Bejeweled 2 iPhone Game Review
Bejeweled 2 is a classic puzzler, and the sequel to the original Bejeweled, which has also seen release on the iPhone, from developer Popcap games.
The popularity of Bejeweled 2 has made it a cornerstone of many gaming sites, including many skill-based gaming/gambling sites such as king.
com, where it's one of the most fiercely contested games.
Bejeweled 2 does not come cheap.
You will have to pay $10 to enjoy the benefit of playing this game on the go on your iPhone.
Considering the fact that you can play this game online for free (although not the full game), there always is the doubt whether the game is worth its price tag.
Read ahead to find out whether you should spend $10 or not.
If you loved the classic puzzle games of the old which worked on a "simple to understand but hard to master" premise, you will love Bejeweled 2.
Understanding how the game works is not very difficult.
The game has two modes and you can choose to play the game in either mode.
However, the gameplay is not very different in both the modes.
At the beginning of each stage, you are presented with many colored gems on the screen.
Your task is to move them around to form chains of 3 jewels.
The chain must be made of identical jewels only.
If dissimilar jewels are matched, the board shall be reset.
Your task is to form a chain every time you make a move.
The game must be permit random moves to be made where no chains are formed.
This makes the game a lot tougher even though the concept is very simple and easy to understand.
Sounds simple enough, and it is, but the real trick to the game is in setting up combos and larger chains.
Much like chess, you must think ahead and instantly be able to recognize how doing one thing will affect everything else that is going on.
Simply plowing through the game by matching everything in sight may get you a decent score if you're fast enough, and you may very well stumble upon combos and larger chains at times, but the game can only truly be mastered by those who can actively 'create' their own combos.
The trick to winning a large number of points in the shortest possible time is to create long chains to obtain greater bonuses.
Creating a chain consisting of four jewels will result in a glowing gem on the board.
Once this glowing gem too is matched in a chain, a bunch of gems surrounding the glowing gem will be destroyed and your points tally will see a big increase.
A five gem chain is the biggest chain that you can create.
This move results in a super gem being created which, if matched in a three jewel chain, will destroy all the gems on the board.
Large chains apart, a combo will also help you increase your points.
A combo is created when the creation of a single chain leads to realignment of the position of other gems into chains without any additional moves.
The graphics are sharp and colourful, with static background images that are interesting to view, but not so distracting that they'll pull your attention from the game.
The combos and chains result in some nice explosions of color, but for the most part there isn't a whole lot happening on the screen that will make you stand up and take notice.
This being a puzzle game, too much graphical prowess or glitzy effects could actually hinder the gameplay, so this balance is ultimately for the better.
The audio production is much like the graphics, very solid, but ultimately limited in scope.
The various sound effects are particularly pleasing to the ears, while the music is very laid back and conducive to thoughtful gaming for the most part.
It is very common for the players of such games to follow the list of high scores religiously.
However, this facility is not present in this game and there is no means of keeping track of ones high scores in this game.
Further, there are no variations or additional modes available as far as this game is concerned.
The absence of these two features is a disappointment.
Overall, Bejeweled 2 is a good puzzle game.
However, this game often seems very random instead of being challenging or strategic as good puzzle games ought to be.
It may take months for an individual to master this game which is a good thing.
The price is on the high side and those playing this game for the first time may find it too expensive.
However, for those have played this game, it certainly is a good choice to keep yourself occupied Game Score: 6 out of 10
The popularity of Bejeweled 2 has made it a cornerstone of many gaming sites, including many skill-based gaming/gambling sites such as king.
com, where it's one of the most fiercely contested games.
Bejeweled 2 does not come cheap.
You will have to pay $10 to enjoy the benefit of playing this game on the go on your iPhone.
Considering the fact that you can play this game online for free (although not the full game), there always is the doubt whether the game is worth its price tag.
Read ahead to find out whether you should spend $10 or not.
If you loved the classic puzzle games of the old which worked on a "simple to understand but hard to master" premise, you will love Bejeweled 2.
Understanding how the game works is not very difficult.
The game has two modes and you can choose to play the game in either mode.
However, the gameplay is not very different in both the modes.
At the beginning of each stage, you are presented with many colored gems on the screen.
Your task is to move them around to form chains of 3 jewels.
The chain must be made of identical jewels only.
If dissimilar jewels are matched, the board shall be reset.
Your task is to form a chain every time you make a move.
The game must be permit random moves to be made where no chains are formed.
This makes the game a lot tougher even though the concept is very simple and easy to understand.
Sounds simple enough, and it is, but the real trick to the game is in setting up combos and larger chains.
Much like chess, you must think ahead and instantly be able to recognize how doing one thing will affect everything else that is going on.
Simply plowing through the game by matching everything in sight may get you a decent score if you're fast enough, and you may very well stumble upon combos and larger chains at times, but the game can only truly be mastered by those who can actively 'create' their own combos.
The trick to winning a large number of points in the shortest possible time is to create long chains to obtain greater bonuses.
Creating a chain consisting of four jewels will result in a glowing gem on the board.
Once this glowing gem too is matched in a chain, a bunch of gems surrounding the glowing gem will be destroyed and your points tally will see a big increase.
A five gem chain is the biggest chain that you can create.
This move results in a super gem being created which, if matched in a three jewel chain, will destroy all the gems on the board.
Large chains apart, a combo will also help you increase your points.
A combo is created when the creation of a single chain leads to realignment of the position of other gems into chains without any additional moves.
The graphics are sharp and colourful, with static background images that are interesting to view, but not so distracting that they'll pull your attention from the game.
The combos and chains result in some nice explosions of color, but for the most part there isn't a whole lot happening on the screen that will make you stand up and take notice.
This being a puzzle game, too much graphical prowess or glitzy effects could actually hinder the gameplay, so this balance is ultimately for the better.
The audio production is much like the graphics, very solid, but ultimately limited in scope.
The various sound effects are particularly pleasing to the ears, while the music is very laid back and conducive to thoughtful gaming for the most part.
It is very common for the players of such games to follow the list of high scores religiously.
However, this facility is not present in this game and there is no means of keeping track of ones high scores in this game.
Further, there are no variations or additional modes available as far as this game is concerned.
The absence of these two features is a disappointment.
Overall, Bejeweled 2 is a good puzzle game.
However, this game often seems very random instead of being challenging or strategic as good puzzle games ought to be.
It may take months for an individual to master this game which is a good thing.
The price is on the high side and those playing this game for the first time may find it too expensive.
However, for those have played this game, it certainly is a good choice to keep yourself occupied Game Score: 6 out of 10