Mythmatch Review: A Match-Three Game Made in Heaven
In recent years, a trend has emerged where familiar puzzle game genres are infused with novel narratives to add depth and meaning beyond mere point-scoring. Examples like the occult object sorter Strange Horticulture and the historical romance card game Regency Solitaire have set a high bar. Now, Mythmatch joins this esteemed group, offering a match-three experience reminiscent of Candy Crush or Bejeweled, but wrapped in a warming tale of friendship and community set in a small ancient Greek town.
A Divine Adventure with Artemis
Players assume the role of Artemis, the immortal daughter of Zeus, who grows weary of being overlooked for prestigious roles in favor of her oafish brother Apollo, portrayed brilliantly as an insufferable proto-tech bro. When the position of God of the Hunt becomes available, Artemis applies, only to discover she must first earn favor with a council of elders on Mount Olympus. Each deity presents puzzle-based tasks: Hephaestus requires assistance in crafting arrows and hammers in his foundry, while Apollo seeks protection for his collection of chimp soft toys, a not-so-subtle jab at NFTs.
These mini-tasks are structured as match-three puzzles, but cleverly incorporate elements from other games like Plants vs Zombies and Overcooked, adding variety and strategic depth. However, before Artemis can secure her desired role, she is cast out of Olympus and sent to the mortal town of Ithaca, home of Odysseus, where the men have vanished, leaving women and children to fend for themselves.
From Olympus to Ithaca: A Rural Life Sim
In Ithaca, the game transforms into a rural life simulation. Players help locals by constructing new buildings, facilitating trade with other settlements, and solving complex personal issues. Remarkably, this is still primarily achieved through matching three items. Every object found in the world can be combined with two identical items to create something new: match three shells to produce a pearl, or three twigs to form a wooden plank. These newly created items can then be matched again, resulting in an evolving hierarchy of objects used for building and assisting villagers with their needs.
This cycle defines the gameplay: days are spent on Earth becoming a more useful deity, while nights allow returns to Olympus to improve scores in godly challenges. As Artemis becomes indispensable to mortals, they reward her with belief, a form of ecclesiastical experience points that can be spent to ease Olympian puzzle tasks. This structure masterfully blends the pleasant busywork of a farm simulator with the compulsive mental challenge of a match-three puzzler.
Visuals, Humor, and Timeless Themes
The visual style is gentle and cartoonish without being overly cute, featuring well-drawn, sympathetic characters whose stories merge ancient Greek myths with everyday relatable issues. Themes range from unrequited love and social anxiety to deeper sociopolitical commentary on absent fathers, corporate greed, leadership philosophy, and the transactional nature of worship.
Mythmatch is also extremely funny. For instance, combining three beetles creates a raccoon that scavenges through villagers' refuse sacks, generating plastic that can be matched into toys and other useful items. These adorable critters fall asleep after their tasks, often found lying bloated and surrounded by rubbish as players explore the town.
Hypnotic Gameplay and Addictive Cycles
Many players report losing track of time, with sessions stretching for hours due to the interlocking systems, pleasing pace, and hypnotic ebb and flow between Olympus and the mortal realm. The urge to play just one more day often leads to late-night sessions focused on growing pumpkins for Demeter's festival or setting traps for forest monsters.
Expertly and lovingly crafted, Mythmatch stands as a lyrical poem about beautiful and rewarding game design. It is available now for PC and Mac at £16.75, offering a unique blend of puzzle-solving, simulation, and narrative depth that captivates from start to finish.
