Parents' Guide to

Empires & Puzzles: RPG Quest

By Chris Morris, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Fun match-3 game, but some adventure features fall flat.

App iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Free Role-Playing Games
Empires & Puzzles: RPG Quest Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Empires and Puzzles Screenshot 1
  • Empires and Puzzles Screenshot 2
  • Empires and Puzzles Screenshot 3

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 5 parent reviews

jbrown1333
jbrown1333 Adult
September 10, 2022
age 14+

Cash grab

This used to be a fantastic game. Now unless you are willing to pay to win its next to impossible to make any progress. All the events reward the people who are already too powerful with even more heroes and items to make the gap even wider. It's no fun when you lose every single fight and can't level up or gain better heroes without buying them. Every day there are new sales events and the cost is getting crazier each time. Don't bother starting to play this game unless you have extra $$$$ to spare
rickhuneter
rickhuneter Adult
April 15, 2020
age 18+

If you like rigged games, I don't...

This title has:

Too much consumerism
See all 5 parent reviews

What’s It About?

EMPIRES & PUZZLES: RPG QUEST is a game with a medieval setting, where players initially face off against a powerful overlord and his minions. The storyline quickly goes by the wayside in favor of the combat, a clever use of the match-three game style. Here, you connect three (or more) identical icons, which are then used to attack enemies at the top of the screen. Depending on the enemy, certain icons are more powerful than others. In between rounds, you can build out your base camp, where you gather resources and train new heroes to expand your options when fighting. In-game heroes see their powers charge as you match three icons, which give you special attacks. Player vs. Player (PvP) combat is handled in a match-three style as well, with enemy troops automatically fighting back against your heroes. If all of your heroes are killed by enemies, you lose the round.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (2):

There are really two games in one here in this puzzle/role-playing game (RPG) -- one that's great, one that's not. Empires and Puzzles: RPG Quest does a great job of adding an action element to the match-three gameplay style. It's fun, addicting, and (as you get deeper into the game) challenging enough to hold your attention. The effectiveness of matching certain icons varies per battle, with certain icons being more powerful than others against enemies. That's a really fun twist that makes you think carefully before you act. And PvP is different than any other game in this style. Special attacks from heroes add another layer to a familiar formula. If this was the entirety of the game, it'd be an absolute winner.

It's not, though. Empires and Puzzles: RPG Quest also has a base building and resource gathering game mode that feels out of place and clunky. It never feels essential to the game. And you'll find yourself itching to get back to the action. But the problem is that every round costs action points. And you only have so many (which recharge over time). So you're forced to play in short bursts or lay out cash. Plus, there's no single-price option to do away with that. These issues drag the game from great to good. But if you're willing to put up with time gates that aggressively push you to pay to play, or features that just don't seem necessary, Empires & Puzzles: RPG Quest will keep your match-3 attention for a while.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in video games. Is the impact of violence in Empires & Puzzles: RPG Quest affected by the lack of graphic visuals? Would the impact be intensified if the visuals were more realistic?

  • Do you feel the need to pay for more gameplay time when the energy for your characters runs out, or can you wait for it to refresh over time?

App Details

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