It’s been awhile since I’ve played a classic 2D RPG game, and even longer since I played a puzzle game. I’m not normally the kind of guy who kills time by playing solitaire or any other kind of puzzle game as a matter of fact, so picking this game was really just weird. After downloading it I had an epiphany – my partner is always playing these silly little puzzle games, so I will just let her play while taking notes from the side.

Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords is basically an enhanced version of the gem-swapping classic,  Bejeweled, only with more depth – thanks to the added RPG system, and a storyline. Even though the story is quite epic for a puzzle game, because the addictiveness of the puzzles you will most likely find yourself skipping through a lot of the dialogue to get to your next fix – I mean fight. So, I must apologize there for not completely paying attention to the story, but I am sure you will understand what I mean once you try the game out for yourself.

You have the option of playing as a bard, knight, druid, sorcerer, rogue, ranger, or a warlock. Each character class allows you to unlock unique spells which you do by leveling up. You collect experience points by beating enemies in a turn based version of Bejeweled. Through out the games you can also collect gold coins which you can then use to purchase weapons and armor. Enchanted armor also has it’s own spells, for instance – mirror armor can be used to reflect some of the damage you take. To cast your spells you have to get at least three jewels in a row in order to collect manna – there are four different colors and each represents a different element: red for fire, yellow for air, blue for water, and green for earth.

It doesn’t end there. You also have the option of pimping up your crib, or your citadel, by building a dam around it, buying catapults, or reinforcing the walls. You use the gold pieces that you’ve earned to buy these upgrades and then engage in different variations of the original puzzle in order to successfully build the citadel extensions.

Perhaps you want to spend time  focusing on and improving your spells – there are mini puzzles you can do to complete research on various types of spells. Those who are power hungry will find themselves spending hours on end on these puzzles just trying to improve their spell casting.

The learning curve is short and simple. Within minutes you will be playing like a pro and feeling like an addict. The game pretty much lasts as long as you want it to – there are plenty of side quests you can take and do some crazy leveling up. Also, when you finally run out of story you can either play through with another character class or simply try yourself against a human opponent online. It is definitely safe to say that the longevity of this game is solid. You’ll pretty much only get sick of this game when you get to the point where you are the undefeated champion of puzzle quest and there is no one left to challenge you.

In the end I pretty much yanked the controller from my partner’s hand and haven’t been able to put it down since. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords combines the mechanics of an RPG and a puzzle game perfectly. The battles can be so immersive that you actually forget that you are playing a modified version of Bejewelled. This game will surely chew up your time. Playing it on the PlayStation 3 made me destroy my back in the end. If you have the choice buy it on PSP. This game is made to be enjoyed anytime and anywhere.

Score: 80

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