Hexcells

Wholly abstract puzzle games aren't usually my thing.  I'd seen Hexcells on Steam, and read John Walker waxing lyrical about it over on RPS, but it all looked a bit sterile and unexciting.  I cracked in the end though, so well done Mr. Walker for an excellent sales pitch.

I've just completed the second game in the trilogy, Hexcells Plus.  In the process I've intoduced my mum to the wonders of Steam family sharing, streaming games on Twitch, and got her thoroughly hooked on this wonderful game.

The mechanics are solid and are layered gradually throughout the games, but it's the level design that really makes it.  Each new puzzle is like a maze to be explored.  You find a fragile little starting point, and gradually you begin to chip away at the landscape of hexes.  Early levels are generous when it comes to progress, offering up explosions of new territory.  Once you reach Hexcells Plus, this gives way to an excruciating drip-feed of information, as it shows you that the first game was really just an extended tutorial.

I'm probably going to get stuck into Hexcells Infinite very soon.