SoulTerra Odyssey's match-3 puzzling and roguelike battles are fun when it lets you enjoy them

After Digimon Up, I wasn't sure I'd try another Bandai Namco mobile effort for a while. On console and PC, sure. That's the home of Elden Ring, after all. But once you've played a lacklustre idle RPG - a genre so simple that mucking it up is borderline impressive - it makes sense to be slightly cautious. However, when they recently soft-launched SoulTerra Odyssey, I was intrigued enough to throw that aforementioned caution into the wind, largely because it's an original IP. And while I've come away with mixed opinions, it's at least more interesting than Digimon Up. Let's start with that original IP because it's an unusual decision from a big publisher, which often relies on recognisable series. Here, you play as a ragtag team of pirates going on some sort of expedition. I assume it's to find gold coins, given that's usually what those who fly the Jolly Roger tend to do. I couldn't tell you for certain because the plot is thinner than a decades-old treasure map.  ... [MORE]