Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (DS)

[GamerDad]

Dr. Matt J. Carlson's Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (DS) article - http://www.gamerdad.com/detail.cfm?itemID=3689

[txa1265]

This is my favorite game of the year, bar none.

I had to put it away - as in, out of my bag, in the case, in storage - in order to finish some other stuff. It is completely addictive and just a wonderful game - I honestly don't notice the PSP companion bug, it is just insignificant compared to the overall experience.

[croaker]

There is one instance of a companion who tries to persuade you to not turn her over to her future husband by arranged marriage. Her persuasions are a tad suggestive, but will probably go right over the head of younger gamers.

I believe this depends on the character you've chosen.

My daughter's and my characters are both females, and I don't recall anything suggestive in that piece of the story. It was "Please don't make me marry that horrible man" and the like. Of course I suppose it was there and went over my head as well.

In passing, as the game (on the DS at least) doesn't trigger a game save immediately after making some of these sorts of decisions, I was able to try both alternatives here and see the first-order result. The "do what I've said I would do" choice--presumably the more moral one--was not rewarded as well as the one where you give in to her pleas. I thought this result was at odds with some other choices you needed to make.

[happycamper]

In passing, as the game (on the DS at least) doesn't trigger a game save immediately after making some of these sorts of decisions, I was able to try both alternatives here and see the first-order result. The "do what I've said I would do" choice--presumably the more moral one--was not rewarded as well as the one where you give in to her pleas. I thought this result was at odds with some other choices you needed to make.

Actually Mike (playing the PSP version) said he found some suggestive stuff, so I wanted to mention it. I played as a druid and didn't find really much to object to, but figured I'd play things safe... (I didn't play all 4 characters x 2 quest resolution modes to see it all as that was going to take too much time...)

I also had qualms about not turning in the girl to the arranged marriage, but I felt I wasn't a "never break my word even if it means the end of the world" kind of hero so much as "always try to do the right thing" sort. The rumors, backstory, etc... all tend to lead you toward NOT turning the girl over to her arranged marriage. (Her father the king is panned in the rumors as being not nice, the guy you're turning her over to is panned as being not nice, etc...)

I, too, enjoyed the game immensely and it was a tough call to not give it a full 5 stars and only end up with 4 1/2. I think I just feel the puzzle part loses some of its pure "puzzleness" due to the alternating turns... there is less long-term planning in a puzzle battle since anything you set up can be stolen by the computer opponent on their turn, and the random drops after clearing something can also work for or against you (and as a player you notice the "against" cases far more than the "for" cases...)

[txa1265]

That element - with the girl basically saying she could make it worth your while not to turn her in - was the only thing I found that lived up to 'suggestive themes' in the game. I would personally hand that game to anyone up to the task of understanding and appreciating what is going on.

[happycamper]

That element - with the girl basically saying she could make it worth your while not to turn her in - was the only thing I found that lived up to 'suggestive themes' in the game. I would personally hand that game to anyone up to the task of understanding and appreciating what is going on.

Yeah, see I sort of felt that really wasn't all that suggestive, but an adult could try to read more into that...

[txa1265]

Yeah, see I sort of felt that really wasn't all that suggestive, but an adult could try to read more into that...

Exactly - that is why I make sure to check the ESRB *before* playing, so I have a clue what I'm looking for.