Kenshō

This game is perfectly genius. Not too many levels so it feels endless, not too few that it’s not worth the money. Not too hard so that it feels impossible, but not too easy, so every move takes thought. The graphics are beautiful, the lights and animations, everything. The clicking sounds when you move the tiles and other little sound effects add so much depth to the game. The little puzzles to open the doors are really fun, it’s a nice change of pace so it’s not tile after tile. I love the camera feature, a wonderful addition and a fantastic idea. I have really grown attached to all of the characters. The small noises they make and the music that accompanies them gives them an emotional ambience, and if it wasn’t clear enough what feeling was on display, the little box character has the little emoticons that are almost tacky, but just within the lines. Everything is so thoughtfully calculated. I wish there was a statue or something of the box-character, to go along with the deer. I’d buy it for sure. I look forward to more apps from 52! 🦌◽️

I downloaded it because it was visually beautiful and mysterious. The instructions are minimal, I thought intentionally. Other games/puzzles which involve a visual logic are similar. It makes them charming. The guides are consistent, which is part of the challenge. What isn’t clear is where the game is ultimately going after it stopped the way you proceeded and introduced something which seemed to go nowhere. I addressed this today in a message to Kenshō. I only had one other occasion to contact them when I couldn’t solve a puzzle; the response was rapid and helpful without giving any hints or strategies. For anyone contemplating downloading this game, don’t let My most recent problem discourage you. It’s a delight to look at and a challenge as they introduce each twist. I don’t care for the music which is distracting, so I turn it off. I like the sound effects. I gave this a 5 star rating because the whole experience was mesmerizing. It is not easy to stop, but that is a problem in the discipline of the player.

Straight up this is one of the most beautiful puzzle games I've played in years. Reminds me visually of Blockwick, One of my favorites. And before you think this game is all looks let me assure you it is also a great puzzle game. It takes a pretty simple puzzle concept and leverages it into something special by giving you a reason to keep playing. At risk of sounding a little kooky I have to see there's a certain spirit this game that seems very sincere but is hard to describe. Lots of games try to look beautiful as part of their appeal but this one seems to have a real beating heart of it's own. I bought a beautiful stuffed deer they linked to in the app as well, and can't wait to see it!

I find the game more frustrating than fun, and although the gameplay mechanics are interesting and cool, the structure of the game disappoints me: It relies on random generation. I love the puzzles that unlock the doors (those don't rely on randomness), but the main game feels luck based. This is why I heavily prefer puzzle games with specificly designed levels, rather than games like this and candy crush where random generation is a part of the game, and the levels are different each time they're played. It’s more of a strategy game, which isn’t my thing but that’s just me. If puzzles that rely on random generation are your cup of tea, get the game... but there are some really great puzzles out there that are so much better. I guess it depends on what you’re looking for. Graphics are very impressive here, music is nice, gotta say though.

Update: Of the solutions I listed below, #2 was implemented. Yay! However, it is still true that you can somewhat “muscle” your way through the game. There is no penalty to filling the board, so you can still win any level by repeatedly pressing one button until you get lucky. However, smart play just speeds things up. Old Review: This is a beautiful game with a fundamental design flaw: often times the best way to progress is to fill your board and “lose”. I’ll try and explain as succinctly as possible: 1) Puzzles have a set start place. 2) Each requires you to gain five pieces. 3) They get harder as they go and your board fills up. 4) If you fail, it restarts to puzzle 1 of 5. 5) However, you don’t lose any collected pieces! Therefore, it’s boring but possible to progress like this: 1) Get a piece. 2) Fail on purpose. 3) Get that same piece again. -repeat until done Possible fixes: 1) Lose collected pieces: players must collect all five without failing. 2) Randomize the start of each puzzle. 3) Add an achievement of some kind for finishing without losing. This game is artsy enough, one of those fixes may be present but invisible to me at this point.