DS Review: 7 Wonders II

How odd is this? Merely days after writing my review of the original 7 Wonders game, I find out there was a sequel. After just how much I complained about it, it's amazing that I found enough interest drummed up to try out this game. For once, I was not completely disappointed!

Almost every single issue that I complained about in the last game? It's like they heard my pleas and fixed them. (Even though I wrote that review long after this game was released, I'm sure. ;)) The tiles are twice the size, there's more variety in what you do, new gameplay options, less distracting construction workers, less rambling on about history... just plain EVERYTHING is better about this game! The game itself is still rather on the short side though, which could be improved upon. I still finished it beginning to finish in approximately 3 hours, much like the original. For such a casual game though, that's not too terrible at all.

The most notable features here are the ones that were added specifically for this game. For this one, you collect map pieces as you clear the boards. Once you complete a map, it takes you to a bonus level, exclusively unlocked by these maps. You must get the specified piece cleared off the bottom of the board in a certain number of moves (it's different each time), and if you do, you win a massive amount of bonus points. And at the end of each level, there's another new feature: You're presented with a grid that has colored squares in it. Depending how many bricks you accumulated throughout the level, this determines how many squares you can move. The aim is to get each square to the top of the grid. As soon as you do, you've completed the wonder. It's a different way of going about things, but not necessarily bad.

Overall, not too bad of a game. The ending was a little bit of a let down, but hey, what can you do? Although, I am left with one lingering thought... If the first game was the 7 wonders of the world, what were these 7? As such, I feel it would be appropriate to rate this game a 7 out of 10 colored tiles.