Playing A Game Nonogram - The Greatest Painter PC

Nonogram - The Greatest Painter has an uninspired title, is inexpensive, has "Mixed" reviews on Steam, and is from a publisher that seems to churn out puzzle games. So, if it wasn't for the fact that I am a total sucker for picross, I never would have even bothered with it.

In fact, Nonogram has features that meet or exceed any other picross game I've played. And I've played a bunch! (As for the reviews, it seems like the game had issues at launch that have since been fixed.)

The main mode is a cool-looking "Gallery" of 126 puzzles: starting from the center image, completing each puzzle unlocks the adjacent images. It almost feels like a choose-your-own-adventure campaign, albeit a short-lived one. These puzzles go up to 25x25, which is pretty respectable, although a lot of them are only 5x5 or 10x10.

In addition to that mode, there's a menu of "Classic" puzzles, the first of which is 50x35. I am really excited to dig deeper into that mode. And there's a Speed Drawing mode! like the Time Trials in Pepper's Puzzles, but more of them. Plus a Steam Workshop mode that I probably won't bother with, but hey, well done guys.

Some picross games must limit their puzzle size based on screen layout -- very few offer any zoom at all, and if they do, it's only to pre-defined sizes. Nonogram has an adjustable zoom, with scrollbars! (You know, like any other PC application would have.)

Not only does it gray-out its numeric hints as you complete segments (take that, Picross Fairytale) but it even highlights hints that are relevant. If a row is ready for a new mark or cross, the numbers will be highlighted, suggesting a place for your next move. It doesn't make the game feel simpler or easier; just saves the time that I would otherwise spend tediously scanning each unfilled row and column.

And there's even a little wit in here, in the puzzle titles: some oblique pop-culture references, even some puns. Whereas Pepper's Puzzles sometimes felt like they were just ripping off fan-art, Nonogram's titles make its references feel more like knowing homages.

... granted, the final images take some extreme artistic license, compared to the actual puzzles. But I've got no problem with that.

Throw in a peaceful ambient soundtrack, and there's almost nothing wrong with Nonogram. (The hint highlighting is occasionally inaccurate, thankfully on the side of under-helping rather than wrongly-hinting.)

For how humble it may appear, Nonogram is having no problem besting my previous favorite picross games.

Progress: 126/126 Gallery, 1/50 Classic, 29/50 Speed

Rating: Good