Bejeweled 2 is perhaps the best known game in Pop Cap Game’s Bejeweled series, a series which is one of countless franchises to re-imagine the game Tetris Attack (also known as Panel de Pon), possibly the most ripped-off puzzle game in all of gaming history. If you’re unfamiliar with the basic format of the game then allow me to explain. The game features a grid of different types of gems and you can move each gem one space left, right, up or down on the grid. If this move creates a horizontal or vertical line of three or more matching gems those gems are cleared from the grid, you score points and a new set of gems takes their place. If the grid is not arranged into such a position then the move is cancelled. It’s a simple concept which is fun for everyone from the most puzzle-addicted ‘core gamer’ to the average casual gamer.
Bejeweled 2 transposes the Bejeweled 1 gameplay into four different modes: Classic, Action, Puzzle and Endless. Classic mode is essentially Bejeweled 1; you must clear rows and columns to earn points and once enough points have been earned you will level up. The game ends when there are no more moves that can be made on the grid. Action mode is much like classic mode except that there are always moves to make on the grid and the progress bar charting how close you are to the next level is constantly dropping over time. The higher the level you’re on, the faster the progress bar depletes and should it hit the bottom the game ends. In puzzle mode when gems are cleared new gems do not take their place as the mode features specifically arranged structures of gems which you must clear from the screen without pushing yourself into a position where you have no more moves. Finally, endless mode is exactly what it sounds like, level after level of Bejeweled with no way to lose.
While classic mode may seem like the mode you’d spend most of your time in it has one fundamental problem and that’s that as soon as you hit a position where you have no more moves you are removed from the game. This means that to prevent losing the game in this mode you either have to rely on dumb luck or be able to analyse the grid and plan several moves ahead at all times like some kind of chess grandmaster, a requirement which seems very out of place alongside the modes otherwise rather relaxed attitude. You’re likely to spend most of your time in action mode, where franticly scrambling to find moves you can make against the clock is an exciting and often tense experience, in fact I found action mode to be by far the most fun of all the game modes.
The puzzle mode, while rather unusual, provides some interesting brain teasers if you’re looking for a mentally challenging diversion in your block puzzle game. It’s very different from the style of gameplay the other modes present but there are a large number of puzzles to complete and the puzzles are just as well-designed as you’d want them to be. Most will find that endless mode is rather shallow as with no way to lose there is no challenge but many casual gamers may find it’s a good way to kick back and unwind. The game also offers a number of additional secret modes which can be unlocked by achieving certain goals in the game. It’s a nice feature but these modes are essentially all simple plays on the original four.
As with many games of its kind Bejeweled 2 offers some minor twists on its core gameplay formula to jazz things up a bit. Clearing a horizontal and a vertical row in a single move will earn you more bonus points and clearing multiple rows with one move will also net you a lovely additional bundle of digits to add to your score. Clearing four of the same type of gem in a single move will create a ‘power gem’ on the grid which when cleared will destroy all pieces around it, and clearing five or more of the same gem in a single move will form a ‘hyper cube’ which can be used to clear all gems of a specific type from the screen. While not ground-breaking these features work in the game’s favour. The game also includes a hint button in all modes and while it essentially does nothing in puzzle mode, in other modes it can point out valid moves and knocks a small amount off of your level progress bar. Considering it can be the difference between losing a game then and there, and levelling up, it’s surprising that there isn’t a greater penalty for using the hint button, but it must be said you fortunately can’t rely on the hint button too heavily in action mode.
The game keeps a leaderboard of your top ten high scores in classic mode and action mode as you’d expect, although with the points awarded for clearing gems being wildly different in action mode than in classic mode there’s no genuine way to compare your performance between one mode and the other, and there are also no online leaderboards either which feels like somewhat of a let-down.
As far as aesthetics go, on the whole Bejeweled 2 is a good looking game. The gems are brightly coloured and spin when selected, clearing gems from the screen and using the special pieces looks flashy and when moving between levels you are treated to a short clip of you flying through a rainbow-coloured vortex like some kind of psychedelic Doctor Who. The CGI backgrounds and strange grey and purple bulbous menu elements can come across as somewhat tacky but they’re not offensively bad. Sound in the game consists of all the light-hearted bleeps and bloops you’d expect from a puzzle game along with a robotic male voice occasionally announcing such things as combos and game overs. Music doesn’t blend entirely into the background but you’re not going to notice it if you’re really in the thick of an exciting moment. None of it is catchy but it’s all pretty good at the purpose it serves.
Bejeweled 2 offers some variety in its game modes and does go quite a way beyond just slapping some pretty new graphics and sounds onto Bejeweled 1. However, two out of four of Bejeweled 2s modes feel majorly flawed and while at its core the gameplay can still offer a fun and enjoyable experience, the fact remains that this game is still basically doing the same thing Tetris Attack did back in 1996 and the same thing that so many other games have been doing since. If you’re looking for a present for a casual gamer or are in the market for a Tetris Attack-like game, Bejeweled 2 is a good choice but puzzle game fanatics are unlikely to find much new here.