![]() There is an option to use the date as a seed as well, and have a "puzzle of the day", but don't expect a leaderboard for it, à la Spelunky. You can let the computer choose or you can specify a seed yourself, so it's easy to share a level with your friends. There are 100 millions of them, so there is no risk of running out before growing completely tired of Hexcells. The real attraction of Hexcelles Infinite, of course, is the randomly generated levels. They are more missed opportunities than mortal sins. All of that didn't stop me from enjoying the 36 puzzles and feeling a real satisfaction each time I could perfect one. Another issue, especially for newcomers, is that nowhere in the instructions does the game direct your attention to the box at the top left corner, containing the number of yet undiscovered blue cells, even though it's an essential information for many of the puzzles. This is still a problem, even if it's now marginally less severe than it was. Previous games had me complaining about the puzzles' less than perfect elegance: you usually have quite more clues than you really need. This absence is also partially responsible for the scarcity of satisfying "aha" moments, when several clues combine beautifully into a challenging part of the solution. The hand-crafter levels are about as difficult as the ones in Hexcells Plus, or marginally easier (either that, or I'm just getting better at solving them.) I regret that only one of them provides special instructions (in this case "each column contains an odd number of blue cells") as I feel more of them would benefit the challenge variety. It’s pure hex-rated fun.The third and most likely final sibling in the Hexcells family, Hexcells Infinite, like its title suggests, provides an infinite game experience: in addition to another set of 36 hand-crafted levels, it includes a random puzzle generator! You can opt for one or the other or snatch them both in a pack for $4.99. It’s basically the hardcore version of Hexcells and the perfect gift for fans of the original.īoth Hexcells and Hexcells Plus are available on Steam and both retail for $2.99 at the time of this writing. It’s more of the same, but considerably more difficult as it assumes you’ve played the original and mastered all of its nuances. If you play the game, get your head around its mechanics and become something of an expert, you can have a stab at its standalone expansion, Hexcells Plus. It’s one of the most relaxing games I’ve ever played and it feels almost impossible to get frustrated. It’s extremely clean and simple and has a wonderfully zen-like quality, from the use of flat colours to the minimalistic ambient music. What really sets Hexcells apart is the presentation. I can guarantee you’ll walk away feeling a little bit smarter and chuffed at your skills of deduction. Pay attention, think things through, don’t click all willy-nilly and you’ll be just fine. ![]() However, in order to unlock further levels, players need to earn a certain amount of points, and making too many mistakes ensures that you receive no reward for your efforts. The game keeps track of mistakes, though the number allowed is infinite and you won’t “die” for it. Each of these relays information about the hidden pattern in a different, more complex way, and soon enough you’ll really need to sit down and process the data thoroughly before attempting to uncover the increasingly elaborate patterns. It’s at this point that the game feels less like Minesweeper and more like the sublime Picross. Indeed, before long, new numerical indicators appear, such as figures encased in brackets and hyphens, or figures appearing outside of hexes entirely. Numbers inform players as to how many pattern cells are adjacent to a particular hex, and studying the layout will allow players to uncover the correct cells without resorting to guessing or trial-and-error. Players have to decide if a particular cell is part of a blue pattern or not and mark it accordingly. It’s simplicity itself, though it does take a bit of logical deduction, seeing as many of the hexes serve as indicators to the positions of nearby pattern cells. The game board consists of arrangements of orange hex-shaped cells in different configurations. Thankfully, my prejudices weren’t realized and I found it to be a rather delightful puzzle experience. With this bitter taste in my mouth, I was cautious when I approached Hexcells, whose description bears more than a passing resemblance to the infamous ‘sweeper. And when chance takes preference instead of direct influence over the outcome, I simply lose interest. I feel this way because, while there is some strategy involved, most of the gameplay boils down to blind luck. That tiny piece of fluff-ware that seems to be bundled in so many operating systems simply irks me to no end.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |