A Game of Numbers

You constantly hear about (and experience) the repetition in the computer game market. There are a few key genres and nowadays it seems as if each and every game is simply a copy of another game with a new paintjob. Even the better products out there heavily "borrow" elements from other products. Originality is something that this industry is sorely lacking. With this in mind, games like World Mosaics represent a shining beacon of hope.

It's going to be hard to describe the gameplay that this products offers because I can't think of anything out there right now that I can compare it to. It's incredibly unique and also extremely challenging. This is partly due to the mechanics being brand new to me and having a slight learning curve, but mainly because it's a well thought-out, satisfying, and downright difficult game.

Bring Your Paintbrush

The puzzles you'll complete (or try to complete) aren't easy, save for the first few tutorial levels. In each stage you're presented with a grid surrounded by numbers that correspond to each row, both vertically and horizontally. These numbers tell you the number of squares in that row that must be painted with your paintbrush. A single number tells you that you must paint that many squares adjacently. So if you have the number five, then five connected squares in that row must be painted. If you have multiple numbers, then the squares are separate. If you have a three and a two, then a block of three squares must be painted and a block of two squares must be painted, but the two blocks have to be separate. Painting five adjacent squares will not work.

Get it? Don't worry, you will.

So the objective is to paint all the squares outlined by the numbers. The tricky part is adhering to both the horizontal as well as vertical rows. It's a serious challenge and one that shouldn't be taken lightly. As you progress through the game the grids will get bigger and the difficulty will rise substantially.

The Role of the Shovel

You also have a shovel at your disposal, which can be used by selecting it on the right side of the screen and left-clicking or simply right-clicking on the grid. The shovel is entirely optional. You don't have to use it if you don't want to, but it makes the game a lot easier. If you have a square on the board that you absolutely know can't be painted, you can dig it up with the shovel to let you know that that area shouldn't be marked. If you need to paint six squares in one row, after you successfully find and paint those squares, you can dig up everything else in that row to save yourself from accidentally marking a wrong spot in the future. Pretty soon, once the grid starts filling up with holes, it'll be worlds easier to solve the puzzle.

Creativity is not Dead!

World Mosaics is hands down the most creative game I have played in the last few years. It's fresh, it's challenging, and it's just what the doctor ordered (the doctor being me) for those of you sick of the same old gameplay.