Merge & Bladeis a unique hybrid genre puzzle game created by indie game developer Magic Cube and its founder and CEO SangSuk Ha. The game combines puzzle andautobattler genres, giving birth to a game that has been nicknamedPuyoChess,TetrisRPG, and FantasyTetris, among others.
Thecombination of genresmeans thatMerge & Bladeis not an ordinary puzzle game, as it also has elements of strategy and upgrades that set it apart from traditional puzzle games. The game involves merging units to increase their power level, as well as how they interact with enemies and friendly units. This concept of merging and making blocks upgradeable adds depth to the game in various ways.
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Merge & Blade is Tetris with Upgrades
The game has battles based on the concept of fantasy combat with 11 basic units, including the likes of peasants, blacksmiths, footmen, archers, and priests. The combination of these units results in the creation of a fantasy party, which takes on evil enemies. The different units inMerge & Bladeprovide different functions, such as attacking diagonally, attacking from a distance, and providing healing. The game involves two stages. First, there is theTetris-like placement of blocks, or in this case units, on the battlefield, and after that the battle itself, where the party faces an opposing force.
“For progression, I designed an Academy to raise the highest rank available, a Bootcamp, which gives you high-ranked units from the start, and other upgrades that increase your supply of turns, previews, swaps, etc.”
Players merge units to create higher-ranked units that have more power and unique abilities. The game’s merging concept is similar to that ofMatch 3 games, but it adds the element of strategy, thanks to the aforementioned battle mechanics. In addition to the merging mechanic, Ha decided to create upgrades that allow the improvement of units' stats, the unlocking of new classes, the addition of puzzle turns, and more. This adds another layer of complexity as the player needs to not only attempt to merge units to become stronger but to choose to upgrade specific units, or forgo unit upgrades and choose upgrades that make other aspects of the game easier.
Accessibility with Upgrades in Merge & Blade
Merge & Bladeisdesigned to be easy to play but hard to master. The game’s small grid size of 5x5 means that the puzzles are easy enough to grasp for most players. Even if the player isn’t very good at puzzles, the game is not lost. There’s a swap feature in the battle section of the game, which allows the reorganization of units. Swapping an archer from the front row to a foot soldier might be just what is needed on the battlefield.
Accessibility is an essential part ofMerge & Blade’s design. Ha wanted to make a game that emphasized unique gameplay that would attract a large player base. While he is an avid puzzle gamer, the Campaign mode was designed to offer an appropriate challenge for most people. Upgrades were added, so that those that need a little help, can do so within the game and not with theoften problematic difficulty setting.
“If you clear the campaign and feel like the Roguelike mode is doable, then the tutorial was good. If the Roguelike feels ridiculously difficult, it’s because you cleared the campaign by using upgrades.”
For those that look for the ultimate puzzle challenge, and have managed to complete the Campaign without touching upgrades, there’sa separate Roguelike mode. This will truly test the player’s puzzle-breaking powers. The Roguelike mode is divided into different scenarios, where the challenges will vary. Ha also revealed that there are more scenarios and units in the works for an update that should be available in April.
Merge & Bladeis now available for PC and Xbox.
