There’s nothing quite like finding a cool game we missed several months back. It’s like getting a new cool game, except it’s usually had a bunch of updates to make it even better! Such is the case with Celsius Heroes (Free), an interesting take on the Puzzle & Dragons (Free) formula of social RPGs. The game was pointed out to me a few weeks ago by a member of the TouchArcade forums, and I’ve been looking for an excuse to mention it since. As the game just got a big content update, this seems as opportune a time as any.
The core gameplay of Celsius Heroes is almost directly lifted from Puzzle & Dragons, having you slide pieces around on a board, making matches in order to deal damage to enemies or heal. But rather than simply ape that game with a different art style and call it a day, Celsius Heroes adds some decidedly traditional RPG elements. In PAD, you automatically move from one battle to the next, with the game automatically moving you a step forward in the “dungeon" each time. In Celsius Heroes, you have to move manually, and instead of just taking five steps forward, the dungeons are actual mazes you have to navigate.
Your party members are actual characters, too. They’ll engage in dialogue, and you can choose which one speaks in many situations. You’ll find equipment and gear that you can give to them to equip and use, with inventory screens that look more like something out of a classic CRPG than a social RPG. While there is some endless content, there are also actual stories with beginnings and endings, a rarity in this kind of game. Of course, it’s still a social RPG, so you’ll need to be online to play, sharing characters with friends is an important feature, and there is a premium currency and stamina system to deal with. Overall, however, if you enjoyed the basics of Puzzle & Dragons but pined for something with more traditional elements, Celsius Heroes might be what you ordered.
The latest update is mostly aimed at veteran players, adding more powerful enemies, legendary weapons, and new enemy behaviors that can mess around with the board. That last point shows how Celsius Heroes eventually diverges from Puzzle & Dragons even in its basic gameplay. Even if it will take some time for you to get at that new content, however, you still might want to give this game a look. As a Puzzle & Dragons fan who moved on from the game a while ago, I found Celsius Heroes surprisingly enjoyable.
