For fans of puzzlers and casual games, the original Puzzle Quest was a godsend. Combining the convenience of take-along gaming, Bejeweled-like mechanics, and an intriguing medieval tale, it provided hours of satisfying puzzle goodness. Even the most discerning fans of the genre were pleased by its slick presentation, innovative controls, and challenging difficulty curve. After a successful run on the major consoles and corresponding handhelds, the series has nowhere to go but up; both literally and figuratively. Puzzle Quest: Galactrix marks the franchise's foray into outer space and it forsakes the medieval storylines in favor of something a bit more futuristic. This change in landscape and tone has brought about a few changes, and not for the better.

War has obliterated the Earth after years of grueling combat. Indomitable corporations have risen from the different fallen societies and have assumed ownership of the human race and its future. Survivors who are unwilling to fall victim to the tyrants take to the skies to find new lives in space. Upon their arrival, they quickly realize that the heavens are home to thousands of other species and cultures, some not as friendly as the survivors could have hoped. Though mankind is slow to get its "space legs" in this new territory, adapting soon comes easily. Galactrix opens many years after mankind's integration into the races and societies of space.

Reaching your next destination is achieved via the main map.

Choosing a character will kick things off. The previous Puzzle Quest offered a variety of archetypes; here you are faced with only the decision between two pilots: male or female. As gender has no bearing on the gameplay, it makes no difference which you choose. The newly-created pilot will be briefed on Galactrix's initial storyline, which consists of locating an experiment gone awry. From here, a familiar road is forged as the player travels through the galaxy to complete many different quests.

As far as the puzzle mechanics go, this is your typical matching game. Rows of hexagonal jewels in different hues must be matched in threes or more. Rather than Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords' four-direction-swaps, the new shapes allow for moves in six different directions. Keeping in mind that Galactrix is placed in a stellar stage, there is no gravity. As such, pieces reappear depending on the trajectory in which you eliminate them. For example, moving a jewel in the northeast direction will cause replacement pieces to come in right behind them from the southwest. While this is an intriguing alteration to core gameplay, it can also become quite frustrating, as it makes massive combos more likely to occur. This shifts the tide of combat immensely, as the already dubious AI seems to exploit this frequently. During a match that could boast chess-like precision and strategy, one bad move could decide a win or a loss. It can be quite irritating to lose a match all because of one simple mistake.

When gem matches are achieved, ships lose hit points in either their shields or hull. Spells from the first Puzzle Quest have been removed in lieu of newer and more practical items that may be equipped before battles. A familiar, but poorly implemented economic system allows you to buy and sell items in Galactrix. However, instead of enhancing gameplay, it only serves to bog it down. Keeping track of the economy in different locations is just as painstaking as monitoring your own.

Though these parts of the gameplay offer less fun than the gem battles, they are still an imperative of keeping a competent ship. If you think of the ship as your avatar rather than the pilot, all will become clear. This seems to be the reason behind the severely limited character choices. If you don't feel like keeping up with the various aspects of the economy, such as values of certain items, you will need to at least obtain blueprints that allow you to get improved ships in order to keep up with the difficulty curve of the game.

When battles aren't being waged and the intergalactic stock market isn't the player's primary concern, there are a few mini-games that offer momentary respite from the lackluster pace. These concern computer hacking and making jumps throughout space, and while they only tend to hold one's attention for a few minutes, it's a welcome break in the monotony.

The hexagonal grid is a notable change from the last game.

Galactrix has been released on two other technically stronger platforms, so it goes without saying that the DS version is graphically inferior to the rest. The sprites are at least presentable and detailed, but do little else but flash on-screen during conversations. Interfaces seem cold and tasteless, which gives the game an unfortunate sterility that was unheard of in the previous title. As for the ears, they are treated to sweeping orchestral movements that wouldn't be out of place in the next sci-fi blockbuster. It's the only area of the presentation that truly excels.

Puzzle fans undoubtedly had high hopes for the next entry into the series, but Puzzle Quest: Galactrix ends up failing to impress. Its serviceable but unremarkable combat, overhaul of familiar gameplay, and blacklisting of different character classes add little to the franchise. Without characters who truly elicit emotions, interesting plotlines, or redeeming qualities other than the addictive puzzle component, Galactrix is one game you may want to skip.