Puzzle Quest 2 Review
Puzzle Quest 2 is the true successor to Puzzle Quest, a game in which you play two genres of games, Puzzle and Role Playing. You can be an assassin, a barbarian, a knight, and more. You will get to play the game Puzzle Quest, but in a more intimate fashion. What I mean by that is that instead of playing from an over-world map, like the first one, you'll be controlling your character through different rooms/areas.
Graphically this game is definitely an improvement over the first, not only in the layout of the combat puzzle screen, but in the overall look of the game. I do like the fact that you can now see your character move around the screen. I also like the different puzzle looks and types that this game presents. I wish there was a bit more variety in what models were used for enemies, but as this is a portable game I'm willing to look the other way.
The sounds of the game do not enhance the game nor does it hinder the game. Its one of those things that you can play either with the volume on or off. The one thing I will say is that since it is a portable game you're going to get to here a lot of stuff over and over again.
From the controls perspective you're going to be using your stylus a lot so you better get used to it. This is going to be the key to moving your character, solving puzzles, and making menu selections.
So you will once again be thrusted into being a hero to save the lands. You'll have some tutorials to run through and then you'll be on your way. You'll find that there are once again a good number of side quests and main story quests. It is totally up to you how you'll play the game. There are also abilities that you'll be opening as you level up. I do have this to say about that, for a good chunk of the game I didn't realize that my skills were no longer being added to my active choices in combat, and I did have to search for them a bit before I got the combo I wanted to use. You'll also get to utilize weapons to give you a more direct attack, or cause some kind of special effect on you (as in if you had a shield equipped it could minimize damage to you for a period of time). Overall this game with its extra puzzle modes is a huge step above the first game, but I feel that there is still way too much repetition in the number of fights and same enemies for this game to flow smoothly from end to end.
If you are looking for a game to enjoy on the DS which involves a little bit of strategy, some RPGing, and puzzle solving, then this game is probably right up your alley. One bit of advice though, you're going to have to hope that luck is on your side as the way the grid fills up is completely random, so you might find yourself getting the short end of the stick in a battle. Have no fear though you will live after a defeat to try again. This game gets an 8.3 out of 10.
