A new atmospheric match-three game called Meshchera has been released for the Playdate handheld console and is available via itch.io.
Meshchera features a six by six grid where players match tiles in clusters of three or more to merge them into higher value tiles. The game is set in a haunted marsh with detailed artwork and background music that creates an immersive atmosphere. Players can aim for high scores or complete challenges such as killing five monsters or keeping ten monsters for ten turns. The board starts as a dark marsh that becomes overrun with vegetation and creatures unless players match tiles effectively. Grasses turn into flowers, trees, campfires, houses and churches as the game progresses. The title is not yet in the official Playdate Catalog but can be downloaded from itch.io and sideloaded onto the device. Sideloading is done by signing into a Playdate account and using the Sideload tab or via USB. The developer has included ten challenges with more planned for the future.