THQ seems to have found a new niche with the Nintendo DS, first with Drawn to Life, and now with Lock's Quest. It isn't original, as it borrows heavily from Tower Defense, but its designers built upon that formula to make a nearly brilliant and most importantly fun portable game.

Lock's Quest has great role-playing and real time strategy elements that make it one of the DS' more engrossing games.

The gameplay seems simple enough: create defensive fortification, defend your location from assault and take on offensive objectives along the way. As the game wears on, and it lasts well over 20 hours, these encounters grow increasingly intense. The difficulty ramps up significantly if you play above Easy, and the artificial intelligence, a race of machines, is no slouch. Tapping for combat and construction has a slight learning curve, but it quickly becomes second nature and shouldn't hinder your desired speed in battle.

Yet, the story might be the most shocking aspect of all; it's astonishingly good. With gameplay that more than suffices, developer 5th Cell could have rested on its laurels. Lock's Quest, however, delivers a gripping story that will continually keep you guessing.

All of this makes the game remarkably deep. Not only will you feel compelled to push forward in your campaign, but you'll also enjoy the intuitive building mode, with technological advances that come into play as you progress. This is nicely complimented by the battles, which can see hordes of enemies on screen at once. The developers implemented each element surprisingly well, which keeps the tedium to a minimum and the fun maximized.

The game is also easy on the eyes. The aforementioned number of on-screen sprites is impressive, but toss in vibrant colors and animation routines for the 2-D sprites and you have yourself a hectic battle. The visuals appear lovingly designed, and the surroundings are frequently lit up with spells and special effects. Finally, the music rounds off the presentation with tunes reminiscent of the best RPGs.

Lock's Quest is, simply put, an excellent game. There are still some kinks to work out, and there is ample room for expansion, but 5th Cell nailed the gameplay mechanics, the pace of progression and the ability to tie in a story worth caring about. Just as THQ expanded Drawn to Life, we hope Lock has more room for adventure in his future.