Puzzle Quest Galactrix

45%
Game Brain Score Based on 254 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • grinding
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

45%
Audience ScoreBased on 254 reviews
story32 positive mentions
grinding17 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 offers a decent storyline and RPG elements, allowing players to upgrade their ships and customize their abilities.
  • Despite its flaws, the game can be enjoyable for fans of the genre, especially at a low price point.
  • The game suffers from frequent crashes and stability issues, making it frustrating to play.
  • The AI is often perceived as cheating, consistently getting advantageous combos that the player cannot replicate.
  • The hacking mini-games and resource management can feel tedious and overly complicated, detracting from the overall experience.
  • story207 mentions

    The story in "Puzzle Quest Galactrix" is generally viewed as lackluster and uninspired, with many reviewers noting it fails to capture the engaging narratives of its predecessors. While some appreciate the lightweight context it provides for gameplay, others criticize it for being tedious and filled with repetitive fetch quests, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the narrative elements are seen as a weak point, detracting from the enjoyment of the puzzle mechanics.

    • “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 dialogue is great, the battles and mining are fun, the quests (though tedious at times) are well written and unique.”
    • “The storyline is admittedly well written, and I like the concept of the faction system, but it's kind of jolting when I'm in the middle of something and the game randomly crashes out, so I've never finished the story.”
    • “The story is dull.”
    • “Finally, the story and side quests are bland with little variation and many of the crew doing nothing but symbolizing you've unlocked a new feature in the story and devoid of personality.”
  • gameplay75 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 it for being overly complex, luck-driven, and frustrating. Many find the core match-3 gameplay addictive, but the added mechanics and navigation issues detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and dissatisfaction. Overall, while the game attempts to reinvent the formula, it struggles with execution, leaving players divided on its enjoyment.

    • “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).”
    • “Gameplay feels very shallow, slow, and clunky.”
  • grinding17 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being repetitive and tedious, with many players expressing frustration over the excessive grinding required to progress through the story. While some find enjoyment in certain gameplay elements, the overall experience is marred by uninspired mechanics, tedious puzzles, and a lack of engaging content, leading to boredom and dissatisfaction. Despite its fun moments, the game ultimately suffers from a grind-heavy design that detracts from the overall enjoyment.

    • “It does get repetitive and grindy.”
    • “Just shy of 60 hours of fruitless grinding to a sad climax. How sad?”
    • “Every move I made (with very little guidance from the story) placed me against hostile ships that outclassed me by a mile, or in the extremely tedious hacking 'minigame' that you must complete 2-3 times per zone, of which there are nearly 100.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the soundtrack for its surreal and fitting themes, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking impact. While a few tracks are noted as enjoyable, many players find the overall musical experience bland and forgettable, with some even describing it as poorly integrated into gameplay. 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 bland; the AI hates you, and your family, your family's families, and every girl you ever kissed, plus your mom.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics15 mentions

    The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the visuals as fitting for the genre, while others criticize them as uninspired and inferior to previous titles. While certain aspects, like the aesthetics of the solar systems, are noted as enjoyable, many find the overall artwork to be bland and lacking sophistication. Technical issues and a lack of graphical polish further detract from the experience for some users.

    • “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.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game is plagued by significant stability issues, with frequent crashes and bugs reported by users. Many players have experienced crashes during gameplay, with some noting that the game may not even start at all. Overall, the consensus is that the game's stability is poor, making it difficult to enjoy despite its potential.

    • “Don't let the name fool you... this is a poor implementation of a match 3 game and a buggy mess.”
    • “I really want to like this game, there seems like some good depth but it's buggy as heck, crashes all the time.”
    • “Highly buggy, crashes to desktop every few minutes for no apparent reason, Windows 8.1, not quite worth under a quid which is saying something.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization model of this match-3 game is generally well-received, as players appreciate the absence of aggressive microtransactions, making it a good choice, especially when on sale.

    • “If you enjoy match-3 games with a twist and prefer not to be bombarded by constant microtransactions, this is a great pick, especially when it's on sale.”
    • “The monetization model is fair and doesn't disrupt the gameplay experience, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend.”
    • “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of free content and only has optional purchases that enhance the experience without being necessary.”
    • “If you enjoy match-3 games with a twist but don't want to be bombarded by constant microtransactions, consider picking this one up on sale.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
    • “It's frustrating that so many features are locked behind paywalls, which detracts from the overall experience.”
  • 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 contrast between their enjoyment and the widespread criticism.

    • “The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch, with clever writing and hilarious character interactions that keep me entertained.”
    • “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, delivering jokes and funny moments that catch me off guard.”
    • “The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud, making it a truly enjoyable experience.”
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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