CrossCells

About

CrossCells is a single player casual puzzle game. It was developed by Matthew Brown and was released on May 26, 2017. It received positive reviews from players.

CrossCells is an ambient logic puzzle game. Use number clues to remove tiles and solve the puzzle.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 547 reviews

gameplay14 positive mentions

grinding9 negative mentions

Engaging and well-constructed logic puzzles with increasing difficulty throughout 50 levels.
Minimalist, clean art style and relaxing ambient soundtrack that create a calming atmosphere.
All puzzles can be solved without guessing using logic and basic math; satisfying brain exercise for fans of the genre.

No undo or reset button leads to frustration and repetitive manual backtracking after mistakes.
Lack of fail state and immediate feedback on errors encourages trial-and-error play, reducing satisfaction for some players.
Some later puzzles require complex mental calculations and managing multiple interdependent constraints, making the gameplay feel tedious or overwhelming.

gameplay
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
73%
5%
Crosscells offers a fresh take on number-based puzzle gameplay by combining familiar minimalist logic puzzles with new arithmetic mechanics like addition and multiplication. While the game introduces mechanics gradually and is generally intuitive, some puzzles become overly complex and rely heavily on trial and error due to unclear explanations and the removal of mistake penalties. Overall, it provides a satisfying challenge for math-savvy players but is less polished and accessible than previous titles in the series.
- “Crosscells, developed and published by Matthew Brown, is a brilliant puzzle game that builds upon the foundations of his previous titles like Hexcells and Squarecells while introducing new mechanics that refresh the gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay revolves around interpreting numbers that indicate how many cells in a given row, column, or area need to be filled or marked, but Crosscells adds depth by incorporating cross-shaped patterns and new cell behaviors that complicate the logical deductions.”
- “The mechanics of the game are intuitive, and each time a new mechanic is introduced, it is done in a clear and understandable manner.”
- “Some of the mechanics of the puzzles are not explained clearly, unlike in previous games where new concepts were demonstrated with introductory puzzles. Instead, players are forced to use trial and error to figure out how the mechanics work.”
- “This isn't like the rest of the cells games where it's easy to logically figure out how everything works, nor how all of the mechanics are cleanly and easily shown to you.”
- “I still enjoyed my time with it and it's worth the low price, but I didn't find it quite as appealing as some of the other projects mechanically due to no 'mistake' system as well as no 'restart puzzle' option.”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
68%
12%
The game's graphics are praised for their clean, minimalist, and polished aesthetic that keeps the focus on puzzles without unnecessary distractions. While the overall visual quality is solid and consistent with Matthew Brown's style, some users find the optional "ripple" or wave effect around the cursor distracting, though it can be disabled in the graphics settings. The design is generally considered elegant and functional, maintaining a calming and readable puzzle experience.
- “The visual presentation is clean and uncluttered, using simple lines and a calming color palette to ensure that players remain focused on the puzzle rather than being distracted by excessive graphical elements.”
- “The visual aesthetics of the game are clean, polished, and of good quality.”
- “They all nail the abstract, minimalist puzzle game aesthetic.”
- “The ambiance, the music and everything is pretty neat, but the graphics are boring and bland.”
- “The UI and graphical style feel like a step back from Hexcells Infinite.”
- “It's ruined by a bright white screen with tiny vague graphics huddled in the center.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
45%
13%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its subtle, ambient, and minimalist style that creates a calming, contemplative atmosphere ideal for puzzle-solving. Many users find the relaxing soundtrack and satisfying sound effects enhance focus and provide pleasant audible feedback. However, some note that the music and aesthetic have become repetitive across Matthew Brown's puzzle series, though it remains a well-loved feature for fans of his games.
- “The soundtrack features subtle, ambient tunes that foster a contemplative mood ideal for puzzle-solving.”
- “The music and sound effects are really satisfying, giving a lot of audible feedback when moving the mouse and selecting cells.”
- “Music is amazing - it keeps you calm and helps you think.”
- “Having played a fair number of the Matthew Brown logic games now, I will say the copy-pasted aesthetic, music, and sound effects are starting to wear thin.”
- “Artistically, it's also a step back from the poor music and annoying water-ripple effect put in for no reason.”
- “Though I must say that this minimalistic music and aesthetics or whatever that meme word was... it got real old by now.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in this game becomes tedious and slow, especially in harder levels where the lack of a reset button and partial solution saves forces repetitive, multi-step calculations. While the minimalist puzzle design challenges your thinking, the increased tedium from repeated resets and managing hypothetical scenarios can detract from the overall experience.
- “In general, this game from about level 20 on is just tedious.”
- “The resetting everything on the larger/harder puzzles is really, really tedious.”
- “The harder levels became tedious because I had to screenshot the bits I was 100% confident of repeatedly so that I could enter hypotheticals and restore my state beforehand.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The game has limited replayability due to the lack of procedurally generated or user-designed levels, resulting in a finite 50-level experience that can be completed quickly. While it may offer occasional short-term entertainment, it lacks the ongoing challenge and variety found in similar titles with infinite puzzle generation.
- “I still recommend Hexcells Infinite as the most enjoyable and relaxing puzzle game of this genre, and it also has way more replayability as it can generate new puzzles for you.”
- “I can see some replayability in a few years, but for now that's it.”
- “There are no procedurally generated levels nor user-designed levels, a precedent set by Hexcells Infinite, so the replay value is reduced.”
- “No level generator, after completing the 50 levels there is almost no replayability.”
- “Replayability is limited, but if you wish to, you can always revisit the game in the future for a few hours of entertainment here and there.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its calming, immersive sound design and relaxing soundtrack, which fosters a meditative experience conducive to extended play. While enjoyable and soothing, some users feel other titles in the series offer a more rewarding completion experience. Overall, the minimalist, atmospheric audio enhances thoughtful gameplay and relaxation.
- “This careful attention to sound design reinforces the immersive, meditative atmosphere that the game cultivates, encouraging longer play sessions without fatigue.”
- “The crisp, clean, and calming atmosphere along with the relaxing soundtrack makes for a pleasant experience.”
- “Relaxing atmosphere with nice sounds and 'feel' to the buttons.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional response to the game is mixed, with some players appreciating its wholesome and engaging nature, while others feel frustration rather than accomplishment after solving puzzles. A strong emotional attachment influences purchasing decisions for some users.
- “Wholesome mathematical fun.”
- “I don't buy games at full price unless I have a real emotional attachment to it.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story is criticized for becoming confusing and losing coherence once multiplication elements are introduced, suggesting a drop in narrative quality at that point.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is praised for being clever and quirky, showcasing the creators' smart and playful sense of comedy.