When you think about it, puzzle games and RPG's have absolutely opposing values. The former focuses on quick, pick-up-and-play action, and can get boring in long hauls. RPG's, on the other hand, are often enormous in size and are hard to enjoy in short bursts. It would seem like a ludicrous idea at first to merge the two genres in any way, shape, or form.
But that's where the genius of D3 Entertainment's Puzzle Quest-for the
DS, PSP,
Wii, PS2 (holds breath), Xbox Live Arcade, PS3, and PC- really excels. Despite some technical issues, a repetitive soundtrack, and minimalist visuals, the strengths of the role-playing features cover the weaknesses of the puzzle elements, and vice versa.
Gameplay/Controls: As it's name suggests, Puzzle Quest is a stereotypical RPG with a Bejeweled-like combat system. You run around a world map full of towns, missions, and monsters, and whenever anything important happens, you'll be warped to a nine-by-nine grid in which to do battle with.
Now, this may sound simple, but if you've ever played Bejeweled, you'd be easily aware of how dangerously addictive it can be, and it's grip on your life hasn't been lost in this transition. In fact, with the addition of spells (which you cast with the mana you gain by matching orbs), you can say that Puzzle Quest has given the popular puzzle game a lot more depth than ever before!
9
Graphics: This may be an RPG, but when it comes to the visuals, Final Fantasy this is not. There are a few nice character illustrations (some not-so-family-friendly, though), and the plain blocks are clear and shiny on most platforms, but won't be too much in the graphics that will really wow you.
7
Sound: To tell the truth, the soundtrack here really isn't that bad. A few pieces are well-orchestrated, and funny little soundbytes are played when you do certain things during battle. The thing is, though, that many of the songs you'll have to here WAY too often, and it gets sort of annoying.
6.5
Wifi: This varies from system to system. The
Wii and PS2 versions of the game have no multiplayer whatsoever; the PSP and
DS are a little bit better off thanks to their multi-card battle mode; but you'll definitely have the most fun with the Xbox 360 and PS3 editions, which are online.
7.5
Replay Value: Definitely the best part of the game. The main story is ridiculously long; I've been playing for well over 30 hours, and I've hardly gotten a quarter through the game. Normally, that is a MAJOR grind and you'll get bored, but there's just something about the Bejeweled formula that keeps it from getting old.
What's funny, though, is that, sticking to it's puzzle roots, you'll feel a lot more comfortable playing for short 10-to-15-minute bursts once or twice a day, which prevents you from running into burnout. And if you wanna run marathons, there isn't much stopping you, since you rarely have to bother with NPC's to move on. That's what makes Puzzle Quest one of the most healthfully addictive games of all time.
10
Conclusion: With Puzzle Quest rearing it's' beautiful head on every system imaginable (it just got ported the Iphone; the IPHONE, people!), there's little reason you shouldn't pick this up. Sure, the presentation is pretty minimalist, but just downloading it onto your PSP memory stick and getting it out whenever you're bored results in some of the best $15 you'll ever spend.
Final Score: 8.0
Linear Mode
