So did you hear the one about the dead hot looking Songstress who walked into Eternity to see her Egyptian God judges over weighting her heart and judging her worthy for Paradise or Damnation? And how the god Thoth told her she can skip the pre judging weight in and go straight to Paradise? And then proceeded to tell a rather long tale that basically ends with the Egyptians gods totally condoning the separation of loved ones (even if the one in question happened to bust his hump for the Gods and stop a plot by Set (the Egyptian god and not the many headed serpent demon god of creation) to cast his bro Osiris into darkness so he could take his brother’s job as ruler of the Underworld (the Egyptian underworld and not the movie franchise about Vampires vs. Werewolves -- though I suppose the franchise couldn’t be harmed by allowing an actual god to develop and direct the series after it’s last outing with the whole Rise of the Lycans thing)? Well… that was during the second Luxor. So where are we with Luxor 3?

Well it’s about as bad a time as any for a young Pharoah to kick off (kinda odd the second PSP rendition of the series was called “Pharoah’s Challenge” when an actual Pharoah wouldn’t actually be in the game until 3) with his

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burial pyramid incomplete, and the Egyptian Gods needing of his help to stave off the attacks of a now rather bitter Set (hmm… guess that whole happening in the last game did kinda cheese Set off, just abit). So now while you work to build that pyramid (finished once you stave off all of Set’s attacks) you have to fight Set’s colorful ball rolling minions once again (though at least this time you won’t be fried in damnation for a job well done… I hope).

Once again to do the task set before you apparently you must shoot down rolling spheres set by Set to invade a pyramid or two (pushed relentlessly by his little scarab minions who self destruct the minute the last of the spheres is smashed… hmm… oh but the Scarabs do more this time as there are a nice host of mini games this time out including a sky rolling scene where you shoot down Scarabs for bonus points). Once again we’re back with another most addictive puzzler/shooter combo (upgraded with a new Shop option for you to buy not only the much useful upgrades, though that is an effort since there are much more purchases you have to make on all upgrades to make them useful, and they still don’t reach the high level of upgrade as the original, as well as the ability

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to change the paddle you use and even the balls you shoot/shoot at). Once again you puzzle over how best to wipe out the long chains of rolling spheres, whose numbers and colors grow the deeper into the game you go (across brand spankin’ new boards that are oh so pretty to look at as well). I haven’t played much (it’s on PC and I’m looking for a console/handheld port that I hope happens soon) but I played enough to know I want a PSP or Wii version of this eventually.

Can’t get much more addictive than this. The match 3 and up gameplay of Bejeweled or Puzzle Quest, a uniquely original way to do it (rolling spheres set along a pre destined path… with a twist in some bonus levels featuring free roaming scarab/ball sets, mostly in a sky mode and a level where you shoot them as they come down Centipede style along a board with pots which change the scarab’s course along the way making their paths longer or shorter depending on the obstacles before them. Also the game really works the atmosphere and setting of Ancient Egypt to the nine (though to be honest the story mode is nowhere near as powerful as it was in the first game). Level maps are once again beautifully done (fresh new maps as opposed the ones we’ve seen

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too much of from the second Luxor with some returning classics as well), a nice musical track (though I do wish the game supported a wider variance of music for the game even if this is abit more varied than before), epic power ups that really do rock (though again with the purchasing of upgrades you don’t seem to upgrade fast like you did with the upgrades in Luxor : Pharoah’s Challenge).

Besides the nice solid gameplay (each board offers up unique challenges in sphere paths, now more varied and with splitting paths making you plan even harder how best to use your power ups to your advantage) the game also features a set of bonus rounds with multiple objectives (half the fun is seeing all the varied bonus games yourself, one specific one only unlockable if you shoot down four Egyptian God specific urns turning the specific level set you’re in).

This game, and it’s other companion piece, are great additions to puzzler gaming on the PC, PSP, DS and so on, and should be on your short list for pickup off any good stocked bargain bin ASAP (though this is a download off of Gateway Games and not on shelves… yet). So, with that all said, we’re giving Luxor 3 a nice solid high five store upgrades out of 5 (aka the Gold Standard). Very nicely done. Bravo!