PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 731 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords Game Cover
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In "PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords," engage in an epic single-player campaign with over 150 quests, where you save the kingdom of Etheria from evil through match-3 puzzle combat. Build your character, capture cities, and gain companions in this immersive puzzle game. Additionally, enjoy quick-play mode for a more casual experience.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Mobile Platform
  • Nintendo Ds
  • Nintendo Dsi
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 2
  • Play​station 3
  • PSP
  • Wii
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 731 reviews
story82 positive mentions
grinding31 negative mentions
  • Puzzle Quest combines match-3 gameplay with RPG elements, creating a unique and addictive experience.
  • The game features a variety of spells, items, and character classes, allowing for strategic gameplay and customization.
  • The nostalgic value and engaging story keep players coming back for more, making it a classic in the genre.
  • The AI often feels unfair, with opponents getting lucky combos and turns that can lead to frustrating losses.
  • The game can become repetitive, especially with the grinding required for leveling up and completing quests.
  • Some players experience technical issues, such as the game not launching or running poorly on modern systems.
  • story283 mentions

    The story of Puzzle Quest is generally described as a straightforward and somewhat generic fantasy narrative, often revolving around classic tropes like defeating an evil lord and gathering allies. While some players appreciate the RPG elements and humor woven into the plot, many find it lacks depth and can become repetitive, serving primarily as a backdrop for the engaging match-3 gameplay. Overall, the story is seen as a decent complement to the mechanics, though it may not be the main draw for all players.

    • “The story is interesting, and the artwork is great.”
    • “The story is well written with excellent dialogue.”
    • “I found the story to be extremely compelling and at times humorous.”
    • “The story is extremely lackluster here and it's boring around 80% of the time.”
    • “The story is bland but forgivable as the game needs some sort of setup.”
    • “The story is the same old recycled 'dark lord guy comes back from the dead... again... and wants to kill everyone' RPG cliché.”
  • gameplay125 mentions

    The gameplay of this match-3 RPG hybrid is widely praised for its addictive mechanics and depth, combining traditional puzzle elements with RPG features like character classes, spells, and item crafting. While some players find the gameplay repetitive or frustrating at times, many appreciate the strategic layers and engaging combat that keep them coming back. Overall, it stands out in the genre for its unique blend of mechanics and immersive experience.

    • “The unlikely combo of puzzle gameplay and RPG mechanics makes it one of the most addictive experiences on Microsoft's downloadable service.”
    • “The mechanics are reasonably simple; you play with different classes of characters, each one has offensive, defensive, and healing spells that need a certain amount of mana that you pick up by matching 3 or more gems in a row.”
    • “The game really shines in its blending of match-3 puzzle mechanics with RPG spells and stats.”
    • “Gameplay is very repetitive and boring.”
    • “The gameplay is frustrating, the UI is horrendous, and the use of abilities is inconsistent.”
    • “The game stretched on way too long for the simple gameplay.”
  • music65 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its catchiness and ability to enhance the gaming experience, particularly in conveying the fantasy theme. However, some users noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive and suffers from abrupt looping issues, which can disrupt immersion. Overall, while the music is generally well-composed and enjoyable, it may not be unique or varied enough for extended play sessions.

    • “One of my favorite soundtracks.”
    • “The music is epic as well and there is a lot of gameplay to be had, including minor branches in some of the quests.”
    • “I can't stress how great the soundtrack is in this title as it expertly captures the fantasy theme of the game.”
    • “The music, while fine, has played for so long in these headphones that I am inspired to become a better gamer so that I can win and get it to shut up, with only tattered hopes that I won't simply try out one of the other character classes instead.”
    • “The only negative feedback is the music doesn't loop very well; it can break your immersion suddenly when the music jumps to the beginning of a track halfway through a note.”
    • “The music is simply a set of tracks that play on a continuous loop, over and over, with the game altogether stopping for 1-3 seconds when the music changes.”
  • grinding32 mentions

    The reviews highlight that the game involves excessive grinding, which many players find tedious and repetitive, particularly as they progress into the mid-game. While some appreciate the addictive nature and engaging story elements, the overwhelming number of encounters and the reliance on grinding for progression can detract from the overall enjoyment, making it feel more like a chore than a casual gaming experience. Overall, the grinding aspect is a significant point of contention, with players divided on whether the fun elements can outweigh the fatigue from constant battles and backtracking.

    • “Awesome game that, yes, does get a bit tedious at times - but holy crap is it addictive! I couldn't focus on anything until I finally put Lord Bane to rest!”
    • “You have to grind too much, which makes it tedious, and the game throws you tons of unavoidable monsters in the way to every quest.”
    • “It's a fun and addicting game, but it drags on for quite some time and eventually becomes tedious.”
    • “As is, this is a very grindy game that's balanced against the player with increasingly difficult enemy encounters and heavy reliance on having good gear and stats, to a point where it feels more like a game about grinding than a casual match-three title.”
  • graphics30 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reminiscent of DS-era titles, with some users noting minor graphical glitches and simplistic visuals. However, many appreciate the artwork and character design, finding them engaging despite the old-school aesthetic. Overall, while the graphics may not impress, they are deemed sufficient for the enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “The story is interesting, and the artwork is great.”
    • “Fantasy themed 'bejeweled' with many RPG elements, fun characters/companions & dialogue, great artwork and cool music.”
    • “The graphics look better on a bigger screen, which is why I was seriously considering buying it for the PC too; since one can only review games in their own library, I decided I'd use the discount to be able to tell everybody how great this game is.”
    • “Puzzle Quest had decent if simplistic graphics as a DS-era handheld game, but on PC it leaves a lot to be desired.”
    • “It's not great graphically, with the story unfolding via static character images over backgrounds with text bubbles.”
    • “The graphics suck, but it's not about the graphics; it's very addictive.”
  • replayability13 mentions

    Overall, the game offers significant replayability through various classes, narrative choices, and gameplay styles, allowing players to experiment with different strategies and approaches. While some users noted limited replay value in specific contexts, many found the diverse puzzles and challenges, along with mod support, to enhance the overall experience and encourage repeated play.

    • “I recommend it because the replayability is quite there and the game is enjoyable for what it is.”
    • “Absolutely amazing story, great gameplay, extremely replayable, a perfect game in my opinion.”
    • “With the addition of these classes, it adds more replayability and experimentation with other strategies.”
    • “Replay value is nearly non-existent unless you really, really need to play a match-3 game.”
    • “Some replayability with the different classes and general randomness.”
    • “It has different types of minigames and replay value in some of the storyline choices.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game's optimization has faced criticism due to stuttering issues, particularly on Windows 10, which can render it unplayable over time. However, recent discussions suggest that patches may resolve these performance problems, and some players report consistent performance on consoles despite the challenges.

    • “At least it had a consistent performance on that console.”
    • “Originally, I had recommended against the game because of stuttering issues, making it unplayable after a period of time.”
    • “There's a performance issue on Windows 10 right now that I've seen a few other people mention in the discussions.”
    • “Even with a highly optimized wizard with ridiculous stats and a meticulous battle strategy, I still managed to only win about 70% of fights.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its absurd scenarios, such as the ability to poison cities, and the amusing rebalancing changes between versions. Players appreciate the witty dialogue and find the overall story compelling, with several moments that elicit laughter throughout the gameplay.

    • “You can even poison cities, which I find utterly hilarious for some reason.”
    • “And some dialogs are quite funny.”
    • “I found the story to be extremely compelling and at times humorous.”
  • stability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is commendable, with users reporting minimal issues such as minor graphical glitches and no significant bugs or crashes. It performs well on both Windows 10 and the Steam Deck, making it a solid choice for players despite a few minor visual distortions.

    • “It's a real fun game that is absolutely perfect for the Steam Deck, albeit with a few graphical glitches regarding the skull tokens (very distortive, but not terrible!).”
    • “I've noticed 1-2 small graphical glitches with some attack effects, like lightning looking a little blocky, but otherwise it works great on it.”
    • “I smell more confusion than a buggy flashback.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express a surprising emotional investment in a puzzle game, highlighting the satisfaction of achieving complex goals, such as cascading gems and completing challenges without direct interaction. This emotional engagement is enhanced by the rewards system, which adds depth to the gameplay experience.

    • “MFW I'm emotionally invested in a puzzle game. 😅🤷‍♂️”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization of newer titles in the Puzzle Quest series, such as Puzzle Quest 3 and Marvel Puzzle Quest, has been criticized for being heavily reliant on pay-to-win mechanics and microtransactions, contrasting sharply with the original game's approach, which is seen as fair and free from exploitative practices. Players appreciate the original title for its integrity and lack of aggressive monetization strategies, especially in light of the rampant microtransaction culture in mobile gaming.

    • “The new ones (e.g., Puzzle Quest 3, Marvel Puzzle Quest) are horrible pay-to-win mobile ports littered with microtransactions.”
    • “You will have to do a little tinkering to get this to run on modern hardware and there are no Steam achievements, but this is still the definitive Puzzle Quest title to get. The new ones (e.g., Puzzle Quest 3, Marvel Puzzle Quest) are horrible pay-to-win mobile ports littered with microtransactions.”
    • “I have been seeing many mobile games shamelessly rip off Puzzle Quest lately, and after seeing my grandmother spend nearly $60 on Candy Crush microtransactions, I feel that this game deserves its well-earned recognition more than ever.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for being poorly executed, leading to a lack of engagement and motivation for players. Many feel that the narrative and character arcs are underwhelming, detracting from the overall experience and making it difficult to connect with the story. This dissatisfaction is heightened by a comparison to past games that offered richer character experiences for a lower price.

    • “The character development in this game is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters and truly invest in their journeys.”
    • “I love how the character arcs evolve throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful and meaningful.”
    • “The depth of the characters and their backstories adds so much to the overall experience, making every interaction feel significant.”
    • “The character development is so poorly executed that it makes you want to skip through the story entirely.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be shallow and unengaging, leaving me disconnected from the narrative.”
    • “The motivations behind character actions are poorly explained, making it hard to care about their development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

Buy PuzzleQuest: Challenge of the Warlords

Play time

25hMedian play time
75hAverage play time
9-170hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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