Pet Rescue Saga Review

So, I think we've all figured out that Candy Crush Saga has been quite the hit for casual gamers, both on iOS and Facebook. In the UK, there has even been TV adverts, something unheard of for any other free to play game. Since its release late last year, King.com has clearly been hard at work on Pet Rescue Saga, a title that's fun but highly similar to its treat-based predecessor.

This time round, players must clear colored blocks in order to drop pets to the bottom of the screen and save them from the evil Snatchers. That's about as in-depth as Pet Rescue Saga gets. Really, all that needs to be known is to complete certain objectives and gain stars in order to progress to the next level. Things start out simply with plenty of room for error. In keeping with Candy Crush Saga's style, extra blocks aren't added, meaning players must plan each move carefully. The margin for error reduces steadily as players progress through the 72 levels.

That number of levels is an immediate problem for regular players of the Facebook game, as it's significantly fewer than the social network version offers. Presumably, new levels are on their way in the near future. Restrictions aside, and Pet Rescue Saga is pleasantly fun to play. Objectives include things such as clearing a certain percentage of blocks to saving a set number of pets. It's simple stuff, but it's not always straight-forward to complete.

Failing a level is one of the many places where in-app purchases play a prominent role. One loses a life and has to wait a set time in order to regain a turn. Of course, it's possible to skip ahead with an in-app purchase, much the same as numerous helpful power-ups can be bought with real money, too. I found it a little frustrating after a time, as I was quite enjoying working my way through the game. There is always the potential that those who don't fail can, potentially, play for hours, though.

It's far from an original game, but Pet Rescue Saga still whiles away time quite nicely. Once the full complement of levels are added, it'll be a particularly successful hit for those who have already played it on Facebook. Sure, the borderline reliance on in-app purchases is a little frustrating, but it's tough not to be at least a little charmed by this title.