DC Heroes & Villains: A match 3 experience
DC’s Heroes & Villains hopes to grab a foothold by offering its players an experience where matching gems allows DC characters to take on increasingly difficult opponents
Match 3 games indeed present a challenging genre to master, as finding novelty within it is rare and sustaining player interest can be difficult. Candy Crush, being around for 11 years, has almost completely dominated the space, leaving few contenders to rival its popularity as classic games like Bejeweled have struggled to make a mark.
However, DC’s Heroes & Villains hopes to grab a foothold by offering its players an experience where matching gems allows DC characters to take on increasingly difficult opponents.
Heroes & Villains elevates the matching concept by introducing strategic elements. One such element is area-based progression, as matching gems in a specific area of the screen only deals damage to enemies in the corresponding section. Additionally, the game incorporates a type-matching system where the colour of matched gems determines the damage dealt, as certain colours are effective against specific enemies, who are themselves colour-coded.
In essence, the combat is reminiscent of Pokémon-style battles, but the effectiveness of your moves depends on the colour of the matched gems. These bits of strategy add depth to the classic format.
In terms of gameplay, Heroes & Villains weaves a story that brings together DC heroes and villains to combat the latest threat to Earth. However, I found the narrative elements to be lackluster, leading me to soon skip the game’s various cutscenes. The music and sound effects were also generic and too loud, although the comic-style art in the cutscenes was well-executed.
The game requires players to form a team of five characters to clear levels, and progress is measured through a three-star based performance ranking system similar to games like Angry Birds and Cut the Rope.
However, despite the nuance offered by various characters and the strategic dimensions, I felt that some aspects of the game, including the energy system seemed outdated and reminiscent of early free-to-play games from 2012.
Throughout my time playing the game, I encountered issues with its playability, finding it unrefined and buggy at times. A particularly frustrating problem was the constantly spinning orange ring, which simply would not stop and at times prevented me from accessing certain aspects of the game’s menus.
If you do feel an undeniable urge to engage with the DC universe or play a match-3 game, I would recommend considering Injustice and Candy Crush instead, as they offer a better quality and more engaging experience.
