Puzzle Chronicles, the next PuzzleQuest announced

Mike Bantick
Wednesday, 13 January 2010 02:00

Your IT - Entertainment

Infinite Interactive, makers of PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords and Galactrix have thieved a significant amount of time from this planets population, in a nice addictive kind of way.  Now Puzzle Chronicles the next in the Puzzle series has been announced.

For local Melbourne Australia based developer Infinite Interactive, the concept of combining a jewel matching puzzle game with a reasonably deep Role Play Game structure has proven to be a winner. 

The mix of casual and hardcore gaming elements in titles such as PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords and Galactrix has garnered much praise from the industry.  It is therefore unsurprising that this formula is not continued.

Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has announced it will release Puzzle Chronicles for PSP (PlayStation Portable) and Nintendo DS on February 18th, with download editions for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 to follow shortly after.

Developed by respected puzzle game creators, Infinite Interactive, Puzzle Chronicles mixes colour-matching puzzles with role-playing themes and plotlines, allowing users to enhance their character by succeeding in various puzzle challenges and defeating the many opponent forces that  confront them during the course of the adventure.

Puzzle Chronicles is set in the savage wastelands of the Asharin Empire. A despotic King has seized your countrymen and their kidnapping must be avenged. To topple the corrupt monarch, players must build their character into a great warrior capable of overthrowing the empire via a series of brain-twisting puzzle combat challenges.

The main game screen is split into two, distinct areas with a swathe of coloured gems dropping into the player’s side of the screen, and that of their challenger. As like-coloured gems are activated, they are removed from play unleashing specific spells and physical attacks on the opponent, or unlocking items for use in the quest. Each adversary, however, has specific skills and magic or combat attributes, which force the player to vary their game accordingly.

A battle is won when the opposing player’s energy is completely depleted, and the victor is then rewarded with experience points and key skills. Using these, players can enhance their character with new weaponry and better armour necessary to take on the game’s bigger foes, and raising and training pets to fight alongside you. Tips on the whereabouts of treasures and unique items can also be found by defeating key rivals, and will prove useful later in the game.

Puzzle Chronicles also adds a series of sub-levels and side quests for the player to explore, with dungeons to be explored and looted, and a wealth of special magical items to be collected. This adds to the game’s replay value immensely,