Test Puzzles and Survival : zombies meet match-3

This week I had the opportunity to make a test of Puzzles & Survival, a game with an unlikely mix of genres on the theme of post-apocalyptic survival in the middle of a zombie contamination wave. Let's take a look at this game to see if you might like it. Fans of The Walking Dead and fans of surprises, get ready.

A melting pot of genres as a concept for Puzzles and Survival

During this test of Puzzles and Survival, I was able to discover many things... maybe too many. To be honest, I'm not sure I can describe the kind of game Puzzles and Survival is. Indeed, it uses classic concepts found among the biggest games on the Playstore, with little originality, but draws its inspiration from so many genres that the whole thing looks like a titanic pile of game modes. It quickly reminded me of Craftopia on PC, which was only described as a mix of all the games the developers liked because... Why not?

Needless to say, for those looking for clarity or a small pocket game, Puzzles and Survival does not fit these criteria. However, for players looking for an ever-changing experience, this is one that should appeal to you.

Match-3 in the spotlight

The game opens with a quick match-3 game with a wave battle that puts you right in the middle of the action. Although it looks like a simple game, this phase introduces you to the basic principles of match-3 combinations. However, as the campaign progresses, you learn to use new gameplay mechanics that add depth to a match-3 experience unlike anything I've seen before, similar to the recently released Call of Antia.

I have to admit that I enjoyed playing match-3 in a different way in this test Puzzles and Survival, with more thought put into it than just the thought of trying to make a combo. Sometimes you'll need to use your heroes' special skills by aiming at specific monsters or focus on knocking down barriers to kill the zombies behind them, while other times you'll need to manage to make your pawn matches on the grid while avoiding aiming at a prisoner you might hurt.

Make sure you don't fail your mission! Every survivor can join your team of heroes to fight the zombies. And none will be too many. With the heroes, we discover the pack opening gacha mechanic, with heroes of various types and rarity. You will then have to evolve them to keep up with the growing threat.

Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to participate in every battle and you will have to put together a strong team, taking into account the strengths and weaknesses of each player. As in any gacha, it is best to avoid spreading yourself too thin. Concentrate your resources on the heroes that will go directly into your team, don't waste anything on the others.

Narrative choices and basic construction

Once the fighting is over, you're caught up with the story, which begins as your comrade Nova has just been infected. To help her, you'll need to collect Antivirusin (I wish fighting covid was that easy) in the countryside by beating wave after wave of zombies. This Antivirusine will then allow the doctor to perform a series of operations on Nova in the lab in order to save her.

In addition to all this, there is also a chapter system. Let me explain: in order for the story to make sense and for you to get rewards progress, you will have to build buildings on the locations of your choice in order to reinforce the protection of the refuge or to carry out certain types of mission. After a certain number of missions, you complete the current story chapter.

Even if it's not the first time I've come across it (this test of Puzzles and Survival won't change my mind) I'm not a fan of this operation in general as I find it too dirigiste. Restricted in my test of Puzzles and Survival, this one doesn't affect my opinion so much as it serves the development of the story of the game. Speaking of story, you will also have the opportunity to make important decisions such as welcoming certain people or names to the Refuge. This is materialized by a menu of binary choices that will influence the rest of the story.

As for the graphics, the title offers well-crafted visuals that respect its theme. It has the same kind of visual atmosphere as State of Survival or The Walking Dead, with strong characters and the pressure of a sporadic and unpredictable threat.

In conclusion, my opinion on Puzzles and Survival is rather positive. Its basic construction and gacha systems don't really bring much to the title and add a layer of unnecessary weight that could have been translated differently to serve the narrative more simply. However, the match-3 mechanics are particularly successful, with a management of strengths and weaknesses and movement on the grid that is much better than other titles of the genre.

The depth of strategy in the battles is not weakened at all by the presence of the match-3, which makes it a very nice surprise for me, as I was expecting the zombies to be just a thematic illustration of what's going on on the grid. But it's not the case, the zombies and the obstacles outside the grid fit perfectly into the rest of the gameplay and then... the fight against the virus, it's topical! For more games in this genre, head over to our top mobile match-3 games.

Note that this test is made in partnership with Huawei. You can win many rewards on Puzzles and Survival and many other games of the moment by installing this game via the App Gallery and taking advantage of the Huawei Game Center.

Positive points

• Multiple game modes
• From integrated strategy to match-3
• A successful post-apo atmosphere
• Choosing from history

Negative points

• No need for a construction system
• Standard scenario