[b]riddles and sieges[/b] is a medieval physics-based puzzler about one of the best things: destroying stuff. it's tile-based and concerns timing only in a sense that certain contraptions take more or less time to do their thing, so you have to [b]set things up in an orderly fashion, like a chain reaction[/b]. let the quicker catapult destroy the tall tower before the slower trebuchet shoots over the ruins to demolish the castle behind it, stuff like that.
[b]controls aren't rebindable but got reworked in a patch.[/b] camera controls got removed. they weren't necessary in the first place, only to fix iffy default camera positions, which couldn't be done anyway because zooming wasn't possible. now levels are zoomed and positioned properly. you'll mostly use the mouse (click to pick up and place things, wheel to rotate when holding something), but there are more hotkeys now. keyboard rotation is still only with q/e, not ideal for qwerty people.
the buttons are [i]start[/i] (when you're ready to see things play out), [i]retry[/i] (if you want to stop happenings or come back from a fail state and re-arrange things) and [i]restart[/i] (the whole level). start and retry have the same hotkey, as they're mutually exclusive, and there's an icon now for the pause menu.
after an update there are [b]55 levels[/b] to unlock one by one (and an unrelated secret level in a different way) in various environments with a new mechanic introduced every 5 levels. more toys and even some weather messing with said toys. [b]no move limit or rating system[/b], just wreak havoc and move on. the enemy usually also has an arsenal and they're on the same 'timer' that can and should be used to your advantage, along with the game's self-admitted 'not necessarily realistic' physics.
it's worth noting that enemy units only activate if there's something to shoot at (they're not bothered by your ballistas because triggering those would destroy their own things) and [b]your goal is to destroy enemy castles, but no problem if other stuff gets demolished too[/b]. maybe those tall towers with red flags are a third party and acceptable collateral damage.
I figured with new additions introduced so often, most levels would feel like tutorials, but of course accumulated knowledge has to be used on later puzzles with more and more things, so it's not all a breeze, not for me anyway, and not that much filler either. [b]a puzzle skip option was patched in[/b], so if you get stuck, you're not stuck for good, though somebody's bound to make a guide at some point. level 17 caused the first real problem for me, had to sleep on it, and there were tricky situations later on as well, clever little thing.
I really like the presentation but [b]wouldn't mind weather toggles[/b] (clouds, falling snow). on-screen level numbers got patched in and settings are okay and also available while playing. resolutions, windowed mode, languages, graphics quality, an all-important [b]screen shake toggle[/b], and separate volume sliders. there was no music initially, now there are a few fitting tracks, inevitably featuring kevin macleod, composer of all royalty-free music in the world. saves were eventually moved from the registry to a separate file, so there's cloud support now.
it's [b]fun and satisfying, watching things fall apart[/b] (as long as it's not your own life), the [b]level editor with workshop support[/b] might provide longevity if the game gains popularity, and there's even a slight educational element, at least there was for me. catapult, trebuchet, same same, but not anymore. and since most (if not all) the issues I raised got fixed a few days after release, it's now [b]an easy and firm recommendation[/b].
