Xbox 360
Bejewled is one of those rare gaming institutions that has been copied and remade by countless imitators across the years. That the original PopCap version still remains the very best is testament to the developer's eye for a good puzzle. Last month, we featured an online redux review of Bejeweled 2 and the general feeling was that the game has aged very well in the face of its competitors. This recent re-release of the insanely addictive follow-up, Bejeweled Twist, continues the trend, delivering a fun experience you can dip in and out of with ease.
Unlike its predecessors, this title focuses on rotation-based puzzles, rather than clearing lines of vertically stacked blocks. Again, while other game have used this method Pop Cap, in their own special way, have made this feel fresh and challenging. You can get to grips with how this system works in Classic mode, where players must reach a certain score to move onto the next board.
Boards are filled with coloured gems that must be cleared by lining up three or more of the same colour, while connecting four creates an explosive gem that clears all surrounding gems when cleared. Matching up five on the other hand, creates a lightening gem that destroys all gems on the adjacent vertical and horizontal rows. There are many ways to clear the board and rack up high scores, but there are also obstacles waiting to gum up the works big time.
Along the way, classic mode chucks padlocked gems your way. These will render all surrounding gems immovable until you line up the locked gem with two or more of the same colour. On their own these aren't so bad, but when combined with bomb gems, they can be a nightmare. Every time you rotate a section of the board, the fuse counter drops by one and if you fail to clear the bomb gem before the timer reaches zero, it's game over.
When you hit higher levels, this intensity really keeps you hooked as you try to balance scoring points and staying alive. Few puzzle games become this gripping and deliver superb replay value as you try continually to beat your record scores. However, if you want a stress-free Bejeweled Twist experience, Zen mode lets you play without obstacles and focus on score attacks.
As you progress further, Challenge mode opens up even more devious puzzles, tasking you with racking up a set combo chain, clearing devious coal gems with explosives and more. Some of these tasks are brutal but much like Sudoku and other brain-melting puzzles before it, you can easily spend 20 minutes staring at the screen, carefully plotting your solution. When you finally nail it, you feel accomplished and this is how any puzzle game worth its salt should make you feel. On the other hand, casual players may be put off by the often harsh difficulty spikes.
While the game is a superb addition to the Bejeweled family, players who don't enjoy puzzle games will probably find some fun here but ultimately this may not be their cup of tea. This is largely down to the harsh difficulty curve in the Classic and Challenge modes that ramp up quite considerably from a point. As a time waster, Zen mode may be more up their street but this is a game designed with puzzle fans in mind. Beware though, once you dip into this game, it may be a long time before you manage to break free, it really is that addictive.