Gems of War frames its puzzle combat as a fantasy expedition across Krystara. Players create an adventurer and travel through kingdoms, building a roster of mythical troops to face battles in a match-three RPG. The board is not just a clearing puzzle: its matches generate resources or attacks, tying each turn to the team’s abilities and the wider role-playing adventure.
Combat uses teams of four. Matching gems earns mana that troops spend on abilities, while skull matches inflict direct damage on opponents. Players may bring their hero into battle or field a troop squad, and can unlock and upgrade troops or equip the hero with a weapon. This combination makes troop selection and board decisions central to the game’s tactical identity, alongside its collection and character-building elements.
The adventure ranges across kingdoms with individual quest lines and into the Underworld, where players face factions for loot. Competitive play adds head-to-head encounters on a regional map, while Alliances can contest control of Krystara’s Regions.
