The AI didn't cheat, it's all psychological. Just hope D3 doesn't nerf the AI just to assauge the whiners! :(

Wonder how many people would feel that it's now fair if D3 put in a placebo "easy ai" option.

kftgr

Woah. Never played the original one, but I may pick or may not pick this up. Puzzle-games are pretty cool, but let's see...if this succeeds, then Ill probably pick it. Otherwise, I'll not. -.-;

Tzibo

@HootieMac, The Somewhat Less Angry Twins Fan: I call BS on the bug as I have seen it reported but never seen it in person or being so bad to the point where people have seen the bug and can repeat it.

Probably just like the original PQ they will start going into other platforms in time. I preferred the PSP version to the DS version, the DS had the advantage of being able to navigate with the Stylus but it was slower and clunkier than the PSP version.

zoesch

@dowingba: The DS version's AI would always be a few levels above you regardless of how much you level up, making it almost impossible to get an upper hand.

For those reasons I absolutely hate the first one, but if they can fix those problems then I guess I'll pick up the sequel.

Thorax

I really hope they balance the character classes this time as well. Multiplayer was almost impossible to play on XBLA and DS. I would die before even getting my first turn. I still love this series though, and I am incredibly psyched for this game.

ThisCharmingMan

Can't wait! I still play the original Puzzle Quest... as dorky as that sounds... I also play Meteos.

Xeneizes

Damn, i meant @HootieMac, The Somewhat Less Angry Twins Fan:

kidko

@Draconis: I have it for DS and got really used to using the stylus. I didn't pick up the XBLA version because I hated having to use a control pad (slower)

kidko

Why do I get the feeling 90% of the people complaining about a lack of a PSP version are the people that would have downloaded it for free anyway?

Revenge_of_Nekojin

@omgJOHN: Like any RPG, once you level up enough, the game gets easier.

The DS version is one of my most played DS games. It's like crack.

dowingba

Man, a combination Puzzle Quest and Escape Velocity would be awesome. Hopefully development leans in that direction.

Oceaniax

I played the original Puzzle Quest on XBLA, and while fun the only reason I didn't buy it was because the AI was so horrifyingly difficult to defeat.
I'd get ahead for a little bit only to be ultimately defeated brutally.

If they fix the AI dealy I'd pick up this game in a second.

omgJOHN

@jobble: 3rd paragraph

'One of the things I asked about was whether the AI was going to be improved over the seemingly punishingly difficult AI of the original Puzzle Quest. I was told that the developers had heard players issues and it was something they were working on. So hopefully this time around, our enemies from space won't have the same kind of luck that will allow them 5 minutes worth of amazing moves while we just sit and watch our health go down.'

-Sigil-

FUCK AND YES!!!

ThoseRaptureBlues

Jeesh no PSP version? That really sucks.

The game allowed you to cheat yourself by spamming certain spells and keeping your turn constantly. I think the game balanced itself out between the cheating computer and cheating player.

Adam_Locked

Meh, AI cheating is all psychological. You tend to remember when the random number generator screws you over better than when it helps you.

Xagest

Oh no. There goes another two weeks of my life.

You know, even though the AI totally cheated, I eventually realized that I was winning nearly every fight no matter what they did, so it got harder for me to hate the flagrant cheating.

Jawajoey

Is it still going to cheat insanely?

jobble

I played quite a bit of puzzle quest enough to notice that I seemed to be playing the same exact puzzle over and over. Maybe it was just me but the tile layouts in that game didn't seem random at all.

kemicon

Oh thank god. The biggest things I can't stand about Puzzle Quest are the Renaissance faire music and ye olde English-tinged accents. (Yes, I know there is minimal voice. It bothers me that much.) I don't really know if I'm in the market for more Puzzle Quest to begin with, but I'll reconsider if the Galactrix soundtrack sounds like Star Control II.

metaly

> Sure the AI cheated, but Puzzle Quest was game-ruiningly EASY. After playing for a few hours, it was very simple to get your character to the point where you would win in 1 round. Every time. And after that every single battle was just pointless.

They fixed that on versions for later platforms. They made certain spells have recharge times so you couldn't cast them every turn. (I gather from reading various forums. Haven't played it on other platforms that the ps2)

>So hopefully this time around, our enemies from space won't have the same kind of luck that will allow them 5 minutes worth of amazing moves while we just sit and watch our health go down.

I've had plenty of insane turns where I got move after move while the computer's health just went down. The luck balances out.

Artki

@otakucode: That totally depends on the strategy you take. In my case, I abused all the spells I could find that took turns away from the opponent. Took me more than a few hours (spent a lot of time leveling up a spider mount and forging an item that required somewhere around 25-30 anvils). But in the end, enemies rarely had any turns at all. Sort of a way to bypass the AI cheats.

And yes, made finishing the game quite boring and anticlimactic. I kinda wished I did something different, so I hope I don't have a chance to pull something like that again. Maybe cap the number of times you can cast a spell, something like that.

bwulf

$.

I think imma go with the XBLA version too after picking up the DS version last time. Or maybe both.

serotoninzero

Oh my. Must get all things I wanted to accomplish this year done early... cuz I'm screwed come fall.

dv8godd

Why can't they make a freaking puzzle RPG on a puzzle game that does not suck and is 50% to 90% random chance.

lanion

Oh no. Not again. [crosses out last half of 2008 in daytimer]

eugaet

I dumped a lot of time into Puzzle Quest [XBLA]. I'm gonna be traveling a lot in the next year, sure would be nice to be able to pick this up for the PSP, so long as the weird buggyness of PQ don't happen again.

lostalaska

Oh Hells yes.

Puzzle Quest on my DS still goes with me wherever I go. The only thing I can imagine being sweeter than puzzles in my RPG is puzzles in my SPACE RPG.

itsburnsie

Oh and the Puzzle Quest games are the type that don't rely at all on graphics. I would much rather have a pointer/stylus interface with the game than smoother textures. It's much more entertaining to click and slide, than to navigate across the board piece by piece.
It's also a good portable game. So I find the DS the perfect format. PC second for the mouse and increased graphics.

Bluecell

@HootieMac: Essentially, on the PSP version the bug made the companions useless. Their abilities don't work, they do nothing. And there are no plans to fix it.

I was only speculating as to why, if anything, they would not release the game on the PSP.

Bluecell

I'll love the game regardless but I truly hope the computer no longer has the same omnipotence it had in puzzle quest.

Goddamn endless chains.

Dumari

What the heck is a "Galactrix"? Sounds kinky.

All the more reason to be excited for the game. My safe word is Bartonia.

PositivelyGreg

Punishingly difficult AI?

*blink* *blink*

What? Sure the AI cheated, but Puzzle Quest was game-ruiningly EASY. After playing for a few hours, it was very simple to get your character to the point where you would win in 1 round. Every time. And after that every single battle was just pointless.

otakucode

If Galactrix turns out to be anywhere near as fiendishly addictive as the original Puzzle Quest, I'm already there.

Draconis

@Bluecell: Was that bug ever patched? How bad was it?

I'm going to Europe for 2 weeks this summer and am considering picking up either a DS or a PSP before I go. Puzzle Quest was to be an immediate purchase for either (I have it on XBLA). I've been leaning towards the PSP for the multi-media applications, though lack of Puzzle Quest might be an issue. (Any other thoughts on DS vs. PSP would be welcomed along with info on the PQ bug.)

HootieMac, The Somewhat Less Angry Twins Fan

no PSN version? :(

GimmeCat

@ianhead: ... They released PQ on PC, XBox360, DS, PSP, and probably more than I know. Hell, Maybe they released it on N-Gage.

What in the name of Tetris makes you think it will be a DS exclusive?

Ghede

@ianhead:

The article says DS, PC, and XBLA. If it shows up on Steam (should) then I'll get it there.

Pezdispenser

To whom shall I write the check out to?

Pezdispenser

Maybe it's just me but this game sounds exactly like Dialhex (the bit generations game for GBA).

Nineballsofdeath

Puzzle Quest made my PSP experience, now why ruin it? Better not be DS exclusive.

ianhead

Cool I guess, I still havn't played that much of the original Puzzle Quest, havn't had the time tbh. But this sounds nice and different.

flukielukie

Wow this looks great! I bet there's a part where your ship spirals out of control and gravity shifts clockwise every turn. oh the possibilities!

jarjarwang

No PSP version?!?! wtf! You broke my heart D3.

Seruza

I loved the original Puzzle Quest and this one looks really cool. I hope that it includes a better soundtrack, as the other was lacking in the music compartment...
Other than that, I can't wait to pick this game up for my DS.

Deona

Conspiracy!

Dungeon Siege -> Space Siege
and now
Puzzle Quest -> Galactrix

Tin foil hats anyone? Anyone? No? Damn.

SpishackCola

I hope they make the stories missions a little more interesting since puzzle quest got a little boring at some points. I hope there's more to do in towns too, once you'd done the quests for a town it just stood there doing nothing (unless you sieged it to get money).

-Sigil-

Wow, I totally missed this at GDC! How freakin' rad. Now to decide which system to get it for...

kidko

*gasp, pant, drool* Yeah. DO want. DS plays better due to the stylus interface, IMHO.

Zaxxon Q Blaque

Loved Puzzle Quest, would buy a PSP version. Hopefully they add that to their porting plans.

avdavidw

Awesome. Can't wait for this!!

jay427

I bought this for the wife for Mother's Day last year on the DS. I haven't seen her since, though I know she played through each character class at least once.

Caduceus

OH SHIT SON! BEJEWLED IN SPACE!!!!

Dauragon C. Mikado

@Bluecell: Yes, but I always think that ignoring something that was so popular on other systems because there was a bug that some stupid porting company refused to fix shouldn't mean you just abandon anything on the platform ever again... I mean, really. heh.

But hey, I can live with the DS version

MrBionic

ohhh man I am pumped.

StartingAces

@CyricZ: "He told me Enough!

He told me you lined them up three in a row and made them disappearz!"

so now instead of Bejeweled in Medieval Fantasy, its gonna be Hexic in space.

I can live with that =D

KreacherOfBloodandRank

The visual look of the puzzle reminds me of Hexic and I'm actually a little disappointed because I like the Bejeweled type gameplay more. I won't judge a book by its cover though.

As for the AI, I think it was mentioned before that it depended on the platform. Puzzle Quest on the DS was easy.

.@MrBionic: There was a pretty big bug on the PSP version that probably hurt sales. My friend had a hard time finding a copy for the PSP because they had stopped releasing it for the system.
Could by why they decided not to go with the PSP for Galactrix.

Bluecell

Galactrix was announced last year, but they've only now added the Puzzle Quest name to it.

I'd expect there'll be an actual Puzzle Quest sequel at some point as well, as they must have realized Galactrix would get a lot more attention with the Puzzle Quest name in front of it.

The fact that everyone forgot that the game was already announced seems to back this up :)

skullivan

if you look at it for a second you can see the buzz light year logo. i mean that large silver chrome color there.

dexterr

Looks phenomenal! This looks to be a whole new game from the ground up and not a safe, predictable update.

Madeira

Very nice. No PSP version is kind of a let down. Thankfully I have a DS which is in great need of some more games.

Xaltmas

IIINNNNNNNNTERESTING!!!!

I'll have to keep an eye on this.

Oh and Mr. Bionic, if it sells well enough i'm sure it'll come to the PSP in time.

Sabastian_Chadwick_McGirt

Sounds pretty cool, I'm enjoying the first game but it hasn't really sucked me in as much as I thought it might.

LX

I would of been happy with a straight up sequel, but this is way BETTER.

I have to admit though, I cant help but think of Hexic when I look at it.

TheMightyLebeau

Cool. If they're all released around the same time, I'll probably go for the XBLA version (got the DS version last time around).

darthmole12

Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your purple tiles.

CyricZ

Also... no PSP version? Very, very, very sad.

Good thing I picked up a DS

MrBionic

The guys over at dtoid kinda let this slip a little early but still good to have confirmation and know exactly what it is going to be about.

NotAZombie

Puzzle Quest, In Space!!

DragonYen

I thought maybe it was based on Hexic at first, but then I see that it's different than Hexic in play.

Cool. I *STILL* play Puzzle Quest a lot.

MrBionic

Okay, so maybe I'm crazy, but I never thought the A.I. in the original PQ was difficult. Rather, my roommates and I spent time laughing at the five-minute combos WE would get.

I'm thrilled that there's a new PQ coming though. I had a blast with the first one.

Aaryk