Game Reviews

Hexio review - "A puzzler that's thoroughly pleasant to untangle"

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iOS
| Hexio
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Hexio review - "A puzzler that's thoroughly pleasant to untangle"
|
iOS
| Hexio

Hexio is the kind of tasteful, minimalistic puzzler that will be welcome for as long as we insist on carrying around little computers in our pockets.

It's that sort of quietly meditative game that exists somewhere between mindfulness and mindlessness. Its conundrums take some consideration to solve, but you'll frequently breeze through several puzzles in a row and wonder how you got to that point.

Indeed, the game's almost too unassuming and ultimately forgettable for its own good. But a certain kind of player is going to lap it up.

Pegged back

Hexio is all about linking up nodes by drawing lines between them. There are rules, of course.

Those lines can't cross, and you can only link up like-coloured nodes. If there's an anchor point (essentially a black dot), you have to wrap your line around it.

That latter mechanic is Hexio's most pleasing. Once that comes into play, the game becomes less abstract and a whole lot more tactile, almost like you're wrapping a physical piece of thread around a pin on a corkboard.

Putting a Hexio on you

The puzzles steadily escalate in complexity, introducing new elements - and more difficulty - at a generally agreeable rate.

Two things the game never becomes, however, are exciting or pretty. Hexio's plane-Jane appearance has its appeal, but we've seen puzzlers do the whole less-is-more aesthetic with much more style before.

Check out anything from Rainbow Train for an example of that. This might not sound like an important point, but such games really benefit from an assured style.

This slightly undercooked feel extends to the game itself. I came across several occasions where the game would freeze, requiring a restart. Presumably this will be corrected with an update, but it's hardly ideal.

Overall, though, Hexio is the kind of thoroughly satisfying, quietly interesting puzzler that you only really tend to find on mobile. Long may that continue.

Hexio review - "A puzzler that's thoroughly pleasant to untangle"

A minimalist puzzler that's deeply unassuming and rather too spartan, but deceptively smart and satisfying all the same
Score
Jon Mundy
Jon Mundy
Jon is a consummate expert in adventure, action, and sports games. Which is just as well, as in real life he's timid, lazy, and unfit. It's amazing how these things even themselves out.