I like the move-the-gem-into-combos genre of puzzle games. You know, the usually jewel-themed games in which you match jewels of the same color in combinations of two, three or more and make them clear the board. They can be as addictive as the classic Tetris, or as annoying as an "Othello" imitation. This one falls somewhere in the middle.

Microsoft and Carbonated Games' Hexic Deluxe is one of the jewel-themed games with a literal twist. Each gem is a brilliant color consisting of five sides (hence, the 'Hex' in Hexic). In order to move the pieces from the board, you rotate a group of three (various colored) gems in an attempt to get 3+ in sequence. They will vanish, and repeat. You keep this up until ... forever. There are three modes in which to play: Marathon, Timed and Survival. There are also various difficulties to select from, which can enhance the mode that you chose. I liked Marathon mode with Medium difficulty for reasonable challenge and flexibility.

As you progress, it becomes more difficult to make your combinations, which is when you get the most of your (mental) workout. In the easy setting, the progression is very slow and the challenge factor is a long way off. Deeper into the game, you can encounter bombs that work like mines - destroying everything if you are not careful in your moves. Aside from those flourishes, the game lacks much depth or replay value. Unlike many games that are similar in the genre, this one didn't have me yearning to come back in any spare second of the day.

The sound of a spinning combo is like a cartoon-boomerang effect. The music is a weak, tech-syntho distraction that is best if turned down to a minimum. I don't need snazzy music for a puzzle game, anyway, but the music often aids in knowing when time is fleeting if you are unable to watch a timer while moving through the levels. Considering the design of the game, and its origins, I'd have expected a more Eastern European flavor to the tunes.

The gems have minimal luster, but enough color and dazzle for you to move quickly without confusing the stones. For example: Blue looks blue, and so on. You can also select to have the pieces "marked" to make them stand out, but I did not care for that distortion at all.

The game's selling point is that it is from the same genius that brought us Tetris. That's all I needed to give it a chance. However, just as the sequel puzzles in the Rubik's (cube, snake, etc) line, nothing is nearly as good as the original. I found nothing even close to the addictive insanity of Tetris within this game. It's a overly simple crystal collective that doesn't cause you to lose sleep like similar puzzles. It can serve as a time-killer in a pinch, but aside from that, it's a struggle to stay at it. Unlike some in this genre that have had recent makeovers, Hexic is tiresome and uninspiring.

Gameplay: 5.0
The objective is clear and the learning curve is tiny. You almost wish it took longer to learn, as there aren't many rewards once you get into it. I have had great success playing it just by randomly moving the cursor around and clicking. Literally - just blindly moving around and making gems turn and create combinations. It works! 

Graphics: 5.5 
The colors don't blend or otherwise become hard to differentiate on the board. Otherwise, there isn't much brilliance of eye candy of any kind to make the game stand out. That's a plus for playing on low-budget computers, but makes for a so-so visual adventure.

Sound: 4.0
The music is quite annoying, and best left to a minimum for the "end of the clock" warning in certain levels. The rotation of the jewels sound like an enormous boomerang being slung into the air. Nothing stands out as interesting or memorable. Thank goodness for volume controls. 

Difficulty: Easy
You can play this on one of three levels of difficulty. The hardest one is challenging, but not too brutal. Medium is just right, and the most reasonable place to stay. The challenge escalates evenly and not too out of control. The bombs make it interesting when they appear.

Concept: 6.0 
This type of puzzle looks like any of a number of jewel-genre games. They all have the same kind of goal: move some stones to make combinations. That's it. Most involve moving one stone, while this one is three-at-a-time. That's unusual, but still not original. There's no other facets to explore or surprises to keep you on your toes. In one recent review, the jewel game lead you on a history quest as the game progressed. That was a nice, yet simple, nuance to the game.   

Overall: 5.5
I like playing this type of puzzle game. They can't all be addictive and great, but when they throw out legendary names like Alexy Pajitnov - of Tetris fame - you hope for something amazing. Instead, it's a pile of stones that lack the luster of many other similar games. Maybe the genre is worn out and hard to build upon, but I'll keep hope that something will stand out. It's not a terrible experience, but does not have any of the appeal of many like it. Even the different modes don't enhance it enough to warrant telling all your friends about it. It's available online at MSN Games, which is where I would recommend trying it out - before investing in something that will leave you several carats short of a crown.