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 will set you back , making it one of the more pricey games available for the iPhone, especially as the game can be played (at least partially) for free at many different online sites. Is it worth the cost to have the ability to play it on the go? What if anything is new to this version of Bejeweled 2? Read on for the answers.

All popular puzzle games are those which are very easy to understand but very difficult to master. This was the norm as far as puzzle games were concerned in the past and is definitely the norm as far as Bejeweled 2 is concerned. There are two modes to play this game. However, there is not a lot of difference between the two modes.

At the start of a stage you’re presented with a collection of various colored gems filling the screen. Your goal is to connect these jewels together to create a chain of 3 or more of the same jewel. You do this by simple dragging any gem you wish to move over to an adjacent vertical or horizontal space. If your move doesn’t result in a match of three or more identical shapes being made, it will be reset. This prevents you from simply dragging a shape anywhere you want to.

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.

In a puzzle game, fancy graphics and effects often distract the players from the actual game. This game strikes the right balance and ensures that the good looking graphics and background images do not distract the players. The creation of a combo or a chain results in a colorful display on the screen. However, apart from this, there is said nothing in the graphics or effects that distract you from the game. This is a good thing because this leaves you free to focus on the gameplay.

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.

The lack of any type of score keeping in the form of a high scores list is certainly disappointing, as this is a staple of games of this type, and has been since the dawn of gaming. Bejeweled 2 also lacks any additional modes or variations of any kind to separate it from the many different versions already out there, also somewhat of 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

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Video Rating: 0 / 5