There are some scientists who believe that an action on one side of the universe has an effect on a galaxy on the other side. There are also scientists who believe that placing colored orbs in an astral grid is an excellent mental challenge. Riftic is a puzzle that pulls together both leagues of scientists with a challenge of logic and mental dexterity.
Each stage in Riftic is solved by filling in two picross-like grids at the same time, such that each grids' conditions are filled. If you're not familiar with color picross puzzles (see Conceptis Puzzles and Griddlers for examples), here's a quick rundown of how they work: In some of the rows and colums of the grid, you'll notice a series of numbers on the outside border. Each number tells you how many consecutive spaces are to be filled with that color. Two differently-colored fields in the same row can be filled in next to each other, but two similarly-colored fields have to have at least one empty space between them. By using the clues in the rows and columns together, the solution to the puzzle can be found, usually a picture. The main difference in this game is that if a row or column has no numbers attached to it, it's not necessarily empty; it simply means you have to use other clues to figure out what goes in those spaces.
As mentioned before, you're solving two grids at once (a "positive" grid and a "negative" grid), but the clues suggest that you'll be creating two different grids. This is where a bit of a twist comes in (and surprisingly, this "twist" actually does involve rotation). In the top-right corner, you'll find "portal agents", which, when applied to a row or column, can change the colors in it to one space clockwise on the given color wheel, one space counter-clockwise, or on the opposite side. By setting portal agents, one grid can be manipulated to look like the other, as well as help you figure out where you need to put the next colored box.
Analysis: If you're already a picross fan, Riftic is a clever variation on the puzzle you enjoy. Working back and forth between both grids to solve each puzzle is a challenging twist. If you're not familiar with picross already, this game might be a bit more of a challenge to pick up, but then again, the in-game tutorial does a much better job of summarizing basic rules of picross puzzles than I can. Regardless of your experience level, the smaller levels you start out with are good for getting you into the feel of this game, and as you start to figure out more strategies for solving puzzles, the difficulty increases just the right amount to match.
One of the confusing bits about this game is solving using both grids. It's wholly possible to solve every grid in this game without switching the controls back and forth between grids, although it'll take a bit of mental agility to remember some markings until you're able to work with them. If you do prefer to switch back and forth, keep in mind that when placing portal agents, the portals will change the contents of the opposite grid, even if you've made all of the portal switches in the other direction so far.
Once you get the hang of how the puzzles work, Riftic is a clever challenge that's a fun way to kill off a lazy afternoon. With 36 double-grids to solve, it won't be long before you're a master of poking an alien on the other side of the universe in the head.
Walkthrough Guide
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I loved this. I'm not very good at picross but I found that I could do this pretty easily.
For some reason I feel like writing up a walkthrough- here you go:
(c:clockwise, a:anti-clockwise, f:flip, l:light blue, d:darkblue)
Sector 2
2-1
R... f
.GBB f
.GBB
R...
2-2
.YRR c
BY.. c
BY..
.YRR
.f
2-3
GGG.
.GY.
.YR.
.RRR
.ff
2-4
R...
RRGL f
.G.L
..G.
.f
2-5
PP.P
..D.
..D. a
PP.P
.cf
2-6
RPDL a
.RP.
.LG.
PDLG c
.ac
Sector 3
3-1
PPPPP
P.P.P c
.P.P.
.P.P.
.P.P.
.f.f.
3-2
..G..
..YDD a
..G.. f
RRL.. c
..G..
..f
3-3
L...L
LLLLL a
..D..
PPPPP c
P...P
.f.f
3-4
DDD.. f
D.D..
DDD.. f
..Y.. a
..YYY a
a.c
3-5
...L.
..RL. c
..RL. a
.R.LL c
RR..L
..f
3-6
GYR.. a
.GYR.
..GYR
.GYR.
GYR.. a
fccc
Sector 4
4-1
..LL..
PYPPYP a
R.GG.R
R.GG.R
YLYYLY c
..LL..
4-2
R.....
.R...D
..R..D
DDRDDD f
D.DRRR
D.....
a....c
4-3
Y....Y
YYYYYY
..YY..
PPPPPP
..DD..
..DD..
..ca..
4-4
RRRL.. f
..RL..
..RLLL f
GGGP.. f
..GP..
..GPPP f
4-5
YYYYY.
....Y.
..YYY.
..YLLL c
YYYL.. c
..LL..
....f
4-6
..L..Y
..GRR. a
YGRDD. f
PRDDD. f
..YYY.
..Y..Y
.cacc
Sector 5
5-1
PP...PP
.PDDDP.
.DP.PD.
.D.P.D.
.DP.PD.
PPDDDPP f
P.....P
.c...a
5-2
RDDDDDR
R.....R
.RRDRR. c
.DDRDD. a
D.....D
D.....D
.RRRRR.
...f
5-3
YDYD.G.
.P.....
.G.GPPP f
.P.P...
...P...
YD.P...
.YDGDDD f
.f.f
5-4
....PRR
LLG.P..
..LRR.. c
..LLL.. c
..RRL.. c
..P.GLL
RRP....
..aaa
5-5
LLL...P
L..LPPP
...PLLL
PPP....
...PLLL
L..LPPP
LLL...P
f..acac
5-6
..RPGPD a
YGYR...
.DPRP..
.P.LDL. c
..Y.LG.
.D..LGY
G...G.. a
a.f.f.a
Sector 6
6-1
R..R....
.RR.GGGG f
.RR.....
R..RGGGG f
Y..Y....
Y..YPP.P
.YY.P.P.
....P...
.cc
6-2
..P...Y.
..P...Y.
LLLLDGGG
..P.D...
..P.D...
RRPRDRRR f
.Y..D.Y.
.Y..D.Y.
.ca.f
6-3
....G...
...GRG..
L..RGL.. f
.LR.G.LL a
.RL.G.RR c
R..LGR.. f
...GLG..
....G...
....f
6-4
...DD... c
...DD... a
DDD..DDD
...GR... c
...PL... a
YYY..YYY
...YY... c
...YY... a
...ca
6-5
DD.G..P.
.D.RG..P
..DGY.P. f
.DDRGPPP a
DDDGYPP.
.D.RGP..
D..GY.P.
....G.PP
...ca.f
6-6
GG.....L
.G.....L f
..GGGGGL
..DDDDDL
.D.....L
DD..LLL. a
...L....
LLL.....
ac.f..c
Posted by: K | May 11, 2010 2:13 PM