I don't know about everyone else, but I've crushed about all the candies I can stand, and jeweled more than enough bees to last me a lifetime. Wait, that's not quite right…
My point is, it can be difficult to maintain enthusiasm for the match-three genre. Thankfully, Rescue Quest isn't just another jewel-matching game.
I mean it is, but it does things a bit differently. And that makes all the difference. Obviously.
Match and marchIn a basic sense, you're still clearing gems in much the same fashion as you would in most other match-3 puzzlers.
Line up three or more and you'll clear out a row or column and remove the gold-colored tiles behind them. However, unlike similar games the goal isn't simply to clear all the tiles and be done with it.
Rescue Quest is really about clearing a path through each level so that your magically-inclined character can reach a cage and free the swarm of magical essences that are contained within.
And it's a lot tougher than it sounds.
Find your lineIt doesn't take long for paths to start branching, which will force you to really think your route.
That short cut might look enticing, but it's narrow and allows for very few matching opportunities. Oh, but this other way will take me past a key, which I'll need to open the cage. Hmm…
There's really only one thing that bugs me about Rescue Quest - the fact that it can be a pain to figure our what kind of gem is under your character.
It's not a massive problem, but it can be rather irritating. I'm also not super-enthusiastic about the typical monetisation model (pay to continue, pay to refill lives, etc), but it's easy enough to circumvent if you're patient.
Sure you're still matching three of a thing, but it feels a lot more purposeful (and satisfying) in Rescue Quest because you've got more of a goal to strive for than simply "Unlock the next level."
And, like I said, it really does make a difference.