Gemsweeper

Toward the end, the last dozen or so puzzles did get pretty challenging. But when Gemsweeper gets difficult, it can also become pretty bothersome, for a few reasons:

• In complicated puzzles, it is easy to become lost within a particular row or column, as the interface does not have a good way of indicating which segment you're currently hovering on (Picross does)
• In large puzzles, the numbers at the side become so small that they are difficult to read, and the rows/columns so narrow that it is difficult to tell which one you are in (Picross has a zoom feature)
• Making a single mistake will nearly halve the possible score you can get from a puzzle, even though the score is mostly meaningless (Picross does not have scores!)

I don't want to harp on about how Gemsweeper and Picross compare, but my point is that the former lacks the kind of sophisticated interface polish that the latter benefits greatly from. Even when the last puzzles became sufficiently challenging, I had a hard time relaxing and becoming comfortable with the game's UI.

Previously, I wrote off the game's Bonus levels, which also make up the "Arcade" mode. These are not picture puzzles, but are actually an arcade interpretation of the nonogram concept; clearing a row or column brings another in from outside the screen, and the game continues for some time or until a goal score is met. Early in the game this mode felt trivial and irrelevant - but later, when the arcade grid grew (up to a maximum size of 10x10), the concept actually began to shine. It bridges the gap between the challenge of a large puzzle and the rapid pace of a smaller one. It's no Tetris Attack, but it is certainly an interesting idea, and could probably benefit from some sort of multiplayer mode.

Progress: Complete