Puzzle Quest
Puzzle Quest does what few have thought was possible. It takes the addictive game Bejeweled and turns it into an even bigger addiction by layering an extensive role-playing title onto it for both the PlayStation Portable (PSP) and Nintendo Dual-Screen(DS). Players fight it out on an 8 x 8grid filled with colored mana balls, and are tasked with joining three or more of these balls together in order to earn mana for skills as well as attack the enemy. It sounds easy in theory, but several strategic options appear when players realise that they take turns with opponents who are just as smart as them. Planning ahead so as not to leave favourable options for the enemy to counterattack with is only the beginning.
Aiding you (and the enemy) are various spells, abilities, weapons and more which players can earn, find or recruit throughout the game. Each grants the player various options, such as unleashing sneak attacks or stunning the enemy. Payment for these comes from matching the mana balls together, so savvy players can stymie others by matching balls that their opponents want. The story is typical save-the-world fare, and the game world is populated with quests, rumors,adventures and more. Various mini-quests, such as forging items or capturing units, take users to special versions of Bejeweled boards to play with, ensuring players are never bored of always seeing the same board. Each adventurer class\' play style is vastly different, ensuring a fresh look at the board with each game. Mages manipulate spells to deal manage, while warriors look for skulls to hit at the enemy.
Crisp graphics make this one of the most beautiful titles for the PSP, and its easy controland excellent layout stand as a stark contrast to the grainy images found on the DS. A richer soundtrack can also be heard on the PSP along with more menu options. Unfortunately, there is a major bug in the PSP version, which may turn some players off. Companions who follow players do not offer their bonuses in battle as they should, which could swing a battle in the opponent\'s favour. The DS version does not have this bug, but poses other problems with frustratingly tiny text and a stylus-only control scheme that causes handaches after prolonged gaming. If you can live with not having conpanion bonuses (which arguably makes the game more even), the PSP version is by far the better buy of the two, but either version will easily draw players in with its enticing gameplay.
