Puzzle Quest 2
Puzzle-based RPG with no visual violence but scary plot.
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Puzzle Quest 2
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Puzzle Quest 2 is essentially a matching-puzzle game, but that it also has a heavy role-playing element. It is the role-playing aspect of the game that features some violent plot points (revealed through narration and dialogue, not visually) and some scary imagery. While the game is a sequel to Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, there's no need to have played the original to enjoy this new game.
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What’s It About?
In PUZZLE QUEST 2, an ancient evil has returned to the realm and is spreading ruin and destruction across the land with its armies of monsters and minions. Only one hero has the courage to step up and save everyone. Battles are depicted through matching puzzles, as you and your opponent take turns lining up groups of 3 or more matching symbols. Matching skulls damages your enemy, matching colors gives you points you can use to cast spells or use weapons on your enemy. True to its RPG style, you can also earn experience points, learn new spells and skills, and buy and upgrade weapons and armor.
Is It Any Good?
The original Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords was a wonderfully unique blend of role-playing and puzzle games. Puzzle Quest 2 actually manages to improve upon the formula, with some fablulous new features. One is the addition of "action icons," symbols you match together to gain points to use a physical weapon (as opposed to the spells which are used in the majority of the fighting). Gathering raw materials that can be used to upgrade weapons and armor is also nice. Even the way you move around -- on the streets of towns and through the corridors of dungeons, as opposed to just navigating pinpoints on a map, like in the last game -- is much improved. Puzzle Quest 2 is a worthy successor to one of the more original games of the past decade.
Online interaction: Multiplayer games can be played on both the Nintendo DS and the Xbox 360, but playing through Xbox Live, you can find yourself in a situation where your opponent is a stranger with open voice chat.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the character choices kids can make. You can choose between several male and female characters of different classes -- wizards, barbarians, assassins, etc. Why did you choose the one you did? Are there any you would not choose? Would you play as the opposite gender?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Xbox 360
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: D3Publisher of America
- Release date: June 22, 2010
- Genre: Puzzle
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
- Last updated: August 30, 2016
Our Editors Recommend
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Puzzle Quest: Galactrix
Clever role-playing/puzzle hybrid set in outer space.
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Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
A puzzle game with a unique fantasy RPG twist
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Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Compelling mystery full of devilishly fun logic puzzles.
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