Cross Set
- November 17, 2015
- Cuveet Story
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Cross Set" is a number puzzle game with a simple rule: fill every row and column with numbers 1 to N, while considering the constrained sets of candidates in a NxN grid . With over 50 unique levels and a calming ambient soundtrack, the game offers a refreshing and enjoyable experience, different from traditional Sudoku games.
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Reviews
- A well-made logic/puzzle game that offers a relaxing experience and a good progression of difficulty through levels.
- The game is simple yet engaging, making it a great choice for fans of Sudoku and number puzzles.
- It provides a decent amount of content for its low price, with enjoyable mechanics like locking grids and suggested digits.
- The game lacks variety and new mechanics as it progresses, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- There are significant quality of life issues, such as the inability to mark off eliminated numbers and no save feature for partially completed puzzles.
- Bonus levels are designed to be unsolvable and do not offer achievements, which can be frustrating for completionists.
- music32 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as catchy, relaxing, and reminiscent of Nintendo Wii music, contributing to a calming atmosphere. However, some users note that it can become repetitive over time, which is seen as a minor issue. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, with some players expressing a desire to purchase it separately.
“The soundtrack was nice background music and helped to preserve that 'zen feeling' that you got when you were playing this game.”
“The music is pretty catchy and mentally stimulating.”
“Nice relaxing puzzle game, good music too.”
“The music can be repetitive.”
“The sound can be turned off (all sounds, not just music) by going back to the main menu; which brings me to the second issue...”
“Music gets a little repetitive but that's a very minor gripe.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around simple mechanics reminiscent of Sudoku, featuring locked grids and suggested digits that enhance the puzzle-solving experience. While players enjoy the initial levels that offer fewer squares, the game lacks a progressive difficulty curve or new mechanics, leading to a repetitive experience as the only challenge comes from larger grid sizes. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, there is a desire for more variety in level design and gameplay elements.
“Simple mechanics like locking grids with suggested digits and shifting the choices of digits each grid can have helps a lot.”
“In my opinion, the most fun levels were the ones that provided a few squares to begin with, as they generally consisted of less word-search gameplay and became more similar to Sudoku.”
“Pleasant puzzle game with Sudoku-like mechanics.”
“It would have been nice to introduce something (I don't know what) that made the game mechanic feel a little bit different.”
“- There is no real difficulty increase or introduction of new mechanics as the game progresses. The only increase in difficulty is in grid size and possible number sets, so you have to search longer to find your numbers. You come into the game, do the tutorial, and the only thing that's left is 64 levels that take increasingly long to solve.”
“Overall, I'm happy with the game, but I would like to see a bit more variety in the levels, either in layout or gameplay.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, especially in the larger puzzles, which can feel overly simplistic and repetitive at times. However, there is a sense of satisfaction in completing these challenges despite their monotonous nature.
“If you're a fan of more advanced puzzles, you may find it a little simple and perhaps even tedious at moments, but it's still satisfying to complete.”
“The bigger puzzles become very tedious towards the end.”
“The grinding aspect of the game feels overly repetitive and can drain the enjoyment out of the experience.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is straightforward, as there are no hidden in-game purchases, and the fixed puzzle squares are not initially locked, despite advertising suggesting otherwise.
“Oddly, the fixed puzzle squares do not begin locked, even though all of the advertising shows them as locked.”
“There are no hidden in-game purchases.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The replayability of the game is comparable to that of traditional sudoku and similar number games, suggesting a consistent but limited appeal for repeated play.
“But the replay value is the same as any Sudoku or similarly-styled number game.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with some users reporting smooth performance on high-end systems while others experience significant lag and frame rate drops on mid-range setups. Overall, the optimization appears to vary widely depending on individual hardware configurations.
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its lack of stability, with users reporting numerous bugs and a generally unpolished experience, leading to a recommendation against playing it in its current state.
“The concept sounded like fun, but the creators did nothing with it, and the game is currently in a buggy and boring state, so I can't recommend this to anyone as it is now.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are consistent with the marketing screenshots, accurately reflecting the game's art style. Overall, the visuals meet player expectations based on promotional materials.
“The art style is beautifully represented in the marketing screenshots, capturing the essence of the game perfectly.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story emphasizes resilience and the unpredictability of life, highlighting that perseverance in the face of adversity can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes.
“The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you. If I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
