The iPhone really is a perfect fit for puzzle games; instead of having to move a cursor around to link pieces together, you can just use your finger! Because of this - and the relatively cheap development costs - a glut of puzzlers have appeared on the iPhone, many of which feature great, original ideas that use the iPhone and its technology very well (such as Trism and Topple). Azkend is another such example; deep enough to keep you hooked in the long run while accessible and enjoyable enough to bring you back time and time again.

Azkend's premise is a simple one. The screen is filled with hexagons that drop in from the top, each of which displays one of six different icons. Unlike most puzzle games, in Azkend you don't actually move the pieces around to match them up; instead, the game starts off with rows of three or more available, and you simply run your finger across them to wipe them out. More pieces fall in to take their place, and the game is programmed so that there's always at least one possible move, meaning that you can't run out of combinations. Once you have earned enough points from matching hexagons, a piece of a six-part medallion drops in at the top of the screen; to win the level, you must match all of the hexagons under it so that it drops to the bottom. With six medallions on offer and six levels needed to obtain each medallion, there's a good number of levels, and with puzzle taking around two to five minutes to beat, Azkend really is a perfect pick up and play experience.

Every time you unlock a new medallion, a new special power becomes available for use in the upcoming rounds, such as the bomb, where connecting four of them together blows up a section of the puzzle and gives you bonus points, and the hammer, where connecting four takes out two random sections of the screen. Over the course of each level there are frequent occasions when the special icons line up, but you only have one type of special at a time; when you unlock a new special, it supersedes the last, adding variety and a bit of extra depth to the gameplay, without which Azkend would be rather bland.

The addictive gameplay is further enhanced by distinctive presentation; the hexagonal grid is clear and the different hexagons are easy to tell apart, while a Southeast Asian theme has been chosen, with relaxing backgrounds such as snowy mountains. Relaxing music of a Tibetan quality is a great accompaniment to the action, while the breaking glass sound for when you match hexagons makes the activity satisfying. The only real downside is the time limit; even if you are only one move away from getting the medallion piece to the bottom of the screen, if you run out of time then you have to start all over again. While it's fine to include a time limit to increase the game's challenge, the ability to switch it on or off would have been good; after all, this is a casual game and so the emphasis should be more on enjoying the puzzle rather than having to focus on getting it done in time.

Azkend is yet another addictive puzzle game that features charming presentation and a real "just one more go" quality to its simple but engaging gameplay. It's the ideal game for short bursts while you're on the bus or waiting for the microwave to ping, but with the ability to hook you for longer playing sessions too. The price is perhaps a little steep at £2.99, but if you spot it on sale then it's one to snap up without hesitation, and meanwhile you can always download the lite version to get a taster - be warned though, once you've played it, you might not be able to wait for the price to come down!

Reviewed by James Fanciullo for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).