Nature, Time, and Area Intertwine within the Puzzling Kenshō

Kenshō ($3.99) by FIFTYTWO is a match-three block sliding puzzle sport that gives gamers with a surreal expertise. If you happen to get pleasure from video games like Threes!, however need visuals like Campfire Cooking, then you’ll love what Kenshō has to supply.

When life will get hectic, I like to sit down down and play some video games to loosen up. My go-to for this process is often puzzle video games that make me suppose, as a result of I don’t like to only let my thoughts rot away. Whereas I really feel like I’ve performed most puzzle video games that the App Retailer has to supply, generally they slip below my radar and I don’t get an opportunity to play them. Kenshō is a kind of video games, and I’m glad that I’m discovering it now.

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Visually, Kenshō is completely lovely. The sport is totally rendered in 3D that’s gorgeous, with blocks that actually come out at you and vivid dreamscapes of nature that unravel a deeper story. There’s additionally beautiful particle results and lighting that make the sport stand out from the gang. The colour palette in Kenshō consists of daring and vibrant hues that distinction properly with the darkish backdrops, and the cutscenes between ranges are enjoyable to observe because of the graphics coming to life. The animations in Kenshō are buttery easy and fluid, so there have been no points with lag or uneven body charges on my iPhone 8 Plus. The ambient and atmospheric music can be charming and immersive, whereas being a delight to take heed to as you play. Truthfully, Kenshō is a marvel by way of visible and audio design.

In Kenshō, you’ll discover the degrees locked away behind doorways, with every of them that includes some form of creature from nature guarding it. Whereas I’m not fully certain what number of ranges there are whole within the sport, I do know that every stage is damaged up into a number of totally different elements, so one degree could be slightly prolonged, particularly since issues get more difficult as extra mechanics are launched. The objective is easy and easy: slide the blocks to match not less than three like-colored squares in a line, both horizontally or vertically. Finally you’ll must match the blocks with key fragments, which result in key items. The important thing items are essential to clear that half earlier than shifting on to the subsequent one.

Controls in Kenshō are simple and intuitive. If you happen to’ve performed Threes! earlier than, you then’ll understand how this works. Slide your finger on the display screen to maneuver all tiles in that path. You too can slowly drag to see a preview of what that transfer would appear to be earlier than you full it. On the high of the display screen is a preview of the subsequent block, so there’s technique and planning concerned.

Whereas issues begin out straightforward, it will get harder and difficult as you progress. You’ll have black, crumbled blocks that transfer however can’t be matched with something, stones that received’t transfer in any respect, and extra. Key items additionally begin having partitions on the perimeters, which means it is going to solely get cleared out whenever you make a match on the perimeters that aren’t blocked. If you take all of those into consideration, Kenshō will get fairly onerous. As soon as the board fills up with blocks that don’t match, you then’ll should restart that half over.

A block sliding puzzle matching sport with an excellent design.

The Good

Kenshō is unquestionably a puzzle sport that stands out from the remainder. At this level it’s a bit older, however nonetheless price a obtain. It has beautiful and excellently achieved visuals which are immersive and interesting. The unique serene soundtrack is one other unbelievable contact to the sport, and it’s really helpful to play with headphones to get the total expertise. Controls are straightforward and intuitive, and the assorted sport mechanics which are steadily launched preserve issues contemporary. And when you full a stage, the sport rewards you with a second to chill and loosen up with the peaceable cutscenes.

The Unhealthy

Kenshō is a good sport, however there’s one factor that I discovered form of annoying. When you can "skip” the cutscenes by doing a long-press, that is extra of a “fast-forward” operate than a full on skip. I really feel that generally these scenes are a bit lengthy, and I simply wish to get to the subsequent chapter. I believe making it in order that it skips the scene solely would optimize the general expertise for individuals who desire it.

The decision

Despite the fact that Kenshō has been out for a number of months, I’ll admit that I tousled by letting it slip by me all this time. Nevertheless, I used to be going by way of my iPhone video games and stumbled upon this, and determined to launch it and provides it a go. I’m so glad I did, as a result of Kenshō is an actual hidden gem for me. The sport appears to be like wonderful, the music is stress-free, controls are easy, and the puzzles are nice for individuals who respect technique and problem. Kenshō is a particular match-three block sliding sport that everybody ought to take a look at.

Kenshō is accessible on the App Retailer as a common obtain in your iPhone and iPad for simply $3.99.