 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords
- Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Windows, PSP
- Price: $19.99
- Genre: Puzzle
Common Sense Media says
A puzzle game with a unique fantasy RPG twist
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a simple Bejeweled-style puzzle game with the unusual quirk of having been spread over a fantasy role-playing game framework. In other words, players alternate between reading lots of text about a fantasy kingdom in peril and playing puzzle games against Artificial Intelligence (AI) opponents. It is free of coarse language, lewd themes, antisocial behavior, and violence (save the occasional vague reference to fighting in text dialogue). Note, however, that the Xbox 360 edition offers the option to play online. Common Sense Media does not recommend online play for kids under age 12.
What's it about?
PUZZLE QUEST: CHALLENGE OF THE WARLORDS is a reworking of the popular PC puzzler Bejeweled, with the added (and unusual) twist of being draped over a role-playing game framework. Here's how it works: Each puzzle in the game represents a fight against a rat, troll, zombie, or some other nefarious beast. Both you and your foe have a set number of hit points that decreases each time three skull pieces are cleared from the board. Other icons on the board have value as well, such colored spheres, which symbolize magic used to cast spells against foes. Upon completing a puzzle/battle, players earn money and experience and can level up their characters or buy new items to assist in future battles.
Is it any good?
The aim of this unique game is to provide purpose to the otherwise monotonous experience of stringing together three similar icons to make them disappear, over and over again, puzzle after puzzle. And while it takes a bit of imagination to get used to the idea of puzzles supplanting battles, the role-playing shtick does provide a kind of contextual framework and grander objective to puzzle-solving that's missing from just about every other game in the genre. You'll likely find yourself propelled from one puzzle to the next not just because the puzzles are fun (which they are), but also because you feel that recognizable RPG itch to keep playing just a little longer until you level up your character one more time.
And it's a good thing that added incentive exists; Puzzle Quest offers dozens of hours worth of puzzle-solving, which, even with a moderately engaging story to help drive things along, can make things a bit repetitive.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how well or badly they think the genres of puzzle games and fantasy role-playing games complement each other. Do you enjoy engaging enemies by challenging them in puzzles as opposed to fighting them with weapons and magic? Did the fantasy story hold your attention and make you eager to play more puzzles? Or do you prefer playing puzzle games that don't offer any sort of narrative?
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AGE
Part puzzle game, part RPG, all awesome.
Puzzle game versions are pretty monotonous. There's always the so-called "New Bejeweled" that only has a graphical refresh, or yet another Tetris game. How many consoles has Tetris been on? (I'm not saying Tetris is bad; it's awesome, in fact, and Tetris Party/Deluxe for the Wii is the best version, in my opinion). Anyway, back to what I was saying: Puzzle Quest breathes new life into the Bejeweled style of gameplay, but this time you're not just mindlessly matching up gems. Instead, the gem-matching is the battle system here. As you go through a typical RPG world, you fight typical RPG enemies by matching up gems. Mana for spells that can be cast must be collected by matching up some different colored gems (blue, green, yellow, and red). Matching skulls can drain your opponent's HP (and if your opponent matches up some, it can take a bite out of your HP). Gold and nullified "purple" gems can be matched as well to get gold and...nothing, respectively. The fight system is fun and relatively undetailed. The only thing that Puzzle Quest has going against it is that the RPG elements are, as I said before, typical. But that's no reason to pass it by. In terms of content, there are some minor references to violence (examples include spells such as "Cauterize", "Singing Blades", and "Bloodlust" and some dialogue and pictures that imply fighting). Other than that and some mild flirting, there's nothing to worry about. Shouldn't be rated E10+, in my opinion. Overall, it's a good and (at $5-20) cheap game that's available on many different platforms (there's a version for every major console, even the iPhone/iPod Touch). Definitely worth a look.
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AGE
Great for grown ups too!
This is a grown up favourite at our house, though I'm sure teens and tweens could get into it. It is a truly great puzzle game with a quest theme to keep you interested.
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AGE
Puzzle Quest Challenge of the Warlords
This is a great puzzle game, which you can find for around 10 dollars. There isn't any violence shown, but is implied through in game text. This is a bejeweled styled puzzle game mixed with rpg elements. Look up some videos on youtube so you can see if you're interested.
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| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Windows, PSP |
| Available online? | Available online |
| Genre: | Puzzle |
| Developer: | D3Publisher of America |
| Release date: | March 20, 2007 |
| Price: | $19.99 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Suggestive Themes |
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