It actually turns out beautifully, too. The source material Bejeweled is fantastically compelling, so the puzzling is solid even if purists may dislike the addition of spells and powers. But those powers can definitely tip the scales in a match, so they add a whole new nuance and added strategy. And your constantly rising stats, abilities and property deliver a nice feeling of progression. Finally, the addition of an opponent gives the game the one thing the original Bejeweled lacked: a point. It's practically impossible to get smacked down by a harpy and just walk away without instantly demanding a rematch.
It's tough to justify paying for a tweaked version of a game you can play for free on PC, but the free one doesn't let you cast fireballs at a wight who controls an army of giant rats, so it evens out quite a bit.
March 7, 2008
