but there are still too many slow effects and animations bogging down the gameplay and making you avoid certain deck types.”
“It takes utterly forever to move between pages and half the play time is consumed by the game's inefficient UI and performance optimization.”
“Horrible performance kills all the fun.”
“Potentially awesome game ruined by bad optimization.”
- music29 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Overall, players express a strong desire for more variety and less repetitiveness in the game's music, often finding it necessary to turn it off in favor of other audio. While some appreciate the atmospheric quality of the music, many feel it becomes monotonous and would prefer a broader selection of tracks, particularly for battles. Additionally, there are complaints about the music being too loud compared to sound effects, further detracting from the gaming experience.
“The music makes it quite atmospheric.”
“The gorgeous artwork, esoteric lore, and mystical music of Magic: The Gathering sumptuously envelope every fiber of your fantasy self.”
“It fills my gaming desires with strategy, epic battle music, and hand-to-hand combat; well, not exactly, but you get what I mean, keep it up!”
“It could really use a wider variety in music, and I wish there was a glossary in the help section that details all the keyword abilities.”
“Only con I have is that the music gets repetitive; wish they mixed it up with some nice fantasy ethereal songs.”
“Music becomes really boring, so I have to turn it off.”
- replayability9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its high replayability, with many users noting its addictive nature and the potential for almost infinite play due to new cards. While some suggest improvements, such as more frequent rewards, the overall consensus is that it offers a strong and enjoyable replay experience.
“Generally a very addictive time killer and with the new cards, almost infinite replayability.”
“Very well created, tons of replayability!”
“This game needs to give more yellow diamonds out every so often to make the game more playable. I still like this game but had to start over. I'm not mad.”
“Most replayable mobile game yet.”
“Get cards to keep the game much more playable for everyone.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it genuinely funny and addictive, particularly in comparison to real-life counterparts like Magic: The Gathering, others feel that certain aspects, such as misleading rewards, are more frustrating than humorous. Additionally, the AI's ineptitude is seen as amusing rather than bothersome by some users. Overall, the humor can be hit or miss, depending on individual experiences.
“Hilarious!”
“I am very surprised that this game uses the full element of Magic: The Gathering; very funny and addictive.”
“The AI is also dumb as a bent doornail; however, that is more funny than annoying.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting feelings of nostalgia and gratitude for the supportive community. The experience is so impactful that it has even moved some to tears, underscoring the game's ability to evoke deep emotions.
“In fact, it made me feel nostalgic.”
“Thank you for letting me be a part of the incredibly wholesome Magic: The Gathering community!”
“This game made me cry.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its pleasant visuals and effective music, creating an engaging experience. However, some users feel that the addition of a guild-like social element could enhance the overall atmosphere. The integration of gem matching and MTG card mechanics contributes positively to the game's ambiance.
“The good: gem matching, pleasant visual atmosphere, MTG card mechanics, and in some good ways, dissimilar to MTG.”
“The music makes it quite atmospheric.”
“I would like it more if they added some sort of guild atmosphere to make it more of a social experience.”
“The cards are accurate but reduced to fit the atmosphere of the matching aspect.”