Speed Art Puzzle

Puzzles can be very relaxing and enjoyable, regardless of how complex they are. Hence, few things are more therapeutic than looking at a puzzle and trying to find a solution, especially if we are talking about a video game. However, the gameplay mechanics are important as well, because they can really ruin the atmosphere if they are not polished.

Speed Art Puzzle is a casual game that features simple jigsaw puzzles and a rather alert gameplay style, given the fact that you have to provide a solution before the time runs out. Granted, the puzzles in question are actually very simple and straightforward, but it can still be difficult to come up with an answer when you have a time limit to respect.

There are multiple categories to choose from, but only one of them is accessible in the beginning. The categories are split based on puzzle size, going from 2x2 all the way to 6x6.  Granted, even the 6x6 ones are a tad too small and simple, especially since the images are easy to figure out even when they are broken into smaller pieces.

The gameplay is very simple when it comes to controls, given the fact that all you have to do is use the mouse to drag the pieces around and place them in the right spot. There’s an annoying pause at the beginning of every level when you are not allowed to do anything, but you can learn to get over it after a while. It also takes a bit too much to unlock the other categories as well, especially since the first ones are way too simple.

It’s also worth noting that the game features a very badly-chosen background texture, mainly because it makes it almost impossible to read the main menu or any other text. This doesn’t go away when you start playing either, but at least the puzzle pieces are not transparent at any point. Speaking of which, the puzzle images come in low-res as well, although that is not a huge issue in this case.

When it’s all said and done, Speed Art Puzzle does not have what it takes to help you relax, mainly because of the time limit and the awful interface. The puzzles are too small and unimpressive from a visual point of view.