This Wednesday: Puzzle Quest and Toyota advergame hit XBLA

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Oct 8th 2007 at 3:28PM }

As was revealed over the weekend, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords is finally gracing Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday. A fee of 1,200 MS Points ($15) allows entry into the kingdom where warring men and beasts settle things not by clanging swords, but politely manipulating colored tiles. The price of such civility may seem puzzling, but the digitally distributed form seems to offer the most features (examine them after the break) at the lowest price.

Wednesday sees another game arrive at the lowest price, specifically $0. In what is sure to be a vortex for game of the year accolades, Toyota's "Yaris" advergame allows you to test drive the eponymous vehicle from the comfort of your couch. You'll dodge robotic rabbits, engage in the exciting "Yaris vs. Yaris" mode and even upgrade the "protective shielding" you're surprised Toyota hasn't made more of an effort to market. Unfortunately, this game is only available to Live subscribers in the US and Canada.

Gallery: Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (XBLA)

Gallery: Yaris (XBLA)

Puzzle Quest XBLA features and changes

- Online multiplayer & matchmaking service over Xbox LIVE ArcadeA full-featured presentation of the Xbox LIVE
- Arcade game services including:
o Ranked Multiplayer games
o Custom Game Searches & Quick Games
o Support for friends & game invites
o Voice Chat
o High Score Tables
o Rich Presence that shows if friends are playing and what they are doing in the game
- Achievements
- Re-play monster capture puzzles just for fun any time after you have completed them once
- Specifically build up multiplayer-focused heroes without participating in the story by
o Accessing your citadel outside of the main story (for learning spells, forging items & training mounts)
o Capturing "unlocked" monsters outside of the main story
o Purchasing "unlocked" runes outside of the main story
- Powerful spells now have a "recharge time" – a number of turns before you can cast them again
- Turn off the hint arrow if preferred
- Access to two free gamer pictures
- Some runes, spells & items have been optimized and balanced for XBLA
- Local Multiplayer (2 players – 1 console)

Tags: Advergame, D3, Puzzle-Quest, PuzzleQuest, XBLA, XBLAWednesday, Yaris

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

FoxHoundADAM @ Oct 8th 2007 3:40PM

Will there be achievement points in this Toyota game?

jmtb02 @ Oct 8th 2007 3:46PM

xbox360achievements.org/achievements.php?gameID=446

Agent4187 @ Oct 8th 2007 7:22PM

"Speed Limit: Complete a track having reached a speed of at least 250 mph."

...Can a Yaris really go 250 mph? I wonder...

NATO_Duke @ Oct 8th 2007 3:51PM

Damn, the Yaris is one sweet ride. This will destroy PG4!

slackerdan @ Oct 8th 2007 4:08PM

I read the achievements and they had me at the mention of a giant spider boss. Massive damage with my Yaris

GRRRRRRR @ Oct 8th 2007 4:14PM

You know, people might want to buy the damn Yaris if it was the Yaris(Vitz) RS Turbo that they offer everywhere OTHER than the USA. Seriously, wtf. Ford, Dodge, etc all pride themselves on offering turbocharged versions of their cars. So Toyota does the same, but they offer them everywhere in the world where people simply don't care about the extra oOomph.

Bleh /rant over.

Matt_M @ Oct 8th 2007 4:31PM

The question is, do my morals prohibit me from loading a free game to see if its decent despite the advertising, or do I not download it at all on principle?

Geist @ Oct 8th 2007 6:09PM

Principles are for the weak. Free is free.

Angel of Death @ Oct 9th 2007 11:40AM

Principles are NOT for the weak. Principals are for the weak!

That being said, its free achievement points, support them so that maybe someday we'll get some good advergames!

AoD

Amos @ Oct 8th 2007 4:37PM

I should not be spending the money, but puzzle quest is sooooo worth it...I was never able to get it for my DS, and I like the idea of handheld more, but mmm, full tv screen Puzzle Questing...

Farseer (GDI) @ Oct 8th 2007 4:40PM

Puzzle Quest online FTW!!

Geist @ Oct 8th 2007 6:10PM

It looks ugly as sin, but the online component (as well as other extra stuff) does outweigh the graphics, that's for sure.

Farseer (GDI) @ Oct 8th 2007 6:15PM

I'm used to playing the thing on a tiny touchscreen... anything is an improvement at this point. :)

T3H WICKERMAN (FDF) @ Oct 8th 2007 4:49PM

Shut up and give us Talisman. What the hell is going on with it?

Bob @ Oct 8th 2007 5:01PM

In this Tivo era, with advertisers desperately scrambling for new ways to grab the attention of potential consumers, free XBLA games is a fairly brilliant idea. Regardless of whether the game's any good, I'd hope a few more marketing firms take a look at this idea.

And I hope it's at least a little better than the Burger King games...