QuantZ? What is QuantZ you ask. Well QuantZ is very unique take on the classic Jewel Quest style color-matching puzzle game. It takes the gameplay to the 3rd plain while adding new touches that wouldn't be possible if the game was 2D. QuantZ is one of the few puzzle games now-a-days that brings something to the table for anyone, newbies and core gamers, to enjoy. Is this new 3D gameplay good enough to be worth a purchase though?

There are three different gameplay modes available to play in QuantZ. Puzzle, Action, and Strategy modes take the game in three different directions while still managing to keep QuantZ's look and feel alive throughout the experience. Base gameplay is the same in all three modes. Try to match the same colored orbs together in-order to destroy them until all orbs are destroyed. If there is a cluster of orbs together, that contain an orb of a different color, when the other orbs get destroyed the odd orb out gets shot out of the cluster as a fireball. You can use the fireball to ignite other clusters in a similar fashion, continuously chaining explosions together till you have no other clusters to destroy. If there are orbs on one side of the 3D playing field, you can flick or roll them to the other side with quick movements of your mouse. You can also slow down time, so when an orb is fired or you have a fireball in the air, you can view the entire game area to plan out where you want it to land. Only thing is when you slow time, orbs will continue to fall towards the area that it was originally falling till you unfreeze and spin the field to the correct placing.

The easiest, and the first selectable mode, is the Strategy Mode. This mode plays the closest to every other color matching game there is. You have a limited number of orbs at your disposal. Fewer orbs used to beat a level the higher your score will be. Other score bonuses include things like beating a level with an explosion, and having multiple explosions. Match up, or combo, your orbs to quickly beat all levels in a specific stage. Each stage introduces new orbs and difficulties to the game. Later stages introduce orbs that can only be blown up, orbs that change to the color of an orb it collided with, and orbs that are frozen to the platform. There are 12 stages total containing 8 levels each.

Action Mode is probably the middle of the road in terms of difficulty. Like Strategy Mode you get 12 stages with 8 levels each. The gameplay is similar to Strategy Mode, as well, just with a twist. You have no control of when your orbs are launched, and they are launched at random positions around your screen. One orb can launch from the right corner of your screen followed by the top. It gives you a decent amount of time to land the orbs, but you will have to slow time down quite a few times to make sure things go exactly as planned. This can get difficult in the later stages, but this is still nothing compared to the Puzzle Mode in difficulty.

The last, and most puzzling, game-type is the Puzzle Mode. This sounds easy since you have a set number of orbs and clusters of orbs to destroy. The thing is, the super easy beginning puzzles cloaks the eventual headache that is the hard puzzles. It can almost be impossible to figure out how to solve them. This is why the Puzzle Mode is the hardest game-type in QuantZ. Truthfully, I'm stuck on one of the puzzles and it's looking like there is no getting past it for me; I just can't figure out the order they want it solved in. There are ten difficulty levels ranging from very simple to genius.

QuantZ is simple, yet elegantly presented. Visually this game is very nice considering the limited graphics needed for a puzzle game. The playing field has no slowdown when rotating the cube. Colors are a nice shade of blue with fire effects and explosions mattering the colored orb associated with it. Frozen orbs twinkle as if being shined on by the sun. Menus are clean, especially the Action and Strategy Mode level selection screen. It is setup as a ring with each stage symbolized by the name of a constellation and its symbol. When you beat a stage, you get that constellation under the level title when you go over it. Orb launching is a smooth and easy process. There is no random glitches sending an orb in abnormal directions. For a puzzle game, QuantZ is the one of the prettiest in the genre.

The audio is quite fitting with the all the action in QuantZ. Orbs crackle when they collide. When orb clusters explode they give a launch-like thrust sound as the colored orbs are sent flying. The music in this game is quite a lovely tune. Its more of an old-style hymn that would be sung in temples during the 1800's; or, for a more modern day reference, the temples in Final Fantasy X. The hymn is very soothing to the mind which seems to make you think clearly while playing; proving scientists were right that certain types of music can help people accomplish different tasks.

Overall, QuantZ is a very charming puzzle game that will challenge the mind with the hardest of tasks to complete. With a lovely rhythm, a ton of puzzles to complete, and some Steam achievements, QuantZ is not the puzzle game to skip. This is a puzzle game that can be played for well over 30 hours. A unique experience awaits anyone who plays in the wonderful world of QuantZ.