Puzzle Quest 2

Puzzle Quest 2 has its problems, that much is for sure. Look past the problems, and you'll find a game that's still pretty darn addicting.

All in all, I really feel like Puzzle Quest 2 on the DS is very limited by the hardware. While it's unrealistic for this port to look anywhere as good as the Xbox Live and PC versions, I at least would've liked some form of online multiplayer to give the port a little more replay value.

After a few mixed spin-offs such as Puzzle Chronicles, the unexpected success of 2008 in the reflexion gender is now back in favor.

It's probably more economic to buy Puzzle Quest 2 for Xbox 360 rather than Nintendo DS. But still, regardless of the size of the screen you're playing on, Puzzle Quest 2 doesn't live up to the first one but is still plenty of fun.

Puzzle Quest 2 improves the Puzzle Quest formula in almost every way and makes us forget the mediocre Puzzle Quest: Galactrix.

With the addition of weapons and improved A.I., the puzzle-based combat has more potential than ever, but Puzzle Quest 2 lacks the challenge and depth that made the original so memorable.

Puzzle Quest 2 changes a lot of things from the original. Sadly, despite some brilliant ideas introducing variety in the gameplay, and a basic gameplay mechanic that's as addictive as ever, the overall lack of narration and story consistency make it, albeit more intimate, harder to dive in for prolonged sessions. The new, closer-to-the-hero perspective may be more RPG-like, but the conquest aspect of the original was a motivation that's a truly a regrettable loss with this new formula. Still, as a game to be played in short sessions, it remains very efficient.

The gems that this sequel is connecting - the RPG and match-three puzzler - still need one more to complete the chain: character. [Oct 2010, p.94]

D3 struck gold once, which is fantastic. Aside from the titans of the gaming industry, many developers have trouble creating a truly innovative title that's also good, old-fashioned fun. That was Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. However, after two major mistakes with what's essentially the same design, one has to wonder if they should throw in the towel on this franchise.