Puzzle Quest’s unique fusion of block puzzle and RPG mechanics never quite managed to spawn a genre of imitators, but in 2009 it inspired one very prominent contender. Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes was Ubisoft’s big-studio answer to the popular indie, bringing with it the brand appeal of the nebulous M&M franchise, and a thoughtful approach to gameplay that further integrated tactical elements to the color-matching fun. An HD treatment of consoles followed, and now we get a touch-optimized version of that same game on Android for the first time.
Under Ubisoft’s management, the Might & Magic franchise has been diluted quite a bit. Where once the series had a recognizable style and mythology, now it’s pretty much just a generic fantasy world, and the different games don’t feel connected. Clash of Heroes is no different. The art style and tone seems to draw as much from animated young adult shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender as it does from any of the earlier M&M games.
The positive side of this is that newcomers should be unafraid to jump in. The story is self-contained, and told through cut scenes and dialog. Between battles you’ll have some limited ability to explore and navigate by touching hotspots on the screen. It doesn’t feel very open, but there are actually plenty of side-quests and treasures to be found. It all falls short of being a “real” role-playing experience in terms of depth, but there’s at least an attempt to keep the game from staying on a rail. The story, while dense, is not especially compelling, alas, leaving the game to stand mostly on the merits of its gameplay.
This is where Clash of Heroes shines. Although it culls some puzzle game mechanics, it never forgets to keep the focus on tactical strategy, rather than simply arranging colored blocks. Your army on the bottom half of the screen squares off against an enemy at the top. You can pick up units from the bottom of one of your rows and place them in another in a manner similar to Magical Drop. Matching three colored units horizontally forms a defensive barrier to protect against enemy attacks, and matching three vertically initiates an offensive attack after a set number of turns.
This is really where the “puzzle” aspect of the game ends. This combat is completely turn-based, with a fixed number of “moves” per turn. Different units have different unique properties, and utilizing the units on-screen feels more like a strategy game than a puzzler most of the time. For example, one unit may attack faster, while another may be able to bypass enemy walls. You’ll have to constantly respond to your opponent’s moves like a game of chess, rather than a frantic match of Puyo Puyo.
The campaign is lengthy, with self-contained episodes spanning five different factions, each with their own story, unique units, and areas to explore. It’s a huge game, by mobile standards – hell, even by console standards. Luckily, the campaign does a good job at pacing the game, introducing new units and unique combat scenarios before boredom sets in.
Clash of Heroes is a few years old now, but there’s still really nothing like it. Games like Puzzle & Dragons or Puzzle Quest simply don’t capture the same feeling. For what it lacks in real atmosphere, charm, or storytelling, it makes up for with its unique gameplay that lies somewhere between a puzzle game and a strategy-RPG. For anyone looking for a smart, addictive, and substantial quest, you’ll be hard pressed to find a real substitute.
!
Hardcore?
Yes.
Clash of Heroes’ relies almost entirely on the merits of its unique and clever battle system, sure to please those who prefer thinking over level grinding and button mashing.
