The puzzle is, why haven't more people bought this great game? (Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (DS))

Member Name: colinllama

Product:	Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (DS)
Date:	23/03/08 (79 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple, original, addictive.

Disadvantages: Hard to find in shops.

Puzzle Quest - Challenge of the Warlords is a rarety in games these days - an original idea. So many games now are annual franchises, where each year a new version comes out only slightly tweaked from the year before - so when something new does actually come out, it makes a refreshing change.

What makes Puzzle Quest unique is that it takes elements from two different genres of game, puzzle games and role-playing games, and combines them into a package greater than the sum of the parts.

The story is typical fantasy RPG fayre, you are a young hero given the task of investigating, and defeating a mysterious undead foe that threatens the peaceful life of everyday folk in Etheria.

As you progress in the game you gain experience points to spend on improvements to your character, and you collect money to spend on weapons and armour etc. You can also capture creatures to ride as mounts and forge your own equipment in some mini-games andside quests.

What sets the game apart from a standard fanasty rpg though is the combat system... Puzzle Quest uses a turn based combat system based upon the addictive puzzle game "Bejewelled", where you move pieces on a game board to make lines of 3,4,or 5 each turn. These are various coloured pieces than you gain "mana" for making lines of, and this mana is used for casting spells and special attacks. There are also gems that give experience points, coins that give money, and skulls that do direct damage to the opponent when lined up. It sounds complecated, but it is simple to pick up, intuative, and very addictive!

The gameplay makes use of the stylus to move your character around the map, and also to swap gems during combat. This works well and feels natural.

For a small handheld like the DS, the sound quality is decent, and the in-game music fits the mood of the game well, although it does get repetitive on a long game session.

The graphics are clear and functional, they are not "state of the art" by any means, but they do exactly what they need to and in no means detract from the gameplay experience.

Overall this is a game that should be commended, a small developer took a risk by making a game based on a new idea. It could have been a disaster, but in actual fact Puzzle Quest is fun, addictive, and challenging.

Definately worth picking up on the DS if you have one, and if you don't, then it is available on most other formats as well

Summary: One of the best games on the DS, overlooked by many.