In researching this post I promised myself I wouldn’t cheat by loading up the list with puzzle games. You all know Bejeweled and Peggle will run on your machines; you don’t need me to tell you about them. So I decided I’d only allow one of these five slots to be filled by a puzzle game, which made things a little more interesting.
When it came right down to it, though, the choice was obvious: Puzzle Quest. At first glance, this fiendishly addictive game appears to be an awkward mix of genres, and it seems like a barely-disguised knockoff of Bejeweled. But neither of these things is true.
You may not be able to tell from screen shots, but Puzzle Quest is at its heart a role-playing game. It employs many of the standard RPG tropes like hit points, leveling characters, and a magic system. The story sends you gallivanting around a simple overworld map, battling fantasy creatures on your way to defeat the evil Lord Bane.
OK, so it’s not the most imaginative of RPGs. But then there’s the combat. Yes, the gem-swapping that serves as the central element of combat may look awfully familiar. But the idea here isn’t simply to clear out the board or reach a certain number of points, as in Bejeweled. Instead, you’re aiming to match specific combinations: Matching three or more skulls results in a direct attack on your opponent; colored gems charge up your magic reserves for special attacks; and other pieces offer gold (to purchase gear to buff up your character) or experience to raise your character’s level more quickly.
So yes, it may sound odd, but it’s entertaining as hell, and as fiendishly addictive as the puzzle games it draws its inspiration from. But don’t take my word for it: You can check out a demo yourself right here. If that tickles your fancy, you can buy it instantly over Steam.
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