Journey to Misthaven

Response from developer

Hi Minimurda and thanks for trying Misthaven! I think Misthaven may not feel "quite right" for you because of the decision I made early on to create a very story-forward app rather than just a Match 3 game. That is also why the Match 3 games take only half the screen: they are "battles" with each chapter's character - putting you "in the action" rather than being the entire focus of the app. The other aspect of the Match 3 that I think is different from games like Royal Match or Candy Crush is that it is far more focused on skill rather than luck. Where most Match 3 games are rather like a very splashy checkers game crossed with a dice roll, Misthaven seeks to provide more strategic gameplay. The 6 elemental gems (rather than the traditional 4) and the introduction of diagonal drag does indeed make it different. Also, while the board does not change, the Match 3 does get harder with each level - especially when it comes to getting all three stars in a win. The expectation is that users figure out the "meta-strategy" for getting 3 stars across the board. That strategy, of course, is to earn elixirs on the earlier, easier boards to use on the harder boards. When looking at other Match 3 games, you are right that they provide lots of differently shaped boards, specialty widgets, and purchasable options. I could only have gone that route if I put in a lot less effort on story telling, music and art. But, like I say, I really wanted a story-forward app. Your comment about steps really hit the spot, too! I struggled with that a lot. At first, the levels were much further apart but I worried that people who didn't get a lot of steps would lose the thread on the story. If you learn the secret of Skye's lost brother and then don't get back to the game for three days because you are busy, for example, I feared the story would lose its impact. In retrospect, though, maybe I should revise that. In the end, I *could* revise the game so that defeating opponents wasn't done via Match 3 at all but by collecting the power of steps or other exercise. I had even thought of having people essentially bet their steps/minutes. So, if it *possible* that 5K steps could win, you could try for a 50/50 chance. Alternatively, you could wait until 10K steps for a sure thing. Anyway, any thoughts you - or anyone - has would certainly be appreciated!