Puzzle Quest

[Omega Dead]

Has anyone ever played this? I've passed it up on Xbox Live for almost two years now, but yesterday I was going through one of those days where your current games aren't good enough. That led me to downloading a bunch of game trials that I might have missed. Puzzle Quest is a pretty awesome game. Its pretty much Bejeweled with a vengeance. There are RPG elements like equipping weapons for effects, leveling up, and casting spells. I would say its a lil more strategic than Puzzle Fighter, which was another great puzzle game. It is a pretty good distraction to check out.

[Melwing17]

I haven't played it nearly as much as I should, but it is most definitely awesome.

For those unfamiliar, and to expand on Omega_Dead's description, it is 1/2 Puzzle 1/2 RPG. There is a map/questline just like an old SNES-era RPG. But the way battles play out is absolutely genious.

You match colored gems (or skulls) like a basic puzzle game, but the different colored gems fill different colored mana- that allow you to cast certain spells to damage your opponent. And matching skulls does straight damage to them without a need for spellcasting. There are also gold coin icons you can match up for, you guessed it- money, and also.. err.. purple dot things (). They give extra experience.

As you cast spells/skulls, your opponent's health goes down (just like a typical RPG), and you gain experience. You can get a party, pets, take prisoners to keep in your "keep" to gain new skills (you have to build the parts of the keep with money you collect.... it's quite engrossing.

[Omega Dead]

man you made it sound so much cooler than I did. lol. Maybe thats why nobody responded.

[HSisforcoolkids]

I've thought about getting this for Wii. I'm a big fan of puzzle games so if I see it for the right price I will probably pick it up.

[CheddarLimbo]

I got this for the DS, and I was unimpressed. Two things stand out as detractors for me:

First - When I play a puzzle game I want to know that I can make a right more or a wrong move based on the evidence presented. Time and time again I would make the best play based on the board as it was presented and then because of what dropped (which I would have no way to predict), my opponent would be able to chain up multiple devastating attacks. But the reverse almost NEVER happened for me.

Second - The game is, at its heart, matching gems. Everything else you do is just flavor for how and why you match them, and what happens when you do. I got a few hours in and realized "Hey! I've got all this equipment and spells and everything, and I'm still just matching gems!" I just found that to be ultimately unsatisfying.

[Grungebob]

Originally Posted by CheddarLimbo

I got this for the DS, and I was unimpressed. Two things stand out as detractors for me:

First - When I play a puzzle game I want to know that I can make a right more or a wrong move based on the evidence presented. Time and time again I would make the best play based on the board as it was presented and then because of what dropped (which I would have no way to predict), my opponent would be able to chain up multiple devastating attacks. But the reverse almost NEVER happened for me.

Second - The game is, at its heart, matching gems. Everything else you do is just flavor for how and why you match them, and what happens when you do. I got a few hours in and realized "Hey! I've got all this equipment and spells and everything, and I'm still just matching gems!" I just found that to be ultimately unsatisfying.

Wouldn't you agree that it is superior to other matching gem games? I think you're coming at it from the wrong direction. You're looking at it as an unsatisfying RPG, and folks wo do like it view it as a gem matching game that actually adds substance. Its the glass half full/half empty deal.

[CheddarLimbo]

Originally Posted by Grungebob

Wouldn't you agree that it is superior to other matching gem games? I think you're coming at it from the wrong direction. You're looking at it as an unsatisfying RPG, and folks wo do like it view it as a gem matching game that actually adds substance. Its the glass half full/half empty deal.

Yes, GB, I think you have it right. If you're looking to match gems, then Puzzle Quest absolutely gives you a ton of great reasons and flavor for doing so. I was hoping that all of that would make the act of matching gems less tedious, but in my case it didn't work out.

[Melwing17]

Nail on the head there- it gives a reason to match the gems.

Not a game I'd say you can sit and play for 8 hours at a time, but it is certainly one that doesn't get old to come back to for limited sessions... over and over.

[Omega Dead]

[quote=CheddarLimbo;744023][quote=Grungebob;744018]

Originally Posted by CheddarLimbo

I got this for the DS, and I was unimpressed. Two things stand out as detractors for me:

First - When I play a puzzle game I want to know that I can make a right more or a wrong move based on the evidence presented. Time and time again I would make the best play based on the board as it was presented and then because of what dropped (which I would have no way to predict), my opponent would be able to chain up multiple devastating attacks. But the reverse almost NEVER happened for me.

Well to me that is no different than a majority of board games. You can set up the most complex strategy and lose horrible to random dice. It's sorta the nature of the beast. I do agree that in the end it is just matching gems, and is not to game to be played for hours at a time. It's just a clever twist on a casual genre.

[Atombob]

I have this on the DS and I love it. I completed the game as the Mage and now I am trying with the Warrior.

I found myself playing this game alot. I like the randomness sometimes. It added an exciting element to the game.

I think there is another one coming out with a Space Theme.

[Omega Dead]

Yea it comes out late Feb. i think. It's called Puzzle Quest Galactrix.

[Jormi_Boced]

I really liked the first one and recently finished it so I started up Galactrix and am really liking that one too, although I am having trouble adjusting to the whole no gravity thing.