2024: Mosaic Retrospective
- December 30, 2024
- Mark Ffrench
Get on Steam"2024: Mosaic Retrospective" is a puzzle game that has you completing a 60,000 piece grid to reveal a pixel art collage of major news events from the previous year. Using numbered clues, similar to Minesweeper, you uncover light tiles to gradually reveal the mosaic. The game offers dozens of hours of meditative and challenging gameplay, with the option to listen to your own music or the built-in soundtrack. The game supports UNICEF fundraising.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and engaging concept of summarizing the year's events through puzzles, making it both educational and entertaining.
- It's completely free, providing hours of relaxing gameplay with a chill atmosphere and enjoyable music.
- The puzzle design is well-crafted, allowing players to experience a satisfying sense of progression as they complete sections and uncover interesting news stories.
- The game lacks a comprehensive tutorial, which can make it difficult for players unfamiliar with Minesweeper-style mechanics to get started.
- Some players feel that the game presents a biased perspective on political topics, which may detract from the overall experience.
- The music has been criticized for not fitting the game's relaxing vibe, leading some players to turn it off entirely.
- music26 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the pleasant and relaxing soundtracks, particularly the zen and bossa nova options, others find it ill-suited for the puzzle-solving experience, leading them to turn it off. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for creating a charming atmosphere, though its effectiveness varies among players.
“The music is pleasant to listen to (more piano-y than guitar-y this time) and the whole thing can be completed with mouse only.”
“The art style and presentation are charming, and the soundtrack sets a reflective tone.”
“Love the vibe and music.”
“What didn't make for a very enjoyable solving experience is, once again, the music for this game.”
“The music does not really fit this kind of puzzle very well.”
“The first thing I did after listening to the music for about a minute was go to the options menu and turn it off completely.”
- gameplay20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a relaxed, logic-puzzle experience reminiscent of minesweeper, requiring prior knowledge of the original game for optimal enjoyment. It features simple mechanics and a focus on exploration and discovery rather than challenge, making it suitable for players seeking a chill gaming experience. With customizable options and clever puzzle designs, it offers a satisfying journey through logic-based challenges, though it may not appeal to those looking for fast-paced action.
“Great, free minesweeper style gameplay.”
“A chilled-out take on minesweeper that'll give you 20-30 hours of relaxing logic-puzzle gameplay.”
“With its easy-to-understand gameplay, customizable options and clever puzzle layouts, this game is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a challenging and satisfying journey through logic-based puzzles at no cost!”
“Granted, I'm not that good at Minesweeper, but I feel like most reviews are just not addressing the fact that if you want to play this, you either have to know Minesweeper pretty well because it does not explain anything to you at all regarding the gameplay.”
“If you’re looking for fast-paced action or complex mechanics, this won’t be your thing.”
“It's a logic game with mechanics just different enough from Minesweeper to trip up both me and the household's PhD-level mathematician, whose specialization is heavily based around mathematical logic.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a charming art style and engaging presentation that captivates players from the start. Additionally, the game offers extensive customization options for visual settings, allowing players to tailor their experience to their preferences.
“The art style is the first thing that grabs you.”
“The art style and presentation are charming, and the soundtrack sets a reflective tone.”
“The in-game settings can be adjusted to fit your preferences; you can invert colors, modify input controls, toggle error warnings, and select your preferred graphic resolution.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its stunning minimalist design, where each frame resembles a work of art, complemented by a pleasant and relaxing ambiance. Players can further enhance their experience through customizable options, including two soothing music tracks, fostering a calm environment.
“It's stunning in a minimalist, atmospheric way that makes every frame feel like it could be a painting.”
“Players can personalize their experience, creating a calm and soothing atmosphere.”
“+ pleasant, relaxing atmosphere with two nice music options.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story effectively utilizes muted tones and sharp contrasts to enhance its themes of memory, perspective, and the passage of time, creating a visually and emotionally resonant experience for players.
“The muted tones and sharp contrasts match the story’s focus on memory, perspective, and the passage of time.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its subtlety and meditative quality, effectively building intensity at key moments to enhance the player's emotional experience.
“It's subtle, almost meditative, but it knows exactly when to swell and carry you through the emotional beats.”
