Puzzle Quest 2 Review

Puzzle Quest took Bejeweled and added some features that we gamers refer to as “content”, and it took nations by storm. Now, it’s back with Puzzle Quest 2, and you’re wondering if the quest is worth your time? Read our review and find out more!

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Classified as being part of the Puzzle-RPG genre, Puzzle Quest 2 brings a full-fledged campaign, both local and LIVE multiplayer, as well as six new mini-games all featuring the addictive gem-switching gameplay.

The core gameplay hasn’t changed, but Puzzle Quest 2 definitely brings some changes into the series. Unlike its predecessor which featured a world map from which you could select your missions/puzzles, Puzzle Quest 2 expands the experience greatly by actually building the environment around you. Rather than being told, “Yodeu enter the dungeon and confront the Goblin”, you actually progress through actual dungeons, caves, towns and much more in Puzzle Quest 2. This really builds upon the RPG aspect of the game, as you can take your time to explore various nooks and crannies for loot, or if you prefer, more battles to up your experience.

To increase the RPG aspect of the game further, Puzzle Quest 2 also features a new weapon system, allowing players to build action points by matching the respective icons on the game board. You can also acquire the action points by the use of spells, which help to steal the points from your opponent. In addition to the weapons, you can use action points on items to restore health for example.  As you progress through the game, you’ll encounter better loot, including improved weapons, armor and various other items to help you on the way. When you’re in a town, you’ll find someone to help you upgrade specific items as well as your weapons and equipment, and this is a very welcomed feature to the Puzzle Quest series.

The general gameplay hasn’t changed much, you’re still required to match a minimum of 3 gems of a particular color to gain its mana. If you match 4, you get another turn, and 5+ gives you a Wildcard and another turn.  Matching skulls will attack your opponent, and you can get massive damage if you match some of the +5 attack skull icons and create a decent combo. Unfortunately, these massive attacks are truly a game of chance as Puzzle Quest 2 has one noticeable fallback. The enemy can successfully block your attack nearly 81% percent of the time, and while it doesn’t completely negate the damage, it does halve it on every successful block. It would seem this was done to increase the length of the battles, but it truly feels like they went overboard, and many Puzzle Quest fans are already hoping to see it patched to make it more fair.

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A few of the mini-games included will feature lock picking, door bashing, and chest looting. While they all feature the same gameplay, they’re very fun to play, specifically the looting game. The higher your combo, the better the loot is, and it feels great to match three rare item chests in that game. Mini-games are also playable from the main menu in single player form, if you’re just looking for some fun practice with the formula.

If you plan to jump online, you can battle it out in ranked matches to land yourself on the leaderboards, or enjoy the more laid back player matches.The multiplayer is enjoyable as you can go head-to-head with a friend and enjoy a lag-free experience. Of the 30+ games with a friend over LIVE, I didn’t experience any issues or disconnects so the experience was wonderful. There’s not much else say regarding the mode, as it’s just one puzzle battle after another and it’s quite fun!

The presentation is very well done in Puzzle Quest 2, with easy-to-use inventory and upgrade systems, gorgeous character and environment designs, and vast worlds to explore. The game is definitely a couple steps above the original Puzzle Quest XBLA title, and it’s worth looking into. The story does feel somewhat scattered when compared to the original, but it could be due to the fact that you can easily leave the beaten path and explore in this title. Depending on what you prefer, this could be taken in various ways.  Musical themes and sound effects are quite well done, and very easy on the ears, fitting the theme of the game very well. Sound effects including the sword clashes are fabulous, making for a well-rounded experience.

In the end, is Puzzle Quest 2 worth the 1200 :MSPoints: price attached to it? We’d have to say it’s definitely worth the price! There’s a minimum of 25 hours of gameplay included, beautiful HD visuals and a massive world to explore. On top of that, you’ve got the multiplayer and a semi-challenging list of achievements to accompany you on your quest.  Puzzle Quest 2 is currently available for Xbox LIVE Arcade and on the Nintendo DS handheld.

To check out a demo, head over to the Xbox.com Marketplace.