Puzzle Quest:
Challenge of the Warlords was a unique, inventive game that combined
the addicting qualities of Bejeweled with
classic RPG elements. The game's innovative mix was unique at the time,
however, as much as I enjoyed many aspects of the game it wasn't
without its problems. Fortunately, Puzzle Quest 2 improves on the original in almost every way.
An updated navigation interface allows you to move your character
around in an isometric view, with both characters or enemies prominently
displayed on each screen. You can explore the areas you visit, as
opposed to only being shown a cut-scene in that given location. Each
quest in the first game felt disjointed; there was a clear break between
going out on a mission and watching the story unfold. Puzzle Quest 2
eliminates that divide and helps to actively involve you in the world.
The new interface also gives the game's minigames an actual purpose.
Minigames (such as bashing doors, earning/searching for loot, and
disarming traps) add variety to the typical match-three mechanic. New to
Puzzle Quest 2, these additions work well to keep things fresh.
However, after long play sessions (of 5+ hours) even the minigames can't
save the game from its repetitive nature. And, as you might expect,
Puzzle Quest 2 doesn't have an enticing story to pull you along either;
after a few hours, I found myself longing for a deeper narrative to
accompany the frenetic gameplay.
But the game does start out more quickly than the first:
Challenge of the Warlords thrust you right into the game with few
tutorials. Puzzle Quest 2, on the other hand, spends more time teaching
you how to play and make the most of each move; something I really
appreciated as it helped me to become a more effective player. For the
first 30 minutes or so, the game holds your hand before leaving you
alone to develop your own strategies.
However, left to my own devices I found PQ2 a little too easy.
Admittedly, the A.I. in the first game was a bit unbalanced -- your
opponent would get massive, too-frequent chains and combos, leading to
death in just a couple turns. PQ2 improves this aspect, but in exchange
for balanced A.I., the game makes you feel a little overpowered. For
instance, my barbarian, Dashiell, was able to dispose of most enemies in
just a few hits with his Bastard Sword -- a weapon you acquire at the
beginning of your adventure. Luckily, by the later stages of the game,
the difficulty equalizes and players are finally greeted with more
challenging foes.
