PuzzleQuest: Galactrix, gem matching in space

PuzzleQuest is one of the best puzzle game series of recent memory. Sure, it was “another” casual puzzle game, but it is the only game I know to successfully combine an RPG game and a puzzle game. PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords had you traveling across standard medieval lands fighting goblins, giants, and elves. Simple, but challenging and fun. The sequel to Warlords, Galactrix, is more of the same but in a sci-fi setting with a little more challenge, even if it is less fun.

Galactrix follows the same PuzzleQuest formula but changes things up just enough to keep things fresh. For one, you’re now playing on a hexagon gameboard, which means you can match gems in just about any direction. However, this fact along makes it incredibly challenging to figure out which gems are moving where. But at the same time it makes it somewhat exciting because you just don’t know how many gem matches will cascade. It will take you a while to catch on, especially if you’re coming fresh of Warlords (or any other non-hex gem matching game).

And much like Warlods, you match bombs (instead of skulls) to attack your enemy. And you match colored gems to fill your reserves which is used for special attacks. This is all pretty straight forward, but standing in your way of vicotry are shields. Every enemy starts with shields…but of course, you have shields too. Shields must be drained before your health goes down. This wouldn’t be so bad if both players couldn’t also replenish their shields by matching blue gems. You might think gaining back shields is good, and it is, but your enemy can do that too, which can make for VERY long battles. And at least in the DS version that I played, the lack of animation during battles is something I noticed. Warlords had lightning bolts and some neat sounds. Galactrix seems a little weak in this area.

Thankfully, one great thing about Galactrix is it’s better integration of non-battle puzzles. In Warlords you had non-battle puzzles only when you wanted them, to capture an enemy or make a magic item. This time you have no choice to take on non-battle puzzles to make it through the game. This comes in the form of having to mine planets for cargo (matching a specific number of gems), and hacking “leap gates” (matching sequences in time).

Too bad the leap gates are one thing that really slows the game down. Leap gates are your gateway between planetary systems, which make up the larger game map. Each system then is made up of several planets that you visit to get missions and other story information. I didn’t mind having to “hack” the gates before you could use them, but zooming in/out from big map to little map to puzzle really got in the way and probably could have been designed better. And one thing that really gets in the way of the game is the constant saving and accessing of data during the game. Not that I don’t appreciate auto-save, but it happens way too frequently and takes a lot longer than it should. It’s a real drag on the game and doesn’t help motivate you to keep playing.

After a while it hit me; Galactrix is Privateer in the PuzzleQuest universe. You have your spaceship and you fly around the galaxy taking on quests for various factions of people, both good and bad, and you have to collect items which you can sell for money. Plus, you mine asteroids to get cargo which you can also sell. For as long as I played Galactrix, there is a lot less buying items and customizing than there is in Warlods. In Warlords I was eyeballing swords and troll rings, in Galactrix…I’m not quite sure what I’m eyeballing. I’m sure it’s there, it’s just not quite as obvious.

Overall I think Warlords is better game. It’s a little more straight forward and more fun to play (and replay). That being said, Galactrix is a great addition to the PuzzleQuest series and it truly takes it to the next level. It’s defintely a game I’ll play until the end, even if some of better parts that made Warlords so good are not included. If you skipped PuzzleQuest the first time with Warlods, do yourself a favor and pick it up. They ported it to EVERY system imaginable, and the same will go for Galactrix too, so you have no excuse to not play either one.