Storyblocks The King Review

Game: Storyblocks The King
Genre: Adventure, Puzzle, Education
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam (Windows) and PS4, PS5, & Xbox One, Xbox Series)
Developers | Publishers: Beni Games | Afil Games
Age Rating: US E | EU 3+
Price: US $4.99 | UK £3.99 | EU € 4,99
Release Date: April 4th, 2024

A review code was used, with many thanks to Press Engine.

Storyblocks The King is a storytelling puzzle game originally released in 2022 for PC on Steam and now released on the Nintendo Switch. In ways, the gameplay is similar to Sokoban games like Mimi the Cat that Mina reviewed recently.

Storyblocks The King

In-game screenshot from "The King" showing a puzzle interface superimposed on a birds-eye view of a verdant landscape. The puzzle element features a book with a sophisticated cover, adorned with blue and gold Celtic knots and geometric patterns, centered by a large jewel. A hand-shaped cursor hovers over the puzzle, indicating player interaction. The backdrop of the image is a lush green terrain with patches of forests and clouds partially obscuring the view, suggesting a high-altitude or sky-based perspective in the game's setting. Published on: LadiesGamers. — The storybook

Storyblocks The King is a very short game; I’d like to say it’s sweet, too, but since I spent my time struggling with the controls, sweet would not be an appropriate word to use. More on the controls later. It’s also a peaceful game, as there isn’t any combat. It’s purely solving the puzzles and reading the story as you go along.

Once you begin Storyblocks The King, you are introduced to the gameplay via an on-screen text-based tutorial. The first time I booted up Storyblocks on the Switch, the tutorial didn’t appear, which was odd. However, the next time I turned the game on, the tutorial did appear; go figure that out, as I couldn’t. The tutorial of the game gets the point across on what you must do in the game.

Solve the Puzzles and Read the Story

In-game screenshot from Storyblocks The King displaying a floating platform puzzle against a backdrop of a lush, cloud-wrapped landscape. Three separate platforms, each with a unique configuration of paths, grass, and ruined stone structures, are visible. The central platform has a highlighted path leading to the phrase "Next Level", which is presented in a decorative banner at the top of the screen. A hand-shaped cursor points to the central platform, suggesting a player's imminent selection, while the score '0' is displayed in the bottom right, indicating the start of a level or challenge. The aerial view gives a sense of adventure and exploration from a sky-high perspective. Published on: LadiesGamers. — Solve the puzzles to complete the path.

Basically, the story is relayed to you as you solve each puzzle. You see, this story is centred around a young man who has a dream. He dreams of becoming the king of this land. But to achieve his dream, he needs your help to set the path correctly by solving the puzzle so he can follow his dream.

There are different paths that this young man needs to take, which allows for replayability. As you complete a level, the game reveals a new piece of the story to you, told in storybook form. In all, there are 18 books with variations of the same story and four possible endings to discover. Once you finish one book, you are returned to the start menu to begin another book path.

Close-up in-game view from Storyblocks The King focusing on a floating island puzzle element with detailed miniature houses. The structures are whimsical, with exposed timber frames and steeply pitched roofs, reminiscent of a fantasy medieval village. A hand-shaped cursor hovers over one of the houses, ready to interact with it. The island itself seems to be a chunk of land with a grassy surface and a rocky underside, floating above a blurry green landscape indicative of extreme height. Small tufts of grass and shrubbery add to the island's quaint charm. A score counter at the bottom right shows '0', implying that this is either the beginning of the game or a new level. Published on: LadiesGamers. — Medieval setting

Exits Based on the Path

In Stroyblocks The King, there are no pre-defined positions for the paths, so you can choose the best way to build them. However, there is a catch as in each puzzle, you are given a set number of path pieces to place, and you must use them all before you can continue to the next level.

Additionally, on most levels, there are two or even three exits; it’s a game heavily based on your choice of what path the young man will take.

Solving the puzzles is relatively easy, though the path blocks are very specific in where they like to be placed. The game highlights a path block in green if it has been placed correctly, and they are highlighted in red when it is not placed correctly. At times, it looked to me like a path block should go where I placed it, not helped by a bad camera view, but the game had other ideas. I didn’t feel particularly challenged while playing Storybooks The King, which is a pretty simple puzzle game.

Visuals and Controls

An open storybook from Storyblocks The King game displays text against a blurred aerial backdrop of a green landscape, suggesting a narrative set high above the ground. The left page reads, "Wrapped in this dream of becoming king, he left his village in search of adventures. He wanted to explore the world and find out how to achieve his goal." The right page continues, "The young man decided to follow the dangerous path of the western Black Forest. An ancestral forest shrouded in swamp regions, such a forest hid misunderstood mysteries that could somehow help him on his journey." A hand-shaped cursor is poised over the text, implying the player's engagement in unfolding the story. Elegant scrollwork decorates the bottom of each page, adding to the old-world feel of the narrative. Published on: LadiesGamers. — Help the young man find the right path.

Storyblocks The King is set in a medieval environment, as you can see from some of the images. However, it’s all very plain-looking, though some of the path pieces do have some designs on them. But there isn’t anything to bring the game to life or personality in the way it is presented, making it feel hollow and empty as you play through the story.

Terrible Controls on the Nintendo Switch

The biggest niggle for me while playing Storyblocks The King is the abysmal control system on the Nintendo Switch. On the start screen, you can’t use the L stick to select from the menu; you can only use the D-pad.

Furthermore, during gameplay, you must use the R stick and the L and R shoulder buttons to move the camera, and as it moves, there are times when you lose your view of the puzzle completely as the camera is on a set axis as it rotates. The overall control system doesn’t feel intuitive or comfortable to use, which makes it a frustrating experience to play.

In-game screenshot from Storyblocks The King displaying a complex floating pathway puzzle set against a dreamy, cloud-covered landscape. The pathways are made of ancient stone with grass overgrowth and are populated with various medieval-themed objects and structures, emphasizing the game's fantasy setting. The player is seemingly prompted to move to the next level, as indicated by the ornate "Next Level" banner at the top of the screen and a hand-shaped cursor pointing towards it. The platforms are suspended high above a lush green terrain, the details of which are obscured by wispy clouds, adding a layer of mystery and depth to the scene. The score remains at zero in the lower right corner, suggesting the beginning of a new challenge. Published on: LadiesGamers. — A long path to complete

Conclusion

Overall, Storyblocks The King concept looked great on the Nintendo Switch page; unfortunately, playing it proved to be a frustrating affair. If you are interested in checking out Storyblocks The King, do yourself a favour and play the game on another format, as hopefully the controls will be much better.

Final Verdict: I Don’t Like It