Beyond Words

Beyond Words, then, is an enjoyable roguelike experience that smartly mixes in chance mechanics and run-based gameplay with a foundation that challenges your vocabulary. Though it feels notably derivative, it ultimately does a good enough job of executing on the mechanics it apes to stand on its own two feet. I’d suggest you pick it up - there's lots to dive into in this one.

A dangerously addictive word-smithing time sink that proves the pen is mightier than the sword, even if it won’t let me use my favourite swear words.

Beyond Words feels like Scrabble remade by someone who’s never really played it.

It might not be the “level up” on Scrabble, I imagine the developers went into the project aiming to make, but they certainly have come up with something that is perfect to pair up with a coffee on a Sunday morning. And I do love my Sunday morning coffee games.

Beyond Words is creative and addictive that carries a smooth blend of wordplay and roguelike elements for a satisfying puzzle. However, it comes with uneven difficulty spikes that rely mostly on luck to get around with solo-only options.

There are so many mechanics in Beyond Words that it can be overwhelming but once you start to earn gold trophies, it sure feels awesome. 🤓

I just want to put out there that I’m not just scoring this exceptionally well because I love the creators of the game, but because it’s genuinely a bloody great game. Anyone who knows me understands that I am obsessed with roguelike games in any form. Beyond Words is a game that has endless hours of replayability and is one of those games where hours genuinely feel like minutes. The only downside for me personally is that the game does not have Xbox Play Anywhere functionality. So instead, I went and purchased a copy on Steam as well; that’s how much I loved this one. Don’t sleep on this game if you’re into word-puzzlers and rougelikes. If you’d like to pick up the game on Xbox Series X/S for the absolute steal price of £12.99, you can do so HERE. For a limited time, though, you can pick it up for 20% discount, so pounce on that deal quickly.

If it's on special, it's not bad for a quick pick up and play a round or two… but the random nature of the power cards and boosts and the ludicrously steep starting point for some levels, either via score or play space… means it can get frustrating quickly. I'm pretty near completing it and am quite sure I could with perseverance and more focused strategy… I've just lost all interest in doing so. If you like Balatro and think it would be interesting in a Scrabble setting, then I'd say grab a copy!

A clever idea let down by inconsistent design and a punishing difficulty curve, Beyond Words struggles to capture the "one more go" magic it so clearly aims for.

Beyond Words nails its premise and its mixture of gameplay styles. Literally labelling it “Balatro meets Scrabble” is the best praise it can receive; it has the potential to become something as addictive as its sources of inspiration. All it really needs to do, in order to truly shine in the future, is tweak some of its overly demanding scoring thresholds, which can be a bit frustrating at times, making you rely more on luck than your actual vocabulary skills. Nevertheless, this one is a delightful breath of fresh air.