This was the 2nd time I'd played through the game, the first time being when I bought it. It's a match-3 game with RPG elements.
You choose from 4 different classes with four character options in each class. I'm not sure what the differences between the classes are, but I'm guessing the starting stats, skill point costs of each stat, and what spells are learned as your hero levels up are different. In addition to the normal battles you encounter through the game, after defeating an enemy type three times, you have the option of capturing that enemy to either use as a mount for your hero or learn a spell or two from. In order to capture the enemy, you have to make matches to clear the board, as opposed to the standard battle against an enemy. If the enemy captured becomes a mount, it gives you a stat bonus and the ability to avoid some enemy encounters. You can train your mount by defeating progressively stronger enemies of that type with a time limit on your turns. Training your mount increases the stat bonus. In order to learn spells from the enemies captured, you have to match a given number of each type of gem, as well as a special type of icon created by matching 4 or 5 gems. These tasks are performed in your Citadel, which is accessible from the starting town, as well as any city you capture, or the games main menu if your hero happens to be in one of these cities.
The progression of the game is via one main quest, with lots of side quests available. Performing the side quests will cause some extra characters to join who will perform an action at the beginning of a battle based on the type of enemy. The quests all consist of going to a certain location or locations to defeat something or get an item, which is always guarded by something to fight, and maybe returning. All of the story interactions are presented in what I believe is considered to be the visual novel style with a still of each character on the left and right side of the screen with speech bubbles. There is no animation in the game, with the closest being a pan up of a large scene at a handful of important parts of the game.
There is a Multiplayer mode, where you can do single battles against another human. While there is an option to apply a time limit, this doesn't affect the single player quest. Maybe it affects the multiplayer, which I never tried out.
If you like match-3 games, I highly recommend this game. It's well worth the $20 I paid for it.
