Developed by Ludia, DC Heroes & Villains is a match-3 type game that was globally released on July 18, 2023. It features some of the most iconic characters from the DC franchise, including Penguin, Two-Face, Batman & Robin, and Doctor Fate. Yet, despite the hype around it for almost a year, it hasn’t got off to a good start.
DC Heroes & Villains: Match 3 is available on Android and on the App Store. Current game modes include Story Mode, Limited Time Event quests, and Online PvP but with fancier names. The Puzzle-RPG superhero game has gained mixed reviews since its release and here are a few reasons why it is failing to get at least 4 stars in the ratings.
What went wrong with DC Heroes & Villains?
The new game based on the Detective Comics characters is preceded by Injustice and DC Legends, which were typical combat-type games. Injustice Mobile works on a swipe-to-attack basis while DC Legends: Fight Super Heroes is a 3-on-3 turn-based combat. Compared to these fighting games, DC fans think the new Match-3 game is a real letdown of time and resources.
Gamers expected a better reply from DC at a time when Marvel: Strike Force, Marvel Contest of Champions, and Marvel Future Fight dominate the DC vs. Marvel competition in mobile gaming. They could have learned from their past mistakes: cutting down on microtransactions to not repeat an exodus of players in Injustice and giving better direction to DC Legends by adding more updates/features.
Instead, they released a new game that hints at being a cash-grab and is going to compete with established franchises like King’s Candy Crush and Playrix’s Gardenscapes.
Besides the disappointment of DC Heroes & Villains not being a full-on combat game and its shifted focus on the kids market rather than the teens, players have encountered several issues in the 1.0 version. The game was in development for two years but it still needs tweaks in certain aspects based on recent player complaints:-
- PvP matchmaking: Players are being matched unfairly against strong opponents.
- Game freezes: No matter which device, DC Heroes & Villains: Match 3 stops on occasion and has connectivity problems. Restarting the game solves the issue.
- Availability of tiles: Matching more than three tiles is rare and players need to mostly back on hero powers to defeat their opponents.
That being said, there are a lot of positives to take from the Match-3 game as well.
Everything good about DC Heroes & Villains
Taking up to 900 MB after installation, DC Heroes & Villains makes good use of graphics to provide a solid gameplay experience. It is also free-to-play and only has a few transactions – players can obtain gems with real money although it can be obtained from quests and side quests. The story is also fascinating with Batman leading the charge against mysterious dark forces threatening Earth (probably Darkseid).
Here is a quick rundown of the qualities of DC Heroes & Villains: Match 3:-
- Easy gameplay with a user interface not loaded with icons or forceful transactions.
- Free 60 energy every day and multiple quests that reward XP, energy, and coins.
- DC fans will adore that characters’ voices/animations are based on their classic comic-based selves. They haven’t experimented with anything.
- The game runs on a more gameplay-more rewards basis (for now). Upgrading characters won’t be hectic as rewards are loaded on every step.
To sum up, DC Heroes & Villains is a must-try for any DC fan. That is, only if they like match-3 games and can hold their own in the insane matchmaking in PvPs.