Puzzle Quest 2 Reviews
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Gaming Today gives it an 83/100:
In the end, Puzzle Quest 2 is a solid sequel to the addictive and unique original. It's a lot of fun tinkering with your character's inventory and items, strategizing with the new classes, and exploring the overworld. There's hours and hours of fun here. The writing, pacing and graphics are all a bit unfortunate. But they don't drag the title down too much. Puzzle Quest 2 is easy to recommend to fans of the series, or newcomers looking for a challenging new way to kill orcs.
GamerVision gives it a rating of "Buy It":
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords was one of the most addictive games of all time. Its blend of genres and stunning gameplay left lines scored in touch screens and tiles burnt into televisions. Now, the sequel has managed to improve upon the original in every way, even fixing the AI, which many believed "cheated" before. While it doesn't attempt to reinvent the gameplay in every way, the chances are numerous, and, as Galactrix proved, there's something to be said about staying true to your roots.
Gamer's Hell gives it an 8/10:
Even hardcore gamers admitted a weakness for the original Puzzle Quest. Thanks to the addition of even more RPG elements and a greater depth of strategic options, no one's gonna lose any gaming cred by firing up Puzzle Quest 2. Simple, addictive and fun, with just enough complexity to keep things interesting, Puzzle Quest 2 is a (casual game) winner.
GamingBolt gives it an 8.5/10:
How they made PQ2 more addictive than the first I'll never know, but they have. The merge of hardcore and casual game mechanics give the game a wide appeal that I would recommend everyone try, especially when you consider that the demo is free on Xbox Live. In short: Get it. As to which version I would recommend, I must say the Xbox conversion won me over in the end. The touch controls and portability of the DS give it a head start, but the smoother graphics, extra multiplayer modes and cheaper price make the XBLA version my favourite of the two and the one I would recommend you get. Don't hesitate to try it, you will be pleasantly surprised.
Dealspwn gives it an 8/10:
Puzzle Quest is back. Prepare to lose friends, ignore family, neglect pets, fail exams and get fired from work. all over again. However, the longer tactical battles and enhanced RPG elements stop it from having the same mass-market appeal as the original. Basically: if you're a fan of the Challenge of the Warlords, you'll love Puzzle Quest 2 and appreciate the little details. Newcomers will be better off with the original.
411mania gives it a 7.9/10:
For Puzzle Quest fans that got scared away by Galactrix, you can finally return to the series. The game has the original puzzle style, with new gems and attacks to use. The new dungeon exploration is fun as well, and offers quite a bit of rooms with various side-quests to pick up. There're also tons of puzzles here, from battles to looting to opening doors and more, which could be good or bad depending on how many puzzles you want. Overall, Infinite Interactive has done a good job bringing the series back to what made the original such a hit.
GameFocus gives it an 8.2/10:
Seriously, there is so much that this game offers, it's like a full-fledged retail title packed into a small $15 download. Things like the improved combat system, enhancing your items with materials looted off your defeated foes or the vast array of different weapons, armor and other trinkets used to enhance your character's abilities add several more layers of strategic depth. With the super-long story, tons of side-quests and 4 character classes to choose from plus the multiplayer component, 3 different difficulty settings and the ability to play any of the mini-games independently of the main story, Puzzle Quest 2 offers a virtual truckload of gameplay for your 1200MP.
RunDLC gives it a 4/5:
Puzzle Quest 2 doesn't have a horrendous story. This is just one of those cases where the actual gameplay (the star of the show) trumps everything else around it, but don't let that affect your decision to plunk down the 1200 Microsoft Points. Puzzle Quest 2 is a well-designed and at times thrilling puzzler that makes Bejewled look boring. That by itself is a huge accomplishment.
The Examiner doesn't score it:
Puzzle Quest 2 seems like a game that would be best given as an overture to someone who has never heard of the series before. Somewhat disjointed narratives between the titles would allow a newbie to grasp the underlying puzzle concepts. Still, while this would run the risk of turning someone off to the series, causing them to question, (Why play the original when I have the sequel?), it more or less serves to give the first ground to stand on and maintain it's relevance. Puzzle Quest veterans will subsequently find themselves in an identical scenario with Puzzle Quest 2 addicted and left with an urge to continue playing despite a sunrise cresting on the horizon.
And Console Arcade gives it a 4/5:
While it shouldn't be dismissed as a poor game by any stretch (since at its heart beats the basics of the original Puzzle Quest) those hoping that Puzzle Quest 2 would recapture the full joy of the original, will probably end up being a little disappointed. Conversely those who were left hungry for more will be in their gem matching element.
