Rocking the Cradle of Rome

When Bejeweled was released by PopCap in the year 2000, it quickly became an addiction for me. The gem swapping diversion had the simplicity of Tetris and the depth of Reversi. In subsequent years, the popularity of the game created a glut of imitators like Puzzle Quest, which used the basic play mechanic to represent role-playing combat. Before long, I was burned out on Bejeweled and its myriad of clones; I had lost interest in the game after gleaning its strategy for optimal play.

It was with hesitation I placed the Jewel Master: Cradle of Rome disk into my Wii; after all, the back of the box proudly proclaimed, “For fans of Bejeweled and Jewel Quest.” Surprisingly, the title offered enough variation on the Bejeweled formula to keep me quite interested. At a bargain price of twenty dollars (and currently $14.99 during Gamestop’s Gamedays sale), Cradle offers a respectable amount of captivating gameplay at a very reasonable price.

Like many similar puzzlers, gamers must match at least three matching pieces in either a horizontal row or vertical column, thus causing the pieces to disappear. Once pieces are removed, new ones come cascading from the top of the screen. However, unlike Bejeweled, many levels contain funnel points that must be opened before new pieces can fall freely. Whereas successful players in most gem puzzlers focus on the bottommost pieces to initiate combos, Cradle of Rome requires the gamers to remove pieces from across deliberate sections of the screen, radically changing the title’s strategy. Additionally, each of the game’s 100 levels varies widely in shape from hourglasses to pyramids.

After the player completes a level, they are transported to a building diversion, where they construct their Roman Empire. Each of the gem combinations in the main game rewards the player with building materials or supplies; from stone and wood, to gold. Each scarcity is used in the construction of famous Roman icons from the Temple of Venus to the Coliseum. Although this aspect of the game is underdeveloped, it does give players a necessary motivation to return to the main game. We would have preferred to have a greater risk/reward system for the building mini-game; as it stands the activity is woefully straight-forward.

Cradle of Rome easily transcends typical bargain-priced software. Despite the relatively small size of the games on-screen icons, each is easily distinguishable and proficiently drawn. Altogether, the title is graphically competent, especially when displaying your emergent municipality. While I expected the music to be forgettable, the title’s sonic accompaniments were superior, although their medieval rhythms seemed vaguely anachronistic. Some might question whether the game could have been a Wiiware download, but the amount of music alone would have pushed the size limits of a downloadable title.

Overall, Jewel Master: Cradle of Rome is a compelling bargain-priced diversion that should appeal to fans of uncomplicated puzzle games. Beyond its Bejeweled-inspired gameplay, the title has a handful of additions that make the game an enjoyable amusement. Players tepid towards the familiar gem-switching formula may want to look elsewhere for recreation, but Wii owners who haven’t had their fill may want to cavort in this Cradle.