The changes to the combat system make it feel repetitive and tedious than the original. But it still has its moments.
+ This game, like its predecessor, mixes RPG elements with the puzzle elements of Bejeweled. The first game was terrific and a lot of fun, but sadly this game seems to take a step backwards when it comes to combat. It may just be my experience using the Barbarian class, but I definitely was disappointed.
You still have different colored tiles which when combined in a line of three or more earn you colored mana. This mana is used to cast spells. If you get a four of a kind match then you get to take another turn. Once you have enough mana then you can cast a spell which will either adjust the tile board or damage the enemy. One thing that is immediately apparent is that there are fewer spells in this game. You have a spell book and you are allowed to choose up to five spells at once for each battle. You can gain new spells by leveling up your character, or you can find quest givers in the dungeon that will offer challenges that when completed will earn you a new spell. One of the things I liked about the original game was that you could do these challenges and learn new spells. Unfortunately in this game there are only a dozen of these bonus spells and they are all incredibly useless. You also gain companions throughout the game that will allow you to use spells. But again, you have only about three in the game and they really aren't that useful either.
A new feature of the game is the inclusion of weapons which can be activated by matching action tiles. Just like with spells you can use your weapon once you have enough action points. Playing as Barbarian this was one of the primary ways of attacking, but I found it incredibly annoying. Most of the enemies in the game have a defense rating which determines the percentage chance that an attack will be blocked. Nearly all of the enemies have really high defense ratings (between 50 and 80) which means that over half of the time you attack it will be blocked and only do half the damage. I did have a spell that reduced an enemy's defense for a few turns, but I had to constantly cast the spell and then recast it after three turns wore off. It grew entirely bothersome, and even with the lowered defense it seemed that enemies were able to reduce the damage taken way too often. I liked that I was able to use a weapon but with the incredibly imbalanced defense rating it was extremely annoying and made fights last too long.
Overall I would say that most battles tended to last too long, too. Enemy health points typically are between 200-300 and a fight can last a really long time because of this and because of the high defense rating. This means that encountering trash mobs in the dungeon is such an annoyance because you just need to get to the next room to finish a quest but you know you'll have to spend quite a few minutes fighting each enemy. Also, once you find the right combination of spell that allow you to win then it is the same strategy every time. At the start of the game it is somewhat hard because you don't have many spells. But by the end of the game it becomes extremely easy since you have very powerful spells. It never quite feels satisfying.
But still, if you enjoy puzzle games like Bejeweled then the core of this game will be entertaining. Besides the combat game there are variations of mini-games which allow you to find money/loot, break open doors, pick locks, etc. They are all kind of simple but they do provide a short distraction from the main combat game. Also, a few side quests offer some variety as well. I suppose I was expecting more since I was really impressed with the first game. To be fair, Puzzle Quest 2 is still a decent game but it's safe to say that it is not as good as the original.
Story/Presentation: 2.5/5
+ It's good that there is some story in the game because it gives everything a little meaning. But the plot is light, generic, and uninteresting. Don't expecting anything really captivating. The story just serves to connect your actions and explain what is going on. And it does an okay job at that.
Graphics: 4/5
+ I definitely liked the new graphic overhaul that was made to the game. I wasn't a fan of the anime-looking drawings of the first game. The art in this sequel, however, is more colorful, bold, and interesting. Also, the visual effects are impressive, smooth, and fitting.
It's also important to note that they changed the worldview into an isometric camera angle instead of looking at a map and traveling to different towns and cities. I'm not sure if this change was entirely necessary, but it didn't really bother me that much. There is a generic cross-shaped path you can move in each room (North, East, South, West). Sometimes enemies will be along that path and force you to fight them. Other times they will be in a corner and you have the option to click them to fight, or to walk past them.
Overall the graphics are very clean, crisp, and do a good job displaying all the information is an intuitive and presentable manner.
Value: 4.5/5
+ I played the game for 37 hours, which is a very sizable amount of time for a $10 game. It did reach a certain point where it felt the game was dragging on too long and repeating the same battles, though, so you may get bored with it at some point. There is a lot to do after you beat the main game including online multiplayer and challenge modes. There is also plenty of incentive to play through again as a different character class with different spells if you really enjoyed it that much.
If you haven't played the original then you might have a much better opinion of this game because it still can be addicting and fun. But if you were a fan of the first Puzzle Quest then your expectations may not be met entirely. This is still one of the few games that really offer a decent mashup of an RPG version of Bejeweled.