iPhone App Review: Azkend

June 15, 2009 by Jason Kaneshiro

Azkend is a puzzle game where matching three or more identical, adjacent objects removes them from a hexagonal board.

The Good

Very simple game play. Just trace your finger over three or more identical objects to remove them from a hexagonal board. Surrounding objects then fall vertically to fill in empty tiles. Board tiles turn blue after they’re used in a match. In order to move to the next level, you must turn the entire board blue and then guide a special piece to the bottom of the board.
Amusing variety is added through slightly excessive bonuses and unusual objects. Matching more than three objects increases a lightning meter which eventually launches helpful lighting bolts. A spinning rainbow wheel acts as a wild card object. Certain tiles are made of metal which take two removals to turn blue, and other tiles are locked or frozen, requiring a nearby match to unlock. Some tiles are absent completely resulting in a gaping hole, and others are covered in growing, black tar. In the adventure mode, completing a level earns you a talisman piece, and constructing talismans earns you additional, special objects, which when matched, sets off all sorts of crazy violence like explosions, hammers, meteors, light rays, chains, and avalanches. The game ends when a steadily marching timer finally expires.
Pleasing graphics and animations - every special effect is fun to see play out. The game also runs quickly and is very responsive - you can start tracing your next move while a previous chain reaction is still in progress.
Two modes: survival mode, where you earn stars in order to discover the powerful talismans, and adventure mode, where each completed level takes you further on a hiking trail between mystical temples in a foreign land. Every five levels or so, the adventure scenario changes to a picture-matching exercise which frankly, is a cool game in and of itself.

The Bad

Wish objects fell in the direction of the iPhone tilt, Trism style, rather than persistently down.
The adventure mode is on the easy side. After learning a few strategies to get around certain situations, I went on auto-pilot and completed the entire game within a few days. Only the final ten or so levels presented much challenge. Also adding to the ease: after collecting a few talismans, a few moves sets the whole screen exploding and going crazy, practically solving some levels for you. Thankfully, the survival mode is more difficult.

Conclusion

Despite a not-too challenging adventure mode, Azkend’s silky smooth controls and mesmerizing graphics won me over. There’s just something satisfyingly primal about manipulating small, shiny objects and seeing them cascade downward, slot-machine style. Fans of Bejewelled will find this a pleasant alternative. It’s a great deal at the current price of 99 cents.

Play a Flash version of Azkend at: http://www.mythpeople.com/Play_Online/azkend.html