Like Bejeweled or Jewel Quest, but better...with some RPG elements to boot.
GAMEPLAY - As I said already, this is basically Bejeweled with a RPG twist on things. You choose a class from 5 or 6 that are presented, each with different skills, and you run around an over-world completing quests and battling monsters. The monster battles end up being the main part of the game. The jewels are made up of 4 different kinds of mana, skulls that cause damage to your opponent, money that gives you money, and exp blocks that give you experience. The mana allows you to use spells specific to your class, or other spells you learn from monsters. The way you do the latter is build certain buildings at your citadel which allow you to make weapons, learn monsters' spells, tame mounts, etc. Other than that, you can buy items to help you, as well as some other RPG elements that don't add much other than atmosphere to the game. Overall this is one of the best puzzle games I've ever played, if not THE best. The only problem that comes with puzzle games like this, however, is the repetitiveness. I think the RPG elements do add a lot to making this game stay fresh, but some may still find it a bit dry after awhile. - 9.5/10
STORY - I'm in the 10-20 hour range of playing, and I still haven't really figured out the central story. It's a very long and drawn-out adventure, and I don't think you find out much about the story early on. From what I've done and seen, however, this game flows very well and does have a decent story. - 8/10
GRAPHICS - The overall presentation of this game looks very good on the PSP. It's hard to critique cartoonish graphics sometimes, and this is one of those cases. I think it has a unique enough look to where it will still look good 5 or maybe 10 years from now. The character pictures are a bit blurry during battles, but otherwise this game looks great. - 9/10
SOUND - Other than the narrator being a bit annoying at times, there's nothing wrong at all here. No voice-acting, unfortunately, but the music and sound effects help to draw you in. Pretty good presentation overall. - 8.5/10
LENGTH/REPLAY VALUE - This game is LONG. I think they really made this for the devoted player, because not only is the map huge, but I've only explored about maybe 2 screens worth in the time I've played so far. On top of the fact that there are 5 or 6 characters, this game has a lot of depth to it. - 10/10
BOTTOM LINE - Puzzle Quest is a game I would highly recommend to any PSP owner out there, especially if you enjoy games like Bejeweled and Jewel Quest. This is the perfect game for those long trips, because not only does it suck you in, but the game is incredibly long as well. Some may find it repetitive, but again, that comes with the territory, and I haven't found any other flaws with the game otherwise. This is one PSP game that appeals to all players, no matter what their age, genre preference, or skill happens to be. If you own a PSP and don't have this, go out and get it! - 9/10