The pay-off releases those endorphins that we're all addicted to, which either make or break a game such as this. And like those that came before it, pulling off huge explosions and chain reactions give that warm and fuzzy feeling that we all need at least once a day. Of course, the longer the chain reaction of exploding blocks, the more points you pile up. That is the simple premise of the game and if that were the only wrinkle to Puzzle Scape, it might fall flat. But, like any good designer will attest to, other extras help make the experience more enjoyable.

First, let's talk backgrounds, or as they're called in Puzzle Scape, scenes. The scenes are pulsating with vibrant colors and abstract designs that treat your eyes, but never distract you. The music, which is reminiscent of Lumines, offers thumping techno beats that are a pleasure for the ears and help you get into the kind of zone you'll need to stay ahead of the blocks. As you accomplish the goals in the singe player game, you unlock more themes and unique scenes. And there are plenty to unlock. A decent single player mode in a puzzle game, you ask? Yes, there is what I might term a mission mode in Puzzle Scape.

In short, the single player experience offers two different modes of game play. The first is called Architect mode. In this mode, the game constantly offers up objectives that must be completed under a certain amount of time to unlock medals. The more quickly you accomplish your objectives, the better you fare. You may win gold, silver or bronze depending on how quickly you can finish the tasks.

You must at least get bronze to unlock successive themes and scenes. Once you unlock a scene, you can save it so that it may be viewed later in the gallery. Tasks include things such as exploding blocks of a certain color a pre-determined amount of times. For example, the objective may indicate you need to eliminate 20 red blocks. Once you accomplish one goal, another will be offered up until you complete all tasks in that given scene. It's very challenging and incredible fun.

The other option is called Artist mode, which is a free-form mode and allows you to play the game having to complete the specific objectives found in Architect mode. You will most likely experience deja vu playing Puzzle Scape. The merging of other popular puzzle games is certainly not unusual, but the execution definitely puts this game in the top tier of PSP puzzlers. Having played this until my pupils were dilated, I can easily recommend a purchase here. Just understand that your first half hour or so will be a bit difficult, so have patience and the reward will be worth it.