Proverbs

About

Proverbs is a single player action game. It was developed by Mark Ffrench and was released on November 7, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Proverbs is digital cross-stitch. A meditative game about completing a single enormous 54,000+ piece grid puzzle. If you know how to play minesweeper, you already know how to play a Mega Mosaic! The numbered clues (0-9) indicate how many light tiles must be placed within 1 square of the clue. ️ Unravel the mysteries of Peter Bruegel the Elder's enigmatic painting Netherlandish Proverbs. Pie…

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 661 reviews

music56 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

A relaxing and addictive puzzle game that combines elements of Minesweeper and Picross, allowing players to solve a massive grid while uncovering a beautiful painting.
The game features a unique mechanic where every section completed reveals a Dutch proverb, adding an educational and humorous aspect to the gameplay.
The sound design and music create a calming atmosphere, making it perfect for playing while listening to podcasts or unwinding after a long day.

The puzzles can become repetitive and lack depth, as they often rely on simple counting rather than complex logic, which may not satisfy players looking for a challenge.
Some players have reported minor bugs, such as issues with the hint system and the game not recognizing completed areas correctly.
The final artwork revealed does not always reflect the individual puzzles solved, which can lead to a sense of disconnect between the gameplay and the end result.

music
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
45%
3%
The music in the game is generally praised for its calming and atmospheric qualities, featuring a mix of renaissance-inspired instrumentation that enhances the relaxing gameplay experience. While many players find the soundtrack beautiful and fitting, some note that it can become repetitive over extended play sessions, leading them to prefer listening to their own music or podcasts instead. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, making it a pleasant backdrop for puzzle-solving.
- “The music, inspired by renaissance instrumentation, adds a gentle, atmospheric tone that enhances the meditative quality of the gameplay.”
- “The soundtrack was extremely pleasant to listen to, though I wouldn't have minded a few more tracks to add variety.”
- “The music is lovely but can be turned off easily if you'd rather have your own.”
- “I personally like to put on music or a podcast while I played, as the music was okay, but nothing to rave about.”
- “The music can get a bit repetitive, but turning it off and listening to your own music is very enjoyable as well.”
- “Also, the music was trash after one run through.”
gameplay
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
7%
The gameplay is a unique twist on the classic minesweeper formula, offering a relaxing and meditative experience with simple mechanics that become increasingly engaging. While the game provides satisfying puzzle-solving and beautiful art, some players noted a lack of variety and depth, leading to repetitive gameplay over time. Overall, it appeals to fans of logic-based puzzles, combining a gentle challenge with a cozy atmosphere, making it ideal for casual play.
- “Enjoyable puzzle game with a nice twist on the usual pixel-picture gameplay.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are simple to grasp but grow increasingly absorbing.”
- “Perfect balance of challenging and calming gameplay.”
- “Variety is unfortunately low as well; gameplay is the same over the entire game (15h - 20h).”
- “I solved it in 23 hours, but towards the end I was beginning to get bored because the puzzle mechanics are relatively shallow and don't really ramp up in difficulty.”
- “Pairing proverbs with an audiobook, podcast, or stream was an enjoyable experience, but the gameplay loop did start to feel repetitive.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The graphics in the game are highly praised for their beautiful, high-resolution visuals that effectively bring the historical artwork to life, complemented by a colorful and charming pixel art style. Players appreciate the relaxing aesthetic and the thematic integration of medieval proverbs, which enhance the overall experience. The game also offers customizable graphic settings, making it accessible and visually appealing for a wide range of players.
- “This game is beautiful and I love everything about it, from the theme, artwork, very appropriate period music, and of course the gameplay.”
- “Proverbs features beautifully rendered, high-resolution graphics that bring the historical painting to life.”
- “Personally, I fell in love with the art style; it's a simple bit style but it's so colorful that it just makes me happy to finish a region.”
- “I would've been more accepting of this fact had the 1-bit solution even hinted at the artwork being formed (nonogram style).”
- “It's a competent puzzle game, and I enjoy it if you like low-pressure puzzles of this type, but suffers from most regions and their puzzles having no connection to the finished artwork.”
- “Calming minesweepery with an underused aesthetic.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever and often hilarious proverbs, which provide amusing insights into human behavior and culture. Players appreciate the lighthearted aesthetic and the fun, quirky elements, such as pixelated imagery and humorous themes, making it a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with engaging gameplay, offering players a delightful way to learn and unwind.
- “The titular 'proverbs' are also interesting and sometimes quite funny.”
- “Some of the proverbs are absolutely hilarious and the transformation from the original image to pixel art is very well executed.”
- “And also you get to learn funny Dutch proverbs about cheese or what not to do with a goose.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its outstanding sound design and music, which create a gentle, meditative tone that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the cute art style and the immersive quality of the audio, including well-crafted sound effects that complement the gameplay. Overall, the game successfully establishes a relaxing and engaging atmosphere that goes beyond typical expectations for the genre.
- “The music, inspired by renaissance instrumentation, adds a gentle, atmospheric tone that enhances the meditative quality of the gameplay.”
- “If you like Minesweeper, coloring books, a chill atmosphere, and/or random proverbs, this game is highly recommended.”
- “Very few games of this type bother to create much of an atmosphere beyond 'relaxing', while this one goes the extra distance, with an entire animated scene around the painting you are solving, and the sound effects sound like placing and removing mosaic tiles.”
- “The music and sound effects are well-suited to the game's atmosphere, with volume sliders for both sound and music providing customizable audio settings.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overly simplistic, leading to a sense of monotony as they progress. While the gradual unveiling of the artwork provides some satisfaction, many feel that the experience becomes more laborious than rewarding after a certain point.
- “I completed about 10% of the game, at which point I realized that it had long ago started to become more tedious than rewarding.”
- “A nice game, but after a while it becomes a grinding experience.”
- “The award you get by this 'grinding' is to reveal another proverb picture.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
While the game is enjoyable for casual play and runs well on Steam Play, users report significant bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience, particularly with the replay feature.
- “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.”
- “Good little thing to kill time with or relax while listening to an audiobook or a video, but bugs and glitches ruin it a bit.”
- “After finishing the game, I am upset to find out the replay feature is incredibly buggy.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it highly replayable due to its engaging mechanics that keep them occupied, others feel there is little incentive to replay once the puzzles are solved.
- “I've found it nigh-infinitely replayable as something to keep my hands busy because there's no way I'm committing any of the solutions to memory.”
- “Highly replayable.”
- “There’s basically no replay value once the puzzle is solved though.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be rewarding, as the gradual unveiling of the painting provides a satisfying sense of accomplishment, despite some criticism regarding the gameplay's ease and tedium.
- “Zooming out once in a while to see the painting slowly unravel itself made me feel good.”
- “The emotional journey I experienced while playing was truly unforgettable.”
- “The game's ability to evoke such deep feelings left a lasting impact on me.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's story is minimal and not demanding, making it suitable for players seeking a casual experience without the need to engage deeply with the narrative. However, some users express disappointment at the lack of depth, suggesting that the artistic elements deserve more attention than being merely superficial.
- “This game is perfect for when I don't want to put too much thought into a game, like having to follow a storyline or dialogue.”
- “But that'll be quite a sad story if you treated art merely as a backdrop for your profile picture, without even looking into the art seriously.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is not specifically tailored for the Steam Deck, yet players find it highly playable on the device. Overall, it presents a unique and unconventional experience, akin to a performance art project.
- “A singular and very strange vision - almost a kind of performance art project.”
- “Also worth noting: while it's not optimized for Steam Deck, it is highly playable on it.”