Puzzle Quest: a role-playing gem
Filed under: Nintendo DS, Features, PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Portable, Sony PSP, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Puzzle, RPGs, MobileThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on “Western” role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity. Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords is one most inspiring role-playing games of recent years. It tends to fall out of the conversation compared to more traditional, big-budget fare like Skyrim, Dragon Age, The Witcher, or Fallout. But that’s to be expected – big money means big marketing and more discussion. But while the blockbuster games can be great, but so can the surprising little games.
This is part of what made Puzzle Quest so exciting – there would have been no expectation that a small, (initially) handheld hybrid puzzle game would be something special. As an underdog story, it’s compelling to see such a game have such success, spawning ports, sequels, and spinoffs. As a long-time PC gamer, I also enjoyed watching the world of Warlords III depicted in a surprising new fashion. And, of course, the game itself is excellent.
But those aren’t the main reason that Puzzle Quest is worth examining for this column. That would be its combat system, a form of Bejeweled-style, “Match Three” puzzle gameplay. This use of puzzle-based, abstract combat created a new dimension of role-playing combat. Traditional models of tactical, or hybrid real-time/turn-based, or action-style systems didn’t apply to Puzzle Quest. It was both something new, and, by following Bejeweled, something already respected and comfortable.
Gallery: Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (XBLA)Continue reading Puzzle Quest: a role-playing gemPuzzle Quest: a role-playing gem originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Jun 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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