Kenshō

a tile matching game with the usual assortment of different block types, some move, some don't, some are helpful, some are just in the way, and your goal is to collect key fragments on every stage and unlock the door to the next level. there are 10 of them with up to 5 stages in each, which doesn't sound much and it isn't, the game can be completed in about 2 hours, but I found it really enjoyable and very relaxing. in this respect it reminded me of the excellent glass masquerade. not much of a challenge but looks beautiful and the music is fantastic.

there's no move or time limit, when you tilt the board, tiles move if they can and a new one appears, you can see on the left what color, so can plan ahead a bit. what makes it even less challenging and more relaxing (which might be a plus for some and a negative for others) is that every stage is random and while you 'faii' when the screen fills up and there are no more moves, you'll get a new setup immediately and can continue without losing any progress, so it's just a matter of time until you succeed.

points are awarded for matches, bonus points for matching more than 3 of a kind, but just like on whose line is it anyway?, points don't matter and there's no way of knowing how many you got in total, seems a bit pointless to have them in the game in the first place. there's some narrative in the level selection/hub area but I wouldn't call it a story, just some motivational sentences here and there, doesn't add much but I didn't mind it either.

the door puzzles between levels are fixed and involve placing the keys where they belong by moving all of them at the same time. these aren't difficult at all either, might take a few tries but it's more about mixing things up than putting an obstacle in your way, and after completing all 10 levels, an 11th door opens up, which seems like an endless mode of sorts, but after level 10 is done, you can replay the original levels as well.

it is clearly a mobile game but plays fine on pc, I had no problems with the controls or anything, but as usual, volume sliders are not included. that said, if you're not looking for a challenge but want something nice to fiddle with and listen to, pick it up, though you might want to wait for a sale depending on how much you're willing to pay.

Kenshō is a tile-sliding match3 puzzle done right:

• Simple enough that anyone can play it. No need for complicated tutorials.
• It is aesthetically pleasing, beautiful even and the soundtrack is great.
• New elements are introduced on every level. The game eventually becomes challenging, but very forgiving. If you fail a level, the tiles get reset but you don’t lose your progress.
• Just the right length to feel that you got your money worth but short enough without becoming a chore. The levels are randomized so you can replay them as much as you want or don’t if you don’t want to. There are no unnecessary achievements or goals to force you to keep playing over and over.
• Same price on mobile and on PC. Can be played comfortably on a touchscreen or with either a keyboard or a mouse.

A very enjoyable and beautiful puzzle game that I definitely recommend. I hope to see more from this developer.

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Kenshō is a sliding match-3 puzzler that features relaxing music and some excellent visuals.

The basic game is trying to match three or more tiles in a small grid that progressively fills in. As you move in any of the four directions, all of the tiles on the screen that can move will do so. If they cannot move. Each level has key pieces that appear one at a time. You need to match that block in order to unlock the key piece. Every five key pieces is a new key. Initial levels require fewer keys to complete, later levels will require 5 keys. After you complete all of the pieces, you have then another small puzzle to "restore the balance of nature."

Each level introduces a new concept, blocks that sit still and don't move, blocks that move only in one direction, borders on your key piece that allows it to only form three-in-a-row in certain directions, locks that keep a piece in place until it's matched, portals that transport your piece from one place to another on the grid, etc. So there is a significant challenge increase once you get to the later levels.

This is a casual puzzler in that there are really no fail states and no time limits. As your grid fills up one by one and eventually you run out of space and no further moves are available, the grid just falls apart and you get a fresh grid to continue. You do not lose any progress, whatever key pieces you have unlocked will remain. No time limit means you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the music. Play it here and there while doing something else. Yes, this is a bit mentally taxing, because of all of the elements introduced that accumulate into the later levels. But there is no stress involved in playing this game at all.

For someone who is really good at puzzles, this game might take you less time, for the average player playing all the way through, I estimate about 2 hours of game time. Part of that time will be used to gaze at the wonderful colors flying through the screen in between levels, as well as to marvel with a sense of discovery. The story is minimal and learned through small themes of each level, and is not an integral part of the game.

I like the entirety of this game put together as a whole package. Sure, if you feel the need to get a certain number of hours out of a game for your money, you may wish to wait for a sale, but this puzzle game definitely stands out with the above-mentioned points. I did run into a small bug where after I obtained a key, the grid did not repopulate with tiles, but I just clicked on the refresh button and a new grid showed up, and I continued without a hitch.

The music is very nice and accompanies the visuals very well. Together they beget a relaxed setting to enjoy this game. Please see the following video for a bit of gameplay from the beginning, looking at the short tutorial and then the first few levels.

https://youtu.be/-lj0Hzw1JrE

I received the product for free. I did not receive any compensation to write this review. The opinions represented here are entirely my own and were not influenced in any way.