Word Off is like a sleazy used car salesman shilling a fine product. The underlying game may be sharp, tense, and original, but it's mired in a scuzzy business model.
At its core, Word Off presents a smart mix between a word game and a strategy title. You play on a board comprised of hexagonal tiles, each containing a letter, and begin with a cluster of occupied spaces in one corner while your opponent starts with the same in the opposite corner. You can form words out of the letters you've already claimed as well as the tiles neighboring them, and once you occupy a space, the letter on it changes, keeping the board unpredictable. You win by either attaining the highest score at the end of a round, or by capturing your enemy's home base.
This creates a variety of tactical decisions. Do you focus your attention on expanding towards the enemy base, go out of your way to use high-scoring letters, or simply trying to occupy as much of the board as possible? Whoever has the greatest territory gets a 20 point bonus, so it's never clear which path to success you should follow.
Unfortunately, Word Off is also a devious, money-grubbing jerk. Special items cost in-game currency, which is doled out at a snail's pace, while purchasing it via in-app purchases is exorbitantly expensive at $5 for 40 coins, or $100 for 980. To put this in perspective, playing a triple-word bonus once costs 50 coins. Winning a lengthy bout awards you with a measly 11 coins, where most new boards cost upwards of 70, making for a very slow progression of unlocks. This lopsided economy sends a clear message: if you want more Word Off, you'll have to pay dearly.
The bottom line. Word Off is clever game wrapped inside an insidious package. It provides a great time, provided you stay away from its wares.
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