Apple Arcade is filled with gems waiting to be discovered. Every now and then, I jump back in to search for new, original games. The Enchanted World is one of those, combining smart puzzles with a mesmerizing story and stellar visuals. It’s not just another one of those ‘simple’ mobile games, this one really offers a lot of great moments, let me explain why.
Guide the young fairy
Right from the start, you’ll notice this game has something special. The way the incredible soundtrack matches the low-poly graphics really is something different. It immediately sucks you into the gorgeous world and you’re ready to explore its secrets right from the start. I loved the small introduction to the young fairy, a loveable character that’s filled with emotions, even without any real narrative. The story of The Enchanted World is an emotional one, partly inspired by the authors’ childhood, it’s a work of art. A lot of love and details went into the story and I love how it simply unfolds right in front of you. There’s no text here, just an incredible interplay of both visuals and sound. It’s the perfect example of why a “show don’t tell” formula often works way better than endless narratives. It will get you hooked to the young fairy in mere seconds and you’ll want to continue playing until you reach the end of your emotional story.
The actual gameplay
When it comes to its presentation, the game really is top of its class but it only gets better once you start playing. The Enchanted Worlds offers a new take on the puzzle genre and introduces us to tile sliding puzzles, the ones you might have played as a kid. By sliding away a certain tile in a certain direction, you’ll change the order of the board. It’s your task to create a new path for you to follow by sliding the correct tiles in the correct order. At first, it all starts off rather simple but the more you advance, the more difficult it will get. The catch is that you won’t simply slide the tiles, the way they move is affected by a couple of things. If the fairy stands on a tile, you can’t move the entire row corresponding with that tile, forcing you to stand away from the board during the first puzzles.
The more you advance, the more extra elements you’ll need to take into consideration, ranging from enemies blocking your path to boss fights you’ll need to overcome. The game always throws something new and unexpected at you and it’s up to you the handle accordingly. This results in an innovating and fun puzzle game that’s fun from start to finish due to its unpredictableness.
Conclusion:
The Enchanted World is a game you’ll simply need to play if you’re into puzzles games. The emotional story, stellar soundtrack, and challenging gameplay all add up to an unforgettable experience. It’s by far one of the best puzzle games I played this year and as part of the Apple Arcade program, it’s one of the best currently on the service.
