Once Twice Thrice

Editors' ReviewDownload.com staffJune 15, 2015The graphics in this game resemble something you'd expect from a cell phone, and the sound effects are similarly cheesy. However,the gameplay in Once Twice Thrice rises above the technical simplicity to provide an enjoyable puzzle-solving experience. The first levels introduce each character and how to use them to solve the puzzles. You can use the arrow keys or mouse to move the wizards around; the Enter key or a right-click casts a spell. Matthius walks through fire and lava and burns down trees and enemies. Howard walks over trees and grows them to block enemies or hold down switches. Skimlet walks on water and ice and douses fires. You must use the different abilities of these characters to navigate each to his goal. Enemies and obstacles, such as penguins and lava, require ever more of your gray matter to surmount. The trial version offers only 10 levels, but you can look at all 50 levels and see what's next if you register. Though avoiding enemies requires some dexterity and timing, Once Twice Thrice excels as a thinking game.