2024: Mosaic Retrospective

About

2024: Mosaic Retrospective is a single player casual puzzle game with comedy and historical themes. It was developed by Mark Ffrench and was released on December 30, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

2024: Mosaic Retrospective is a meditative puzzle game where you complete a massive 60,000-piece grid using numbered clues, similar to minesweeper. As you progress, a detailed pixel art mosaic emerges, depicting major news events from the past year across politics, sports, climate change, and pop culture. This relaxing experience is complemented by a soothing soundtrack, perfect for hours of focused gameplay.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 395 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game offers a relaxing and meditative experience, perfect for playing while listening to music or podcasts.
It provides a unique way to learn about significant events from 2024, with interesting pixel art and informative blurbs accompanying each completed section.
The gameplay is forgiving, allowing players to make mistakes without severe penalties, making it accessible for puzzle enthusiasts of all skill levels.

The subject matter can be quite depressing, as many of the events highlighted are negative or tragic, which may detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
Some players found the gameplay to become tedious and repetitive after a while, lacking the depth and challenge of other puzzle games.
There are concerns about the political bias in the news stories presented, which may alienate some players who prefer a more neutral approach.

gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The gameplay is primarily a relaxed, minesweeper-inspired experience that combines simple mechanics with puzzle-solving elements, making it accessible yet engaging. While some players find it enjoyable and a good way to unwind, others criticize it for being overly simplistic or tedious once the mechanics are mastered. Overall, it offers a solid, casual puzzle experience with a unique twist, appealing to fans of logic games.
- “I've given this a thumbs up because the game mechanics as a whole are nice and a good way to relax.”
- “A chilled-out take on minesweeper that'll give you 20-30 hours of relaxing logic-puzzle gameplay.”
- “It combines classic minesweeper mechanics with new design elements.”
- “The gameplay is a bunch of mind-numbingly easy and boring busywork anyway.”
- “But gameplay-wise it’s not really fun to play.”
- “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 depending on the gameplay.”
music
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
58%
9%
The music in the game is predominantly described as relaxing and ambient, with users appreciating its ability to create a calming atmosphere suitable for extended play sessions. While many find the soundtracks—featuring zen and bossa nova styles—pleasant, some feel it lacks engagement and recommend supplementing it with podcasts or personal music. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the chill experience, though opinions vary on its fit for the gameplay.
- “The music is so relaxing and helps me unwind.”
- “This remarkable sense of melancholy also has an elevating effect on the light, pleasant jazz soundtrack, lending it powerful cathartic properties exceeding what could ordinarily be achieved by this kind of music in isolation.”
- “Beautiful game, super fun to play when you just wanna chill and watch a podcast/listen to music.”
- “The relaxed soundtrack does not fit most of the news discovered...”
- “What didn't make for a very enjoyable solving experience is, once again, the music for this game.”
- “First thing I did after listening to the music for about a minute was go to the options menu and turn it off completely.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with many noting that while the gameplay can be enjoyable, it often involves repetitive tasks that can detract from the overall experience. Some users mention that the need for constant counting and clicking can make the game feel laborious, although there are still challenging elements that keep players engaged.
- “I enjoyed playing this game, but it is very tedious to complete.”
- “Now that's out of the way, this is a bit of a tedious game.”
- “If I had any criticism, it is that, like I said, it can become tedious once you get a good grasp of the mechanics.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The humor in the game is described as both enjoyable and ironic, particularly in its unique approach to saving progress, which contrasts with typical gaming conventions. Players find the inclusion of funny news stories a welcome relief from serious topics, although there is a desire for more lighthearted content. Overall, the game successfully elicits laughter through its clever commentary and unexpected twists.
- “Enjoyable as a puzzle, and hilarious in its own right.”
- “When you think about it, it is ironic and funny, because I haven't seen a single game in my entire life that would warn me that quitting the game will save the progress. Every other game says it will not save the progress, so you will lose your progress, literally every other game in this world, and yet some of them would save your last spot though.”
- “Honestly very funny seeing a bunch of people proudly proclaiming 'yes, I am a pissbaby' in response to a game that pretty neutrally reports stuff that happened in 2024 while raising money for charity.”
- “I don't want to be reminded that drugs have infested our oceans or that Musk made a useless department with a really unfunny acronym.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game's graphics feature a charming pixelated art style that many players find clever and evocative, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal. Users appreciate the ability to customize visual settings, including color inversion and graphic resolution, allowing for a more personalized experience. Overall, the visuals are a standout aspect, drawing players in with their unique design.
- “It never fails to amaze me how pixel graphics images, including those in this game, can be so clever and evocative - all credit to the developers and designers, including Mark, who produce such excellent pictures and montages.”
- “The art style is the first thing that grabs you.”
- “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.”
- “Despite the title being a mosaic, the game actually uses pixelated visuals.”
- “If I clear enough of the puzzle, am I also going to find a pixel graphic of when I was laid off?”
- “It never fails to amaze me how pixel graphics images, including those in this game, can be so clever and evocative.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game's story intertwines engaging puzzle gameplay with poignant historical narratives, revealing news stories from 2024 that contrast sharply with the fun of the game, evoking a sense of responsibility in players. The muted visual style complements themes of memory and perspective, enhancing the emotional impact of the narrative. Overall, the story serves as a thought-provoking backdrop that encourages reflection on real-world issues.
- “A really fun puzzle game, and I liked getting a little info about the news story that the pixel art was inspired by.”
- “Every hit of dopamine released by the achievement chime is immediately tempered by an explanation of the absolute bummer of a news story from 2024.”
- “The muted tones and sharp contrasts match the story’s focus on memory, perspective, and the passage of time.”
- “Upon completion, some sections reveal a synopsis of a news story from the titular year.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be deeply resonant, evoking feelings of nostalgia and reflection akin to a New Year's celebration. The blend of joyful gameplay with underlying tension creates a unique emotional experience, balancing moments of meditative calm with impactful emotional highs and lows. Overall, the game masterfully navigates complex feelings, enhancing player engagement through its thoughtful design.
- “The bossa nova jams made me feel like I was one of the last guests at a New Year’s party, letting the new year flow in while thinking about the old one.”
- “This introduces a certain emotional tension, unlike anything I've ever felt from a game: the pure joy of filling in the puzzle grid drives me forward, even knowing that I'm likely to be 'rewarded' with a surprise of bad news.”
- “It’s subtle, almost meditative, but it knows exactly when to swell and carry you through the emotional beats.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Many users express disappointment in the game's replayability, indicating that it lacks sufficient content or variety to encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “Overall, you can try this game, but I'm leaving a bad review because of the lack of replayability.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
- “The game feels repetitive after the first playthrough, making it hard to justify a second run.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally considered to be poorly optimized, leading to performance issues that detract from the overall experience.
- “Not well-optimized, but oh well.”
- “The game suffers from significant performance issues, making it frustrating to play.”
- “I experienced frequent frame drops and long loading times, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game experiences occasional bugs, but they do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment. It performs well on Steam Play, indicating a generally stable experience.
- “Runs great on Steam Play.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
- “I experienced several bugs that disrupted my gameplay.”
- “There are too many glitches that affect the overall experience.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its stunning minimalist aesthetic, with visuals that evoke a painterly quality. Players appreciate the pleasant and relaxing ambiance, enhanced by customizable music options that contribute to a calm and soothing experience.
- “It's stunning in a minimalist, atmospheric way that makes every frame feel like it could be a painting.”
- “A pleasant, relaxing atmosphere with two nice music options.”
- “Players can personalize their experience, creating a calm and soothing atmosphere.”

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50h Median play time

51h Average play time

30-72h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

2024: Mosaic Retrospective is a casual puzzle game with comedy and historical themes.

2024: Mosaic Retrospective is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

On average players spend around 51 hours playing 2024: Mosaic Retrospective.

2024: Mosaic Retrospective was released on December 30, 2024.

2024: Mosaic Retrospective was developed by Mark Ffrench.

2024: Mosaic Retrospective has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

2024: Mosaic Retrospective is a single player game.

Similar games include Proverbs, Mega Mosaic, hexceed, Pictopix, Paint it Back and others.

2024: Mosaic Retrospective

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