The thought
of Puzzle Scape sounded great. The screenshots looked good, if not a little
simplistic. But as much as I anticipated the game’s release, a small part of
me couldn’t stop fearing the fact that most puzzle games sound great on paper.
Most look like they will be loads of fun to play. This made me just as nervous
as I was excited. Will Puzzle Scape be a grandiose escape to new territory? Or
will it be just another puzzle concept forgotten by the year’s end?
Little did I
know that the game was actually a new take on one of the best and most
underused puzzle series: Tetris Attack. My first stage was one of awe (block
switching!), one of inspiration (points are based on block linkage, not on
block stacks), and one of disbelief (great controls, excellent puzzles,
interesting block formations, etc.). Puzzle Scape was not merely another
puzzle concept – it was just what the title hints at, an escape.
2×2 and
Beyond
Most puzzle
games require you to eliminate blocks by lining up three or more of the same
color. The blocks may be diagonally positioned, go straight across or up and
down.
Puzzle Scape
uses a 2×2 system that halts single-color elimination through conventional
methods. Blocks fall from above just as they did in the original Tetris, but
they cannot be moved or guided as they fall. You must wait for them to land
before taking action, at which point you’ll be able to slide blocks left or
right using a reversal system that mirrors Tetris Attack. To remove blocks
from the board, you must line them up so that no fewer than two are on top and
two are on the bottom of your formation. It looks something like this (“R” =
red block).
RR
RR
As simple as
it may seem, this system may be confusing until you fully understand the
concept. For example, you may have several red blocks lined up and wonder why
they haven’t disappeared, as illustrated below:
RRRRRRRR
RYRYYYYR
Note that
while more than three red blocks are touching, they do not create a 2×2
formation. The red blocks on the left and right sides add up to three (1×2),
which isn’t enough to eliminate them. However, because more than one red block
is on the bottom, you can slide those together to meet the 2×2 requirement and
make every connected red block disappear. (The simplest and quickest solution
is to reverse the red and yellow blocks on the bottom left.)
Once four
blocks have been properly connected, you’ll notice that there is no end to how
deep the combos can get. The 2×2 formation is only the beginning. By linking
additional blocks together that don’t add up to 2×2, your combos will have the
potential to grow to amazing levels. If you have 10 blue blocks going across
and 10 going straight up, all it takes is one more blue piece – placed inside
where the two lines intersect – to remove 21 blocks in one move.
Another way
that Puzzle Scape is unique is its power-up system. Every successful
elimination goes toward filling your power-up meter. Once full, one of several
one-time-use functions will be added to your arsenal (up until now you
probably weren’t aware the game had an arsenal!). Acquire bombs, slo-mo,
eradicate (eliminate one color), capsize (flips all pieces), row buster
(remove two rows of blocks), and other cool treats.
Combos are
great for points and power but there is a more important reason to use them –
they’re part of the single-player objectives. The game is broken down into two
modes: Architect and Artist. The latter is an endless mode where you play
until one line of blocks exceeds the height of the playing field, while
Architect is a timed mission mode. Objectives, which include two numbers and a
block, appear on the right side of the screen and are updated immediately as
each one is completed. The first number determines the number of times an
objective has to be completed; the second one indicates the number of blocks
that must be eliminated. But there’s a catch – the block number may or may not
be all-inclusive. If it says 1×14 yellow, you might have to knock out 14
yellow blocks simultaneously to complete the objective.
Puzzle
Scape’s stellar ideas are enhanced by their execution but damaged by their
lack of variety. The controls and mechanics are highly responsive. Frantic
movement is a common occurrence and the game never once missed a beat.
However, as you can probably imagine, the objectives are very repetitive. At
first it’s an interesting challenge. You’ll work the entire game around the
elimination of a specific block color. But after a while it loses its luster.
The thought of being restricted to one block color doesn’t stay exciting. It
stays challenging – but the fun fluctuates. The Artist (endless) mode is free
of restrictions, but it too feels limited.
|
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Gameplay: 7.0
I enjoy the
puzzle genre because it’s a good place to turn for new and creative concepts.
Puzzle Scape is another flavor thrown into the mix, merging elements of a
Nintendo classic with ideas that had not been previously explored. The
resulting product is one of challenge, one of entertainment, and unfortunately
– without any significant challenges aside from a list of repeated objectives
– one of slowness and repetition.
Graphics:
6.0
Three-dimensional
textured blocks with a series of trippy/fantasy backgrounds.
Sound: 6.9
Puzzle Scape’s
soundtrack ranges from super catchy to moderately annoying.
Difficulty: Hard
A tenaciously
challenging and twisted take on Tetris Attack.
Concept: 8.4
The 2×2 block
setup is excellent. Its expansive linking system allows players to be creative
with their formations, pumping out combos (eliminating multiple blocks and
block colors simultaneously) and chains (eliminations caused by other
eliminations) with style.
Overall: 7.0
Like an old
friend who’s had plastic surgery and spent nine months in therapy, Puzzle
Scape is a game you’d swear you’ve met before. The objective system does get
tiring, after a bit, but it still manages to keep you hooked for additional
rounds. Credit that addictive factor to the various nuances that make up the
2×2 block system. Tetris Attack fans shouldn’t hesitate to pick up a PSP for
this one, even if their primary handheld is the Nintendo DS.
