Puzzle Quest: Galactrix Preview

UGO Gamesblog is offering up a short hands-on preview of Infinite Interactive's sci-fi RPG/puzzle hybrid, Puzzle Quest: Galactrix.
The story in Galactrix is set 20,000 years in the future. Your created character selected from one of four classes is trying to save the galaxy from an invading force of bio-engineered aliens. That's pretty much all we know for the moment, but it's enough to convince us that there will be a lot of extraterrestrial ass to kick.

Since Galactrix is set in space, your ship will the most important tool in any encounter. Players can own up to three ships, though only one can be brought into any given battle. Different ships come with different abilities, with better ones obviously becoming available as the game progresses. As you encounter people willing to help, they are added to your ship's crew in much the same way that folks like Darkhunter, Khalkus and others joined your party in Challenge.

The galaxy map in Galactrix is far more detailed than Challenge world was, though it doesn't seem so at first glance. Initially, the cluster of star systems looks very similar to the previous game's layout. However, each system contains a smaller map unto itself, complete with planets, celestial bodies and enemies who roam about in real time. Avoiding battle is as simple as flying around the enemy's icon.