Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons
- February 26, 2024
- Score Studios LLC
Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons may not be the greatest nonogram puzzler available on the Switch, but this is certainly another worthwhile and enjoyable entry in the genre—especially for fans who also love a good farm sim. This is ultimately little more than a nonogram puzzle pack themed after Story of Seasons, but really it doesn’t need to be anything else, even if it would be interesting to see how farm sim gameplay elements could be more directly integrated into the gameplay. As long as you’re not too bothered by a game experience that feels a little less polished than the Picross series, Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons is an easy recommendation to any puzzle enthusiasts out there.
Get on Steam"Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons" is a puzzler that combines the addictive logic-puzzles of nonograms with the charming farm life of Story of Seasons. Solve 350 puzzles and watch as your farm grows with the changing seasons. Enjoy 5 festive collage puzzles and customize your puzzling experience with various features.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a charming combination of Picross puzzles and Story of Seasons themes, making it enjoyable for fans of both.
- It includes a variety of quality of life options, such as accessibility features and the ability to track progress, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- The puzzles are fun and fair, providing a relaxing and rewarding experience, especially with the nostalgic music from the Story of Seasons series.
- The game lacks significant story or adventure elements, which may disappoint players expecting more depth like in previous titles.
- Some puzzles do not visually represent what they are supposed to depict, leading to a less satisfying completion experience.
- There are technical issues reported by some players, including lag and unoptimized performance on certain devices.
- story24 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is largely viewed as minimal and secondary to the puzzle mechanics, with many players noting a lack of adventure or narrative depth compared to previous titles in the series. While the integration of Story of Seasons themes and music adds a nostalgic charm, those unfamiliar with the franchise may find the story elements less impactful. Overall, the game is appreciated for its puzzle gameplay, but expectations for a richer narrative experience may lead to disappointment for some fans.
“The story of seasons franchise is used nicely and it was a delight to fill my farm with all the cute animals as a reward for solving puzzles.”
“As a long time fan of Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons, this game brought back many childhood memories for me.”
“Story of Seasons is my most favorite series alongside Rune Factory; I got nostalgic and learned a lot of things through the almanac in this game!”
“So far in my playthrough, I haven't encountered any adventure or story elements.”
“Overall, I am happy with this game because the puzzles and features are great and it runs well on Steam Deck, but the previous Piczle Cross Adventure game set my expectations so high that I was disappointed in the lack of story and adventure elements, and I think it would've been so cool to be able to interact with the farm ourselves.”
“People with practice won’t be challenged and there is no story like in Piczle Cross Adventure.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its cute and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall experience, especially for fans of the "Story of Seasons" series. The soundtrack is described as great, providing a pleasant backdrop that complements gameplay, particularly during puzzle-solving moments. Overall, the combination of charming music and colorful graphics contributes to a delightful atmosphere.
“The soundtrack is really great too.”
“Listening to Story of Seasons music while solving puzzles = dopamine.”
“With the Story of Seasons music from games I've spent years playing, it's particularly great when I've expended all my energy doing errands and need something low-key and relaxing to play.”
“The music in this game is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“While the soundtracks are nostalgic, they often feel out of place and don't enhance the gameplay experience.”
“The background music can be quite dull, leading to a lack of immersion in the game.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are praised for their beauty and charm, featuring cute, colorful visuals that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the inclusion of unlockable artwork and the appealing aesthetic that complements the gameplay.
“Additionally, there is a nice collection of lore and artwork.”
“Don't forget to look after the great artworks you unlock from time to time!”
“On PC, the graphics are really pretty.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its smooth mechanics and quality of life features typical of a good picross game, enhanced by exploration and RPG elements. While the text size in puzzle categories and pop-ups is noted as a minor issue, it does not significantly detract from the overall experience.
“The mechanics of this game are smooth, with all the quality of life options you would expect from a good picross game.”
“The only issue is that the text on the puzzle categories page and pop-ups is small, but they're not really important to the gameplay.”
“I loved that it had exploration and RPG elements, and when I heard he was working on another Piczle Cross, I was expecting more of the same gameplay.”
“Only issue is the text of the puzzle categories page and pop-ups are small, but they're not really important to the gameplay.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with users describing it as bugged and unoptimized, suggesting a lack of effort in its development.
“The game feels bugged and unoptimized, as if it was made lazily.”
“Performance issues make the game frustrating to play.”
“The lack of optimization leads to frequent crashes and long loading times.”
Critic Reviews
Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons Review
Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons may not be the greatest nonogram puzzler available on the Switch, but this is certainly another worthwhile and enjoyable entry in the genre—especially for fans who also love a good farm sim. This is ultimately little more than a nonogram puzzle pack themed after Story of Seasons, but really it doesn’t need to be anything else, even if it would be interesting to see how farm sim gameplay elements could be more directly integrated into the gameplay. As long as you’re not too bothered by a game experience that feels a little less polished than the Picross series, Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons is an easy recommendation to any puzzle enthusiasts out there.
80%Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons Offers a New Crop of Nonogram Puzzles
Enjoy the bucolic charm of Story of Seasons while relaxing and exercising your brain with classic logic-puzzles. All your favorite villagers and bachelors, tools and crops, animals and upgrades in nonogram form will provide you with countless hours of puzzling! Switch version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes. Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons is a nonogram puzzle game spin-off inspired by the series and, while not elaborate, is fine for fans.
60%Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons (Nintendo Switch)
It’s simple; if you’re a Picross fan, you’ll enjoy this game. If you’re a Story of Seasons fan and you like Picross, you’ll really enjoy this game. With over 300+ puzzles, Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons is a great addition to the growing library of Picross games on the Nintendo Switch. It’s highly recommended if you enjoy puzzle games, or pixel art.
90%
