On Tuesday, Norm and I had a chance to see a handful of new games coming out in the next few months. One of the games we got to see was Puzzle Quest 2 coming to the Xbox Live Arcade and the Nintendo DS.
Puzzle Quest 2 is a puzzle game that features some interesting RPG elements. You can choose a male or female character, and one of four character classes – Sorcerer, Templar, Barbarian, or Assassin – each with different capabilities that force you to change up your strategy and provide a varied experience with each playthrough. The game’s designers have tried to make it fun for hardcore gamers as well as casual players while making it a challenge for both long-time veterans of the series and new players alike. They have included four modes to choose from. You can delve deep into Story mode where you can develop your character as you advance throughout the game, or you can choose Instant Action, Tournament Mode, or Multiplayer Mode for more puzzle action.
Puzzle Quest 2 features a match-3 gem puzzle game paired with light RPG elements. You travel around a fantasy world by clicking where you want to go. It is not free-form travel, as the game limits you to certain areas you can travel. When you meet another character, you may receive a quest. Once you accept a quest and meet a foe, you are brought to the battle screen, which is a puzzle board like Bejeweled where you must match 3 similar items to attack, defend, and collect mana. You have six different mana pools to fill and as you clear their colors, the corresponding mana pool fills allowing you to cast spells or use special abilities. If you match 3 or more skulls, you will do damage to your foe. If you clear four or more items, you do extra damage or collect extra manna, and you get another turn. Some enemies are more powerful than others and you will have to use different strategies depending on your enemies attributes. For example, when facing a troll, you can do damage but he will regenerate hit points. You can hit him with a torch to disable his regeneration abilities for a limited amount of time. Puzzle battles aren’t limited to creature encounters, you even enter puzzle mode when you need to pick locks, bash down a door, or disarm traps. There is no time limit to make your moves, so you can take you time and decide your next move by weighing you options. If you are having trouble grasping the strategy, the game offers an optional hint system.
We got a hands on and both of us were instantly hooked. I’ve been in RPG game mode for a while and I can’t wait for this game to come out. It’s very easy to see that both the casual and hardcore gamer could get something different and satisfying out of this title. The new art style is one of the stand out changes to game’s look. The art is simply beautiful and is more of a fantasy style than the anime style of the previous game.
The DS version of the game is virtually identical to the XBLA version and will be a slightly lighter version, however it still features all the fun and punch of the XBLA version and you will be able to take it on the go!
Puzzle Quest 2 will be available this Spring for the Xbox Live Arcade and the Nintendo DS and is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up.
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