Addictive and Feature Rich

The Bejeweled phenomenon is a sensation all its own, comparable to the Tetris craze of the early nineties, and the appearance of Bejeweled 2 on Xbox Live® Arcade is continuing its popularity. The question becomes just what does the sequel bring to the table; what modes and options give it value over the original, and the answer is plenty. Here are the highlights.

Visual Clarity
Like any other Xbox 360™ game, all Xbox Live Arcade games on Xbox 360 are required to utilize high-definition resolutions and display in 16x9 widescreen mode. For more details on how Xbox 360 handles high-def, we have the details here. Not content simply to display in high-definition resolutions, Bejeweled 2 offers some stunning space-inspired planetary backgrounds during gameplay.

The Game Itself
The original Bejeweled offered one main mode, which is fully playable in Bejeweled 2, and now referred to as Classic mode. The core mechanic and basic strategy works something like this:

• The screen is filled with different colored jewels. You need to rotate the jewels to create at least a line of three. When you do, the jewels that are properly lined up disappear, adding points to your total.
• The goal is not to clear the screen of jewels (in fact, every time you clear jewels, new ones drop down to replace them), but simply to score a set amount of points to move to the next level.
• You can also create two special types of jewels:


o Power Gem: When you form four jewels in a line, you'll create a Power Gem of that color. When you create a combination of three or more with that Power Gem, it will explode, netting you extra points, and also clearing out some of the jewels surrounding it. Also, if the Power Gem is located near any other Power Gem, you can create a cascading explosion, capable of clearing large chunks of the board.
o Hyper Cube: These are created when you line up five jewels at once, and they serve a singular purpose. When you rotate a jewel into the Hyper Cube, you will eliminate every jewel of that color. This is helpful when you have a large number of a particular color that aren't anywhere near each other.

The execution of these simple mechanics requires strategic planning as you attempt to line up tremendous combinations to inflate your score, as well as make sure that after your move is finished, there are still more moves available. It's here that things get difficult, as the more levels you complete, the more difficult it is to ensure you can reach the next.

Game Modes
There are four major game modes in Bejeweled 2. They are:

• Classic: This is essentially what the original Bejeweled offered. You play through level after level, trying to reach the highest level you can, while beating your previous high score.
• Puzzle: This unique mode sets up specific levels with the goal of clearing the board of all the jewels. The trick is that there's only one set of moves that will properly clear the board. The more levels you beat, the more complicate the puzzle.
• Action: Take Classic mode, and then add a timer and you've got Action mode. You have a limited amount of time to clear each level, though every point you receive adds just a bit more time to your total.
• Endless: It's just like it sounds, and is best for some real good stress free practice.

In addition to the four puzzle modes, there are several more secret modes that can be unlocked by mastering the other modes.

Extras
The features don't end there though, Bejeweled 2 also offers:

• Leaderboards: You can check the leaderboards for all different game modes, where you can see the best of the best, as well as see how you stack up with folks on your Friends List.
• Achievements: Just like any other Xbox 360 game, Bejeweled 2 offers up Achievements to shoot for. Overall, you can add 200 points to your Gamerscore with your Bejeweled 2 exploits.

Bejeweled 2 is an excellent and feature-rich follow up to its predecessor. Download it now from Xbox Live Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points, or you can download a free demo just to make sure it's for you.

Article by Alex McLain