Monster Puzzle
- December 8, 2016
- Flynn's Arcade
Get on Steam"Monster Puzzle" is a game set in a world where human dreams come to life, and players must help Trekkie find stolen dreams before they are corrupted into nightmares. The game features over 50 levels, a charming cartoon-style world, and retro-inspired music and sound effects. Players must avoid enemies and navigate through puzzles to recover the stolen dreams.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features a charming aesthetic with colorful graphics that appeal to players.
- Puzzles are well-designed and gradually increase in difficulty, providing a satisfying challenge.
- The game is simple to pick up and play, making it accessible for casual gamers.
- The character movement is painfully slow, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- Each level starts with a lengthy and unskippable camera rotation that can be frustrating.
- There is a lack of in-game settings and options, limiting player customization and control.
- graphics15 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the cute and charming aesthetic, particularly the smooth 3D and polygonal designs. However, others criticize the graphics as simplistic or primitive, likening them to a modern revival of 8-bit style. Overall, while the visuals may not be groundbreaking, they complement the enjoyable puzzle gameplay.
“Style, controls, graphics, this game has it all.”
“So the game graphics are amazing; everything looks so smooth and nice. This is a style of graphics I don't see anymore in so many games, so the graphics are just amazing.”
“Very nice casual puzzler with cute polygonal graphics and progressive tile-based collect 'em up levels.”
“The aesthetics are cute, but everything is done to a bare minimum.”
“At least there's 3D graphics, but they are primitive.”
“The graphics are kind of simple, and the sound effects are a little cheap and grating.”
- music13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's music aspect has received largely negative feedback, with many users noting the absence of a proper soundtrack and criticizing the loud, retro-style sound effects that clash with the game's atmosphere. While some found the music pleasant when present, the overall consensus is that the lack of in-game music detracts from the experience, and the sound effects are often jarring and poorly integrated. Additionally, players expressed frustration over the inability to adjust sound settings effectively.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes to this music long enough to realize that I was going to be okay.”
“In my opinion, the sound effects were somewhat loud compared to the background music, but the music itself was easy on the ears.”
“It's a small puzzle game...the puzzles are nice and challenging...but the music and graphics...oh god...”
“There doesn't seem to be any music in the game, though some of the sounds are pretty annoying (very loud, retro style sound effects).”
“Too bad if you turned the volume up waiting for background music and forgot about it.”
“Unresponsive controls... the character moves way too slow... no music... awful out of context retro 8-bit sound effects that make no sense in the game's atmosphere.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a gradual introduction of new mechanics, making it accessible and intuitive for players, especially in the early levels. While some find the pace slow and the initial challenges easy, others appreciate the natural progression and comfort of the mechanics, which combine to create greater challenges as the game advances. Overall, the gameplay is simple yet engaging, with a focus on learning through experience rather than explicit tutorials.
“New mechanics are taught through simple levels before being expanded upon and combined with previous ideas for greater challenges.”
“Game starts out really easy and adds new mechanics every couple of levels.”
“Due to the way new mechanics are added, the increase in difficulty feels quite natural and didn't make me feel bored.”
“On level 10, the game introduces new mechanics where monsters appear.”
“Gameplay is too slow.”
“The only odd mechanic I noticed was the fact that your sprite stops after each block it moves.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % 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 holds in store for you. If I had given up when all the odds were stacked against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization of Monster Puzzle has been criticized as a lazy cash grab, particularly due to its origins as a mobile app that was hastily ported to Steam.
“Monster Puzzle is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as a lazy cash grab.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending real money.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is criticized for its lack of engaging elements, including unresponsive controls and slow character movement, which detract from immersion. Additionally, the absence of music and the use of out-of-context retro 8-bit sound effects further undermine the overall experience, leaving players feeling disconnected from the game's intended ambiance.
“Unresponsive controls... the character moves way too slow. There is no music, and the awful out-of-context retro 8-bit sound effects make no sense in the game's atmosphere.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the game's replayability is currently limited, but express hope that future updates could enhance its playability and encourage repeated playthroughs.
“The lack of variety in gameplay makes it hard to find motivation to replay.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and experience it again.”
“The repetitive nature of the missions really diminishes the replay value.”
