Bejeweled 2: Deluxe

The Good
You know when I first started out playing Tetris, it got boring and repetitive after awhile. Now we're into the 21st century of video games and the technology has advanced farther with more diversion of gameplay available. So I happened upon Bejeweled. I have played Diamond Mine and I thought it was the best game in the world, but Bejeweled 2 Deluxe Edition, has more features than ever before.

There are now 4 new modes of play, from Classic which is the untimed version of play where you must clear as many gems as you can before you run out of moves. Action mode lets you play a timed game where you must clear as many levels and gems before the time runs out. You can score super-high in this mode. Next, is Puzzle mode, which allows you to clear gems in a puzzle-like fashion, whether moving one gem to clear out another. It's great for all you brain-addled gamers that need a good challenge. And, lastly there is Endless Mode, where there is an unlimited amount of moves and time and lets you play at your own leisure pretty much. There is a secret mode once you complete all of the Puzzle challenges!

The gameplay is simple and anyone can get started without any trouble at all, it's pretty straightforward, no learning curve, just connect 3 of the same gems to clear it, you can also build combo's of 4 of the same gems to get a Powercube which works as a stick of dynamite and clears out 3x3 square of gems. Connect 5 of the same and you get a Hypercube which allows you to clear one type of gem.

The package also includes very nice scenery graphics and a space themed music to add. Also keeps highscores and a record account of all users playing the game. It's a relaxing game and more addicting than ever.

The Bad
I thought some features could be omitted for a few of the gameplay modes. The Hint button really isn't necessary except in the Puzzle mode. I mean all you have to do is wait several seconds and the game will automatically hint to you the next piece available. It's only used I guess in dire situations like Action mode, but then it drains out the timer and your total score. That's the penalty of the Hint Button.

The music could be varied, the space theme got boring real fast, but the good thing is, you can always fire up the Winamp player without having the game slowdown.

There's no online community and no other puzzles to download once you're done with the first 80 puzzles and the secret mode, no HighScore website to post at.

And the one thing I didn't like is the price of the game. I know it's a mass marketing ploy to charge 20 bucks for it even though the game is worth at least 8 dollars. For the time downloading it and getting the serial number from the publishers.

The Bottom Line
Overall it's a good game for families and friends who just want to spend time doing something fun while they're downloading music off the web. It's great for that, and I have cleared over 120,000 gems and got a rank as a Supreme Bezelier. Anyways, have fun and I hope this review was helpful to you!

The Good
Bejeweled 2 makes for a nice relaxing diversion. I wasn't planning on getting addicted to the game, and here I am, over 100,000 gem matches later. :) The backgrounds are very attractive, and the colorful gems and menus build on that enjoyability. The sound effects work well, and have the range from quiet to loud that they need. Learning curve is of course very small. There isn't even a manual! You'll get the hang of it after the first few tip screens, and after a while develop a bit of strategy. The puzzle mode is an interesting diversion, and you'll be surprised how tricky the simplest looking grids can be. If you get good enough in the Action mode, you'll unlock a bonus play mode - I won't spoil it for you. :)

I'm mixed about the music. The quality is good and it sets a relaxing mood, and it's long enough to not get too tedious. But more variety and more upbeat parts wouldn't hurt.

The Bad
I'm calmly moving around jewels, and without warning, I suddenly run out of moves and a deep, loud voice bellows "NO MORE MOVES", and the jewels shake and explode. Still gives me a jolt, I tell you. Even Freecell tells you when you only have one move left.

Hints should only be given if you ask for them. I'm often thinking "no no, don't tell me, I'll find it!". Also, I'm not sure the levels in Classic mode get progressively difficult. The potential number of matches at the start of each level seems random. The first Classic level is unique - you will not run out of moves (believe me, I've had plenty of opportunities :).

Maybe I haven't discovered them yet, but some more special gems, other than the 4x powergem and 5x hypercube, would be cool. How about the timebombs from the Puzzle mode? Or colliding two hypercubes together?

An online "hall of fame" with score submittal would be nice, but doesn't detract from the game itself.

The Bottom Line
The problem with paying more for a shareware game online than you would a retail game at your local software store is that you can feel like you're not getting your money's worth. Replayability is crucial. Fortunately this game is developed enough for such a simple premise. So enjoy yourself, but be prepared for a little frustration along the way.

The Good
This game is for all ages and both my younger sister and my grandmother said the game was fun and challenging at times. Personally I also enjoyed moving the shapes around and watching them explode and getting four or five of them in a row is always exciting.

The game has some amusing graphics. The explosions and electricity are fun to watch and clearly used to appeal to the youth. The game is also very colorful and that is always a plus in my book.

The Bad
The producers apparently used random images from Google for their background because there is a lot of uninspiring and pixelated scenery pictures in the back. Kind of annoying and a bit cheap.

The game often plays itself, after you take out a few blocks new ones appear on the top and that means those blocks can also disappear when they drop next to the same kind. I have witnessed moments when I racked up highscores just because the explosions kept coming.

It is incredibly simple and there is barely anything special. I only play this game every once in a while when I am bored, but never because I actually want to. Once I get playing it's fun for a few minutes and then I go back to work. Unlike most simple games like Dear Runner and Mario there is just nothing that actually makes me want to play it.

The Bottom Line
There is not much to say about Bejeweld: It looks decent and it plays decent, but nothing special. If you want a very simple puzzle game to play every once in a while for five minutes then Bejeweld might be worth a shot, but it shouldn't be hard to find something better.