Later, you'll also discover additional items you can turn in to the people back in town to complete sidequests, and you'll even encounter puzzles of all kinds you'll need to solve before you can continue on through the map. The items can be hiding under tiles like grass or sand, so you'll want to search those when your cursor begins glowing. In addition to the usual obstacles, like blocks or crates you'll need to make matches alongside to shatter to pass through, you'll also find locations you'll need special items to cross, such as a boat for a river, or an axe for a deadfall. Wood, stone, and gold are used to buy upgrades for the town or pay the tribute, while blue potions refill your powerups, and enough shields will let you teleport anywhere on the map you've already been. Runefall's gameplay combines match-3 puzzle solving with resource gathering, with the matches you make of three or more of the same icons both collecting that icon's corresponding element, and moving you around the 'map' of each level in the direction of the match, which is important since levels are sprawling and don't fit on one screen. Despite some issues with repetition and variation, a genuinely likable cast and engaging story alongside addictive match-3 gameplay makes Runefall a rocksolid addition to the genre that's well worth checking out and losing a few hours to, as comforting and enjoyable as loading up your favourite light fantasy film while wearing your comfiest socks and sipping your favourite beverage. But when you discover magical, valuable runes while out searching for the resources needed to pay tribute? Well, that's another matter entirely, and suddenly sleepy Riverfell isn't so sleepy at all. In it, you find yourself in the tiny town of Riverfell, which has had difficulty making ends meet and finding enough to make their tribute to the kingdom ever since the war brought the trade routes to a screeching halt.

Good thing Playcademy seems to have that in spades, with Runefall being one of the most relaxing and enjoyable additions to the genre to come along in a long time. In the grand scheme of things, match-3 puzzle games might be some of the simplest to make in their most basic incarnation, but taking that simple formula and making it feel fresh and fun takes a bit more ingenuity.

Runefall levels