Reviews

Given the number of picture-based puzzle games I?ve played over the last several months, I always like when these kinds of games are a little bit different from each other. Hence, for example, why I was unimpressed by Pic-a-Pix Classic 2, and its pretty rote nonograms — and, moreover, why I liked Link-a-Pix Deluxe..

Admittedly, Link-a-Pix isn?t anything ground-breaking. But seeing as I haven?t played many numberlink puzzles lately, it still felt like a nice change of pace. I?ve gotten very used to creating pictures with nonograms and block-based puzzles, but numberlink pictures? Totally new(ish) for me.

I mean, it obviously doesn?t do anything that you haven?t already seen if you?ve ever played any puzzles like this before. There are only so many ways you can connect numbers on a grid, after all. And, to be totally honest, Link-a-Pix doesn?t do itself any favours as it gets into the larger puzzles, when the matching numbers are well off of the screen and connecting some of the numbers becomes a bit of a pain.

Still, it?s fun for what it is. Lightwood Games have proven themselves to be very good at creating puzzles that reveal neat pictures, and Link-a-Pix is no exception. It?s always a pleasure to watch as images slowly click into place, and even if there?s only one possible solution per puzzle, you still feel a nice sense of accomplishment. Repeat that feeling several times (since this game includes dozens of puzzles to solve), and you can see why it?s easy to recommend.

Again, it?s nothing you haven?t seen before as numberlink puzzles go, and it?s pretty barebones. But, like most other games from this publisher, Link-a-Pix Deluxe is addictive enough that, if you?re a puzzle game fan, you?re guaranteed to sink all kinds of time into it.

Lightwood Games provided us with a Link-a-Pix Deluxe PS4/Vita code for review purposes.

Grade: B

Matthew Pollesel