Puzzle Quest Lite- Neopets Puzzle Adventure Reviewed


Like millions of other gamers, last year we become entranced by Puzzle Quest. The title synergistically blended Bejeweled with role-playing game elements, creating a diversion what was strangely addicting. For its encore, Infinite Interactive has crafted Neopets Puzzle Adventure, a title that merges the gameplay of Othello, with the creature collection typical of a Pokemon-inspired title. While Infinite took the helm for the PC and WII versions of the game, they passed off DS development to Griptonite Games. All versions are fundamentally similar, offering a puzzler suited for those too young to relish the complexities of Puzzle Quest.

Players start the game by choosing from one of twelve neopets, to become the player’s persona. For gamers not familiar with the international phenomenon, Neopets are anthromorphic creatures, outfitted with colorful attire. Customization is limited to choosing a color, and slight graphical variations to indicate gender. Once the protagonist is named, players may jump into a selection of three minigames, or venture to the game’s story mode. The game’s narrative centers around 150 small quests, each culminating in a battle.


                        Quick, can you spot the difference between the two Kacheecks. Yep, one has lipstick.

Challenges are settled on an eight by eight grid, where players take turns placing colored disks on the bottom screen. The game’s objective is to strategically place their blue colored pieces to surround the CPU’s red disks. Unlike chess or backgammon, the game’s two rules are delightfully simple. First, players must place a disk adjacent to a piece already on the board. Secondly, once a string of pieces are bookended, all the interior pieces are flipped. When the board becomes filled, the disks are tallied, and victory is granted to the player with the most pieces showing his/her color.

Battles are gripping, due to the frequent reversals of momentum. A single, skillful disk placement can quickly turn the direction of the game. Since, every piece gained is also a loss for the opposition; a losing player almost always has a chance at victory. The title supplements the central Othello gameplay further with the inclusion of neopets that have special abilities- some can flip any two disks of the gameboard, while others force the opponent to place their next piece in a designated location. Although these attributes kept the challenges interesting, they weren’t as organic as Puzzle Quest’s spells. By waiting to use the power of the neopet near the end of the challenge, the player is given a strong advantage.


                                                                           Defeat those filthy desert bandits!

While the Othello-inspired clashes were persistently gripping, we didn’t get a feeling that winning battles made our character any stronger or more skillfull. Instead, a victory allowed the linear story to progress, thereby granting us more neopets. Unlike PQ, there are no items for purchase the campaign mode, limited the strategic scope of the title. Apparently, the developers didn’t want to overwhelm its young audience with a multitude of statistics.

The title is graphically proficient, with well drawn characters, and intricate backgrounds. Challenges come to life with particle effects and fireworks that highlight key plays. As pretty as the graphics were, watching our avatar take twenty second strolls through the campaign map tried our patience. The treks usually punctuated trite conversations with NPC, exasperating the problem. We wish the dialogue was as carefully constructed as the game’s art.


                                                      Minigames offer a reprieve from the Othello battling.

Overall, Neopets Puzzle Adventure is a worthy successor to the Puzzle Quest lineage. The game adeptly combines Othello’s strategy with the collection of cuddly animals, creating a perfect time sink for the young gamer.  Variations in the game board layout and player abilities keep the game fresh through its numerous missions.


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Posted by DesertEagle at 12/9/2008 3:31 PM
Categories: Kid Friendly,DS,Reviews
 

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