Sometimes crossing puzzle genres just fizzles out. Nobody was too into my idea of crossing anagrams with a Rubik's Cube. Moonberry Studios has a much more successful marriage in their new game Picma Squared. While the previous smash hit Picma was pure picross goodness, the sequel mixes it up with what might be described as a minesweeper element.
Basically, the game turns minesweeper-ish gameplay to picross-style pixel image drawing purpose. Instead of clues being along the edges of the game field like in picross, you'll see numbers from 0 to 9 scattered across the field itself. A 0 means that neither the clue square nor the up to 8 surrounding squares is colored with a given color; a 9 means that the clue square and 8 squares around it are all colored the given color. Puzzlers must use logic to solve these clues, clicking with the mouse to mark squares that should be colored. At the bottom left, you can click to change from coloring to marking blanks, or blanks can be marked by holding [shift] while clicking. Multiple squares can be dragged over at once with either method. On the right, you can click the green button or hold [ctrl] to drag the game window around, and use the + and - buttons to make the playing field larger and smaller. Clicking outside the window or the [P] button pauses, and in the options menu you can toggle sound and music, and switch between two visual styles for the game window.
There are certain tricks which the game teaches you in the tutorial level, such as a four in the corner or a six along an edge, but the real challenge and fun of the game is after you've bubbled in all these obvious clues and you start looking for interactions that you've missed. Just like in picross, marking squares blank isn't technically necessary to win, but it's practically indispensable to solving it, especially in mulitcolored levels. In these levels with two or more colors, the key to solving it is to remember that a clue square can only either be its own color or blank, never any of the other colors.
Analysis: While 48 levels is a solid chunk to play, you might wish the available level sizes were a bit larger. Even a level or two each of 20x20, 25x25 and 30x30 levels would have made the game feel more complete, as the hardest free levels available can all easily be completed in less than twenty minutes, some in as little as five minutes. In this respect, at least, Picma Squared does offer the perfect chunk of casual logic puzzle gaming; something that newcomers can cut their teeth on, and veterans can pick up and enjoy a nice cerebral workout for a while.
When you finish a puzzle, aside from the satisfaction of a brain well-exercised, you're rewarded with a pixel-ish art drawing of a palm tree or a dragon. While you can sometimes tell vaguely what a picture is going to depict as you're solving it, it's rarely worthwhile to actually try to fill in the puzzle squares based on what you think should be filled. A single square here or there can totally mess up everything, and when you try to go back to fix it, you have no way to distinguish what was a guess. Best to stick to cold, hard logic here. You will never have to guess. There will always be something you can deduce. You just have to look harder for it.
If you do find yourself burning through the available levels, you might be glad to know that the developer's site offers access to more for a small fee. The subscription method is a little awkward. You have to register to even see what the subscription costs are. However, Picma Squared does provide a win/win solution for those desperate to play more but unwilling or unable to pay out the money to do so. Create a level in the level editor and submit it. If it's approved, you receive two credits which enable you to buy two individual levels, and your level will be available to be played by others. The game makers are aiming for a 48hr or less turnaround for approving levels.
Picma Squared is offering an experience that, especially in the multicolored format, just isn't being offered anywhere else yet. Established fans of picross looking for something new shouldn't miss this, and anyone who likes visual and logic puzzles will probably want to give it a try as well.
Walkthrough Guide
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Picma Squared Walkthrough (updated)
The game was revised recently, and what follows is our updated walkthrough for the new version.
General Tips:
Read the "tips" section in the game itself first, and do the tutorial, that covers all the basics.
Always use [shift] to block out squares that can't be filled. This is probably the single most important part of solving puzzles.
When you look at a number clue, focus only on the immediately surrounding blocks. Remember that as soon as you block out one square next to an 8, two squares next to a seven, etc, that all the remaining squares in that block will be filled. Don't think about the big picture, focus on the small aspects.
If you get stuck in one area, go to a totally different part of the grid. You should never have to guess. If you truly feel like there is nothing you can deduce, either you are missing something, or you have made a mistake. You might want to start the puzzle over.
I personally find that in multicolored puzzles, I find the "simple" visual style easier to keep track of than the "sketch" visual style. You can switch between visual styles in the options menu, so see which style works better for your brain.
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Posted by: Jay
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April 10, 2011 12:49 PM
Picma Squared Walkthrough (Kongregate)
joye also put together a walkthrough for those who are playing the Kongregate version of the game.
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Posted by: Mike
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April 14, 2011 11:33 AM