Youll come across seven variations tothe basic gem-matching game, and theyre integrated seamlessly into youroverall adventure. The addition ofweapons makes matches faster paced thanks to their ability to deal largeamounts of damage, but its not the only way Puzzle Quest 2 improves onits standard puzzle mechanic. Youll come across some powerful weaponsand shields in Puzzle Quest 2, which are a significant addition to yourarsenal and an important part of most battles. You can equip up to twoitems at once, and, like with spells, you need to collect a specific gemon the board before an item can be used (in this case, agauntlet-shaped action jewel). While the original let you equip gear that conferredstat bonuses on your character, the sequel goes one step further byletting you use these items during a fight.
Thepuzzles arent exactly the same as in the original, however, with thebiggest addition to battle in Puzzle Quest 2 being the ability to useweapons or shields. This makes Puzzle Quest 2 more fair than itspredecessor and makes your success more dependent on skill than luck. The matches can be just as exciting and involving as theywere in the original as a plus, this time around your opponents donthave the uncanny ability to earn continuous extra turns and go ondamaging runs at will.
You constantlyneed to think a few moves ahead to ensure that you dont leave youropponent in an advantageous position, and you also have to strategicallytarget which gems to grab to make the best use of your spells andabilities. Matching four or more of thesame type of gem grants you another turn, and this, coupled with thevarious spells you can launch to assist your efforts or impede yourfoes, adds a significant strategic layer to the gameplay. The stronger half ofthis sequel is its puzzle side, which once again sees you having tomatch jewels and items by sliding them around a rectangular 8-by-8 grid(ditching the hexagonal play field used in Puzzle Quest: Galactrix).When in battle, you need to match three or more skulls to do damage, ormatch three or more different-colored gems to earn the mana that fuelsyour various spells and special attacks. Improved looks and an interestingnew multiplayer mode make the Xbox Live Arcade version of the game thesuperior one available, and while overall Puzzle Quest 2 is a lessengrossing experience than its popular predecessor, its still anaddictive and at times compelling game. Theoutcome is mixed, with a more fun and varied puzzle side coexisting witha less engaging role-playing half. The sequel–Puzzle Quest2–doesnt stray far from the core of the original but introducesseveral new additions to make it a more accessible experience. It resulted in a surprisingly deep and layered experience fromboth its role-playing and puzzling parts. Likepeanut butter and chocolate or French fries and ice cream, PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords seemingly odd mix of genres justworked.