Murphid is a match three style block drop game. You should all be familiar with the format by now as XBLIG has quite a few to choose from. Does Murphid stand out from the rest? Read on to find out.
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The main mode on Murphid is the Challenge mode which comprises of over seventy levels split into twelve stages. Once each stage is completed it is unlocked and can be played again without having to start from stage one. You must drop groups of two blocks which can be a mixture of two colours into the below area and try to match three or more blocks of the same colour, doing so will remove them from the game and fill up a meter to complete the level.
New blocks slowly scroll upwards from the bottom of the screen acting as a timer. Once any block reaches the top of the screen you will lose a life, the top half of the screen is wiped of all blocks and you are free to continue playing. This is a great idea and keeps the flow of the game going instead of having to restart the level from scratch.
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The Arcade mode plays at a faster pace, instead of the blocks being added at the bottom of the screen, your blocks now automatically fall similar to Tetris. The change in pace is great and adds variety to the game which is always welcome. The Arcade mode is trickier than the Challenge mode as there are no levels to complete, you simply keep playing until the blocks reach the top. A third mode called Survival plays similar to the Arcade mode but uses the Challenge method of blocks scrolling upwards.
There are a few varieties of blocks which can hinder or help you. Special blocks come in two forms; Blockers can not be removed by matching three blocks and can only be destroyed by Power Ups. The second is a Life block which when matched with three gems grants you an extra life. A wealth of Power Ups are introduced throughout the Challenge mode; Joker blocks allow you to match any adjoining matching colours, Chainsaw will remove five blocks in a column and a Bomb will destroy any blocks in its blast radius. The variety of Power Up blocks are great and can really make a difference between a completed level or a loss of a life.
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It should be pointed out that I reviewed this game on the hottest day of the year in UK so far. Instead of enjoying the weather, I sat inside and happily spent a few hours playing the game nearly non stop! The Challenge mode is particularly addictive with the difficulty balance being spot on. It can sometimes look like you are just about to lose a life and a useful power up will come along and change the outcome.
Presentation is done well with a good menu design that is easy to navigate. Graphics are clearly drawn and look the part for a puzzle game, information is laid out around the sides of the screen and easy to read at a glance if needed. Music is non existent in this game, to be honest I did not miss the lack of music as the sound effects are done well with satisfying explosions and good effects for the power ups. A number of awards are available to unlock such as destroying a number of blocks, using power ups and surviving for a number of minutes in the Survival mode.
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Murphid costs 240 :MSPoints: which I think is well justified. The Challenge mode will keep you playing for an estimated three to four hours to complete. You have the variety of the Arcade and Survival modes which can easily give you an extra few hours of game to play. All in all this is a very well put together game with some addictive gameplay, puzzle fans should definitely check this one out!
You can find more information as well as download the trial and full versions of Murphid on the Marketplace.
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