I’ve had a puzzle game recently – or the past year really. The calm, methodical solution of pretense problems is exactly what I need while sitting indoors and listening to podcasts. The latest is Hexceed, a Minesweeper-like hexagon clicker that can play for free on Steam.
Each puzzle starts with a board of empty hexagons, with one pre-marked click title. You mark tiles as safe by clicking on them with the left mouse button, which will reveal a number. As in Minesweeper, the number indicates the number of adjacent tiles that are “dangerous”. You mark a dangerous tile by right-clicking. A mystery is solved when all tiles are correctly identified.
There is an amazing rhythm to this, even in its most basic puzzles. I find that sometimes I have to stop to examine the board while trying to see what the next move is, but as soon as I spot it, there are often four or five obvious movements to do immediately afterwards. I like this feeling, to go “Oh, I’m stuck”, which then makes way for a wave of activity while identifying a large amount of area without having to think.
I’ve never been stuck for long, but the puzzles leave twists and complications. Tiles can be divided by walls that prevent a numbered tile from reflecting the danger that may be on the other side. Some tiles show the total number of dangerous tiles within a marked region, or in an entire row. You also learn to compile this information fairly quickly.
Despite the fact that the puzzles have been relatively easy so far, it still takes some time, and there are many. I’ve been playing for three hours and am almost done with Tutor Island, which features 46 levels. There are still 360 levels to play for free.
If I feel like even more after that that, its developers release monthly DLC with new levels. Each DLC costs $ 1 / £ 0.79, and during the first year they plan to introduce four new mechanics for new levels to use. You can also buy a year 1 pass for $ 9 / £ 6.19 which will unlock the first year’s DLC when it’s released.
I do not know yet if I will play long enough to be able to spend money, but I spend a few pounds every month on New York Times crossword puzzle packs and bought enough Picross games at the Nintendo store to make it possible.