[b]arcanika[/b] is a typical fantasy match-3 from 2014. the [b]voiced story[/b] is about a girl getting transported to a magical world in need of saving, and not only cutscenes but all the dialog is voiced.
there are 80 level files in the game's folder, but [b]no level select or numbers, stages keep happening until and after you're done[/b], so it's effectively endless. as is often the case for some reason, it all starts with a skippable hidden object scene, just the one in the entire game. recharging hints are available, and once all the pieces of something are found, the item can be used to help in the search.
typical switcheroo gameplay, can continue matching while animations are playing. unintrusive hints appear if you're stuck for a bit and the board gets shuffled if there are no matches left. power-ups are created by matching 4 or more of the same chip, as the game calls them. moving or double-clicking triggers them, cascades remove special tiles but don't create power-ups.
locks reveal hidden areas on levels, there are frozen and chained blocks, treasure and baskets need to be brought to the bottom. my least favorite thing after spreading nonsense, which luckily isn't present here. baskets then have to be filled with whatever the [b]5-eyed bear[/b] wants. his eyes follow the cursor, cute, and you can even [b]pet him and other animals outside levels[/b].
[b]no timer or move limit[/b], but there are [b]in-game achievements that provide extra cash[/b] and one is based on time. you might want to check them all and do a few early on to make things easier. money restores parts of the world, some options unlock chargable power-ups by matching their corresponding tiles, and additional colored tiles for the board. they're worth more, so you're essentially upgrading the board. what's weird is not all power-up chargers are available on every level after they're unlocked.
gorgeous presentation expected from a casual game like this, the music is a bit quirky, not unpleasant, matches the graphics. settings are available anytime, separate volumes (there isn't one for speech, sadly, it's bundled with sfx), non-resizable but much smaller (1024x768) windowed mode and custom game cursor. in full screen there's a fitting background to avoid stretching or black bars. every 'ok' or similar button says 'more'. the developer isn't a native speaker but the rest is fine, making this stand out more.
there's nothing here you can't find elsewhere, but [b]I especially liked the art style[/b]. it plays well, no annoyances, [b]easy recommendation for match-3 enthusiasts for about 5-6 hours[/b], or however long you want to play after the story ends.
