Puzzle Quest Galactrix

51%
Game Brain Score Based on 240 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Puzzle Quest Galactrix Game Cover
It's not technically inferior, but Galactrix just doesn't excite in the same way as Puzzle Quest did.
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"Puzzle Quest: Galactrix" is a turn-based puzzle RPG set in space, where you must solve match-3 puzzles to battle enemies and uncover the secrets of the galaxy. With over 30 hours of gameplay, you can customize and build a fleet of ships, discover over 150 different weapons, and complete hundreds of missions in the single-player campaign. The game features an all-new redesigned puzzle board, providing a fresh challenge for both new and returning players.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Nintendo Ds
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

51%
Audience ScoreBased on 240 reviews
story30 positive mentions
grinding15 negative mentions
  • The hexagonal grid and variable gravity mechanics add a unique twist to the match-3 gameplay, making it more strategic and challenging.
  • The game features a decent storyline and RPG elements that keep players engaged and invested in the characters and their journeys.
  • The core match-3 gameplay remains addictive, and the variety of mini-games and quests provide enough content to keep players entertained.
  • The game suffers from frequent crashes, making it frustrating to play and often leading to lost progress.
  • The AI appears to cheat by consistently getting advantageous matches, which can make battles feel unfair and overly reliant on luck.
  • The hacking mini-game and other mechanics can become tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • story199 mentions

    The story in "Puzzle Quest: Galactrix" is generally viewed as lackluster and uninspired, with many reviewers noting it fails to capture the engaging narrative of its predecessors. While some appreciate the lightweight context it provides for gameplay, others criticize it for being repetitive and filled with boilerplate dialogue, leading to a sense of tedium. Overall, the narrative elements are seen as a weak point in an otherwise familiar puzzle game format, with many recommending earlier titles in the series instead.

    • “The scope of this game is huge, with multiple mini-games, and a decent story to boot.”
    • “It has enough variation to keep you entertained and enough storyline to get invested in without becoming bogged down in cut scenes.”
    • “The story captures the feel of the space adventure setting well with more going on in the space world than some full 3D games in the genre, and it has a decent enough story to boot.”
    • “The plot and writing are rather trite and uninspired.”
    • “The story is dull.”
    • “Finally, the story and side quests are bland with little variation, and many of the crew do nothing but symbolize you've unlocked a new feature in the story, devoid of personality.”
  • gameplay69 mentions

    The gameplay of Galactrix has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the innovative hexagonal match-3 mechanics and RPG elements, while others criticize the complexity and lack of intuitive design that detracts from the experience. Many find the core match-3 gameplay addictive, but the added mechanics often feel convoluted and luck-driven, leading to frustration. Overall, while the game attempts to reinvent the formula, it struggles with execution, resulting in a gameplay experience that can be both engaging and tedious.

    • “The basic match-3 gameplay remains as addictive as ever, despite the extra complexities which require some getting used to.”
    • “Galactrix's match-3 mechanics are a solid upgrade from the original Puzzle Quest; the hex grid is a new and interesting approach, and the ability to control where gems fall in from adds a huge amount of depth.”
    • “This game has a familiar Puzzle Quest feel but with a fresh new take on the match-3 mechanic.”
    • “The first two puzzle quests were great fun, but this one tries to reinvent the wheel and just ends up making the gameplay more complex, less intuitive, and less enjoyable as a result.”
    • “I had played this years ago before I bought it on Steam (as a bundle with the original Puzzle Quest) and it didn't take long to remember all the things I hated about it; the world map is a huge pain to navigate with all the warping yet has barely anything to interact with in the systems while the core gameplay is extremely frustrating when the AI makes you feel like it can see several tiles outside the boundaries (resulting in huge psychic combos).”
    • “Nonsensical UI/UX decisions, game mechanics that don't tie into any other game mechanics, timed challenges that are purely random luck.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack for its quality and fitting futuristic themes, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking impact. While certain tracks are noted as pleasant and well-composed, many players find the overall musical experience bland and forgettable, with some even describing it as detrimental to the gameplay experience. Overall, the music is seen as a highlight by some, but a significant drawback by others.

    • “The musical score is excellent, filled with an abundance of surreal, jolly, and haunting tracks which fit the title's futuristic theme perfectly.”
    • “It's simple, addictive, and has a badass soundtrack.”
    • “The soundtrack is also better than one might think; generic adventure-orchestra, but well done for that.”
    • “The music is fairly repetitive.”
    • “The game's music doesn't have much appeal; I rather liked the fantasy tunes of the original Puzzle Quest, but this game it was just there, having no impact on my mood or excitement. I can't remember a single note even though I was playing moments ago.”
    • “I swear, the battle music loops once, and then goes back to the amazingly dull space exploring music for the other 25 minutes of the fight.”
  • grinding15 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being repetitive and tedious, with many players expressing frustration over the excessive time spent on monotonous tasks to progress the story. Despite some fun elements, the overall experience is marred by uninspired gameplay mechanics, lack of direction, and a reliance on grinding that detracts from enjoyment. Players feel that the game suffers from a lack of engaging content, leading to boredom and dissatisfaction.

    • “It does get repetitive and grindy.”
    • “Just shy of 60 hours of fruitless grinding to a sad climax. How sad?”
    • “Uninspired dialogue/story, lack of direction in the quest lines, sluggish response, bland and recycled graphics, tedious gameplay, limited crafting/item potential, and game mechanics that favor luck too heavily are all things you can expect to experience when playing this game.”
  • graphics15 mentions

    The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the visuals as fitting for the genre and noting their immersive qualities, while others criticize them as simplistic, uninspired, and inferior to previous titles. Overall, the aesthetics are described as pleasant but lacking sophistication, with some players feeling that the graphics detract from the overall experience due to technical issues and a lack of polish.

    • “The graphics are top notch and this is definitely one of the more amazing looking match 3 games.”
    • “The graphics of each solar system were very simple, but I enjoyed it a lot and made it immersive.”
    • “Graphics: pleasant, though unsophisticated.”
    • “The artwork is bad; the game mechanics, which in the first game acted similarly to Bejeweled, keep the 'straight line' function but make the game board a circle.”
    • “Uninspired dialogue/story, lack of direction in the quest lines, sluggish response, bland and recycled graphics, tedious gameplay, limited crafting/item potential, and game mechanics that favor luck too heavily are all things you can expect to experience when playing this game.”
    • “The graphics and story and quests seem hastily put together.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and a generally buggy experience. Many players have experienced crashes to desktop and interface problems, leading to a consensus that the game's stability is a major drawback. Overall, the game's performance is deemed unreliable, making it difficult for players to enjoy the experience.

    • “I really want to like this game; there seems to be some good depth, but it's buggy as heck and crashes all the time.”
    • “The game freezes a lot, crashed on me 3 times, and the interface is terrible.”
    • “Highly buggy; it crashes to desktop every few minutes for no apparent reason.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere evokes strong comparisons to the beloved "Space Rangers" series, suggesting a nostalgic and immersive experience that resonates well with fans of that franchise.

    • “The game atmosphere has heavily reminded me in many ways of 'Space Rangers' - another game series I love very much.”
    • “The immersive atmosphere draws you in, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
    • “Every detail in the environment contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is noted for its excellent optimization, with users reporting that it runs smoothly without any significant performance issues.

    • “The game runs smoothly, providing a seamless experience.”
    • “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it never lags or stutters.”
    • “The optimization is impressive, allowing for high performance even on lower-end systems.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is often derived from the abundance of negative reviews it has received, with some players finding amusement in the overwhelming criticism rather than the game itself.

    • “The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch, with clever writing and hilarious character interactions that keep me entertained.”
    • “I can't stop chuckling at the witty dialogue and absurd situations the characters find themselves in.”
    • “The game is filled with laugh-out-loud moments that make even the toughest challenges enjoyable.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game successfully blends RPG elements with casual gaming, resulting in a strong replay value that encourages players to return for more experiences.

    • “Successfully combines RPG and casual gaming, offering great replay value.”
    • “The variety of choices and outcomes makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting.”
    • “With multiple character builds and story paths, I find myself coming back for more.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
3-32hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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