Review: WordStone

WordStone is a game of swapping. Swapping stones to make words. Hence the name: WordSwap... wait, that's not right.

Graphics:
They've gone for a kind of ancient civilization motif, which I like, although it doesn't lend itself to a lot of colour in this case. In general, the graphics aren't terribly impressive, but that's not really necessary for a game of this type.

Sound:
One looping music track and a few effects. Everything seems to fit within the ancient civilization theme, and while they're limited, the effects work relatively well. The music and effects have independent volume controls, which I always appreciate.

Gameplay:
Swap letters around to form words and remove tiles while the board slowly builds, line-by-line towards the bottom. There are a few random tiles like bombs and immovable letters that mix things up a bit, but overall the gameplay's pretty simple. As you proceed, things speed up, and it takes more words to clear the board. Pretty standard.

What I liked:
-The dictionary appears to be reasonably comprehensive.
-The game design has a theme. It's a bit cliche and overused, but a theme is a theme.
-Multiple ways to swap letters.
-Comprehensive instructions. Never underestimate the importance of instructions.

What I hated:
-Instructions contain rules for the PC version as well. Would it have been so tough to make two builds
-No unlimited mode. I could be using those precious seconds that it takes me to start a new round to play!
-Sometimes it's just impossible to make a word. I had a situation where there was nothing I could do but quit or wait for the level to end. That's always a bummer.
-I think I found a few bugs.

Final Verdict:
A few refinements, and this would be an excellent way to pass the time.

WordStone is available for free from Ocean Breeze Games Inc. on BlackBerry App World
Reviewed version 1.0