Coming after the complete mess that was Puzzle Quest: Galactrix, Puzzle Quest 2 returns to the tried-and-tested Puzzle Quest formula we know and love with some enhancements to the gameplay and a streamlined story/quest mode. It's a good game (I wouldn't have played it for as long as I did if it wasn't) but leaves some things to be desired.

First things first: the game is *incredibly* slow compared to its predecessor, both in character movement on the map screen and within the gameplay itself. And whilst the story of the original didn't set any new records in originality, Puzzle Quest 2's story is both completely unrelated to the first and so boring that I just skipped it entirely. They have also stripped out large chunks of the sidegames in the first game (castle building, mount training, item creation, etc) and replaced them with laughably easy "unlock doors" and "disarm traps" minigames.

The addition of the new weapon system makes things interesting, and opens up a new strategy to the game. But towards the end of the game I found this just made the game a cycle of building up weapon points, and unleashing them on the enemy - ending the fight within a few turns of doing so and reducing fights to a monotonous routine. The armor/blocking mechanic is also interesting at first, but to be honest it just makes the game slower.

That all said though, it's still a good game. Three-in-a-row game mechanics are simple and addictive, and I don't feel that the time I spent playing the game was wasted, but I don't see myself replaying it any time soon due to its slow nature (compared to the first game that I completed at least five times.)

If you like three-in-a-row games then you'll like this. But I would recommend the first Puzzle Quest a lot more than its sequel.

I've sunk more hours into this than I would like to admit. Great if you want a point-and-click meets bejeweled type game. Definitely fun and easy to set down when necessary.

Meh. Alright game, but not as good as 1.

PQ2 was very streamlined compared to PQ1, though not as streamlined as Marvel Puzzle Quest. Compared to 1 there are neither elemental masteries nor elemental resistance. Your weapon is now an activatable ability, which you use a new type of gem to activate. The weapon becomes your primary form of damage.

The fights are alright for the most part, except for the one or two times your weapon is replace by a very, very awful item that you have to use to kill a tough boss. That fight ruined the game for me.

The overworld isn't a map so much as it is an explorable world, but with that comes confusion and annoyance. There are secrets to be found but they're not very well hidden, and the paths are almost always blocked by a beastie of some sort. You know, except for when they aren't, so you go around the entire dungeon just to avoid one fight. I don't recall if monsters respawn or not, but I believe that they do not.

The entire experience was less enchanting than that of PQ1, but that doesn't mean this is a bad game. It just doesn't live up to my expectations.

Not as good as the original, I found. Still a fun time killer. 7/10

VERDICT: Buy

Starting as just a lone traveler, your character stumbles upon a village, where after further investigation and goblin slayin' you are tasked with saving the realm from evil. I'll admit, it's not the most original story, but I didn't clock 40+ hours into this game for nothing. It's the addictive gameplay mechanics that kept me hanging around.

This game is a combination of Bejeweld style puzzle matching and RPG. By matching certain gems, you fuel your character's abilities, deal damage to the enemy, or build strength for melee attacks. As your character levels up, you gain access to better weapons and better abilities. Figuring out a strategy against your foes is incredibly rewarding, and if certain spells are timed right, your character can quickly come a formidable opponent. Leveling up my character was a blast, and with each new dungeon came numerous new enemy types for me to test my skills.

There are also tons of side quests to complete, given to you by the many village folk you come across on your travels. There is never a shortage of things to do. Also I cannot forget to mention that this game is gorgeous. The hand-drawn worlds and creatures are a sight to behold, and some of the bosses are unforgettable.

The only negative is that once you nail down your strategy, gameplay can begin to feel repetitive. While I was constantly rewarded with new spells and weapons, I found early on that a single spell combination was the most effective for my character, which meant I was repeating the same tactics over and over, making things a bit mundane. This is why I encourage experimentation instead of taking the boring route like I did.

For RPG and Bejeweled fans, this game is excellent. You get a ton of bang for your buck, and you will find yourself coming back time and time again.

PROS:
+Addictive gameplay
+Tons of quests
+Beautiful world

CONS:
-Meh story
-Gameplay MAY become repetitive

If you haven't already, play the first Puzzle Quest, where you battle warlords all across the lands, build your castle and tame ferocious beasts and gain their powers.

Unless you prefer to battle hordes of rats after hordes of rats after hordes of rats in someone's damp basement, in which case this game is for you.

The gameplay is of course much more polished and varied, but with the grand atmosphere of the first replaced with you being pest control, it becomes a grind with nothing to motivate whatsoever.