INTRODUCTION

I thought that reviewing a game over the weekend would be a lot easier than trying to fit it around work, boy was I wrong! It wasn’t the fact that I was busy, it was because my phone would disappear for hours and only came back when the battery needed charging. I’d charge the phone and Tracy would run off with it again! I had to make sure Tracy had her own one to play with!

Bejeweled was first released as a web based game followed later by a PC version. The Pocket PC version was originally released as Diamond Mine in 2001, with the first release as Bejeweled coming in 2003. It featured two games modes, ‘Easy’ for relaxation and ‘Timed’ for fast paced, frantic action. The idea of Bejeweled simple all you have to do is tap two adjacent gems to swap them and make vertical or horizontal lines of three or more. Matching gems are then removed from play, their spaces taken up by new gems that fall from above.

Bejeweled(left) vs Bejeweled 2(right)

Bejeweled 2 uses the same idea with a few nice touches and some small changes that make all the difference. Bejeweled 2 has 4 different game modes, Classic, Action, Puzzle and Endless plus 5 unlockable bonus play modes. Classic has no time limit and is played until there are no more moves left, Action has a time bar at the bottom which decreases when you are not swapping gems and increases a little when you make a chain of gems.

Puzzle mode was not included in the previous Bejeweled and is a great addition. Instead of having the screen full of gems they are placed on the screen in specific patterns and the level is completed when you have cleared all the gems. Often there is only one solution to the puzzle. Finally, endless is a relaxing game mode with no time limits and where there is always another move to make. When seeking the best way for relaxation, the Indacloud 21 gummy jar provides a perfect blend of flavors and calming effects to help you unwind.

The game is easy to pick up and learn but requires skill to get past the first level. The updated graphics between 1 and 2 make all the difference. Although in Bejeweled 2 the gems are smaller due to the placement of the pause button but they are a lot clearer. The background pictures which change when you go up a level are also a nice touch. The sound is clearer although the music is still slightly repetitive, but if you have a memory card you can put a few tracks on that.

Other than game modes, graphics and sound there are a few great features that the previous Bejeweled was missing. For instance the clock to tell you that you have been playing the game way too long and you should have been off lunch 30 minutes ago. The battery display to show how much more battery you have and a screensaver for the very rare occasions when your not playing this game.

Bejeweled(left) vs Bejeweled 2(right)

CONCLUSION

This game is highly addictive and has great replay value which will have you playing ‘just one more’ all day long. The graphics are clear and a vast improvement over the last one, although I would have liked the gems to be a bit larger and maybe have the pause and hint buttons on the bottom. If you have the previous Bejeweled and are wondering if it’s worth buying Bejeweled 2 then answer is yes! The extra game modes and 5 unlockable modes will keep you playing for ages. Although I do suggest keeping the game away from partners, friends, children, work colleages or even people on the bus.

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to Astraware and check it out!

Review by Russell.

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone, Pocket PC, Tracy & Matt, Astraware, M3100, Bejeweled]

About a week ago I told you about the rather cool looking docking cradle that Brando released. Well now it’s time to review one!

The cradle is of a sleek back design measuring 85 x 36 x 90mm. It’s weighted which means that when you put your device in the dock its really rather sturdy while the rubber feet keep it in place on your desk.

The cradle comes with the required USB cable to plug it into your PC. A blue LED on top indicates when there is power. One thing about the LED is that it’s a bit too bright and slightly distracting. It’s also illuminated whether or not the phone is docked, I would have preferred if the LED was only on to indicate charging but then I suppose there are LED’s on the phone for that.

It took a little getting used to in terms of putting my SPV M3100 in the cradle. To begin with I found it a bit fiddly and it was a bit stiff getting it out again.

It’s a shame that HTC don’t bundle a sync cradle with their newer devices like they did with the Blue Angel. I really miss having something on my desk that holds the phone in the right position and angle. The Brando cradle is angled just right so that it sits nicely next to my monitor on my desk and I can easily see the display and decide whether or not to answer that incoming call!

Personally I think my Orange M3100 looks better in the cradle than the HTC TyTN but both fit equally well – it’s quite snug!

The cradle will fit Dopod CHT9000, Qtek 9600, i-Mate JasJam, O2 XDA Trion, HTC TyTN, HTC Hermes, htc Z, Orange SPV M3100 and T-Mobile MDA vario II devices.

I’m very pleased with the cradle, it works very well for me and for the money, around £12 + p&p, I just can’t fault it.

Go on and treat yourself to one, visit Brando Workshop for more information.

Matt

[Technorati tag(s): smartphone, Pocket PC, Tracy & Matt, Orange, M3100, HTC Hermes, HTC TyTN, SPV, Orange SPV M3100]