- Rift of the Ranks is a new match-3 puzzler
- Set in a world of beastmen, it promises a new take on typical puzzle gameplay with unique abilities to employ
- But does the spectre of AI art detract from what’s obviously an attempt to offer something fresh?
It seems that nowadays, despite the increasing competition, match-3 still retains the spotlight. Matching up icons in order to clear a screen is simple, fun and addictive. And with Rift of Ranks, there’s a new take on this genre hitting Google Play, but as much as it offers new content, there’s also a bit of a problem.
Rift of the Ranks is set in the world of Fritris, a fantasy land populated by bestial humanoids rather than people. You play as a character named Rezkar who, in this world which teeters on the bring, works alongside his allies to fight off the bandits and other threats plaguing innocent people.
The main twist that Rift of the Ranks offers on the usual match-3 formula is the use of heroes and new abilities. Whether that’s employing magic or siege weaponry, you can rapidly change how each level progresses. And with each progressing towards a larger story, it promises a little more depth than your average puzzle game of this nature.
While Rift of the Ranks definitely has some interesting twists on the match-3 format we’d be remiss not to point out the looming spectre of AI over it. While the game itself is, of course, obviously human-made you only have to look as far as the art being used to see that it doesn’t quite pass muster, and somewhat detracts from the more minimalist nature of other icons in the game.
It’s a shame because it detracts from what was obviously an effort to do something new with an oversaturated genre. Still, if you want to give Rift of the Ranks a go regardless, you can find it now on the Google Play Store.
If you’re looking for more top picks from the past eight months, we’ve got an entire ranking of them over on our list of the best mobile games of 2024 (so far).
And we’ve also got an entire list ranking the most anticipated mobile games of the year to boot!
