Unlock The King
- September 16, 2021
- Minimol Games
"Unlock The King" is a challenging puzzle game that tasks players with unlocking a series of complex locks. Players must slide numbered tiles into place to form the correct combinations, with the difficulty increasing as new types of locks are introduced. With no time limits or move constraints, players can take their time to strategize and solve each puzzle at their own pace.
Reviews
- The game offers a relaxing experience with no time limits or move restrictions, making it enjoyable for casual play.
- It features a good variety of puzzles, with some levels providing satisfying challenges that require thought.
- The low price point makes it a great value for the amount of content, with 100 levels to explore.
- Many levels are overly simplistic, with a significant number feeling like tutorials rather than genuine puzzles.
- The difficulty curve is inconsistent, with some later levels being easier than earlier ones, leading to a lack of challenge.
- The game lacks features like an undo button and clear indicators for hidden mechanics, which can lead to frustration.
- gameplay41 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Unlock the King" is characterized by simple and intuitive mechanics that revolve around moving chess pieces to clear a path for the king, making it accessible even for those unfamiliar with chess. While the game features a substantial number of levels and introduces new mechanics, some players feel that the difficulty curve is inconsistent, with an overabundance of easy tutorial levels that may detract from the overall challenge. Despite these criticisms, the game is praised for its charming presentation and straightforward puzzle-solving experience.
“The chess pieces are adorable, the gameplay mechanics are simple enough to understand, and best of all there's no timer to pressure you.”
“Good, clean, simple gameplay - move chess figures out of the way so the king can go to the target tile.”
“Clever mechanics and challenging without being too difficult, 9/10.”
“My only criticism is that the difficulty curve was all over the place, needlessly introducing new mechanics in very simple ways late in the game.”
“Some of the levels build confidence in a mechanic of the game that isn't needed and are overly simplified, thus not requiring much mental involvement to solve.”
“However, I find that there are too many 'tutorial levels'; like when a new game mechanic is introduced, they give you a few brain-dead easy levels to let you get the hang of it.”
- music30 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently described as calming and soothing, enhancing the overall relaxing atmosphere while players solve puzzles. Reviewers appreciate the chill soundtrack, which complements the minimalist graphics and provides a satisfying backdrop without being intrusive. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's enjoyable and meditative experience.
“This game also features a chill soundtrack that keeps you calm while solving the puzzles.”
“A beautiful little game for very cheap, incredible soundtrack, very relaxing, just the right difficulty of levels to give you that hit of dopamine when you finish a level, that incredible feeling of satisfaction that you just completed a semi-difficult task.”
“Calming music and nice atmosphere.”
“The music is deceptively relaxing; just like the music you hear playing over the PA on Black Friday.”
“Graphics are simple, yet dynamic, the music is gentle and soothing (although I did put it on mute after several hours).”
“The soundtrack is unimposing.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as minimalistic yet beautiful, with a focus on simplicity that complements the chess puzzle mechanics. Users appreciate the calming visuals and soothing music, noting that the artwork and animations enhance the overall experience without overwhelming the player. While some find the graphics a bit unusual, they ultimately contribute to a satisfying and enjoyable gameplay atmosphere.
“The graphics are minimalistic, but very nice.”
“Graphics are beautiful, and animation is minimalist but so satisfying when you solve a puzzle.”
“The calm background music and the easy and beautiful graphics makes this enjoyable.”
“The graphics are a bit weird but in the end it was a fun chess puzzle game.”
“Since you're dealing with chess pieces and only part of the chess board, the controls and graphics are very simple.”
“Lots of time was put into making this game with calming music, simplistic graphics, and the right amount of challenge.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of clicking twice for each move. Many feel that the gameplay becomes overly grindy without introducing new elements, and the levels can be large and monotonous to navigate.
“Clicking twice for each move gets tedious very quickly.”
“It gets too grindy without adding anything really new.”
“For another half, all these levels are simply big and/or somewhat tedious to solve.”
- story6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a consensus that the game lacks a meaningful story, with multiple users categorizing it as having "no story" at all. This absence of narrative depth has been a notable point of criticism among players.
“There is no story to speak of; it feels like a series of disconnected events rather than a cohesive narrative.”
“The game lacks any meaningful story; it’s just a collection of gameplay mechanics with no context.”
“I was hoping for a rich narrative, but instead, I found a game with barely any story at all.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome ending, which resonates positively with players, leaving them with a sense of warmth and satisfaction.
“Had a really wholesome ending”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by calming music that enhances the overall experience, creating a pleasant and soothing environment for players.
“The calming music and beautiful atmosphere create a truly immersive experience.”
“The soothing soundtrack combined with the enchanting environment makes for a relaxing gameplay experience.”
“The serene ambiance and melodic tunes enhance the overall mood of the game.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers minimal replayability, with players noting that once completed—typically in about two hours—there is little incentive to play through it again.
“But after finishing it (2 hours without 2 minutes for me), there will be no replayability here.”