Fantasy Mosaics 12: Parallel Universes

Although it’s a matter of personal preference in most cases, some games have the ability to catch you in their spell with very simple gameplay mechanics. Repetition does not seem to be a problem in these cases, especially if you have fun tackling the same challenges over and over again. On the other hand, the core concept must be engaging enough from the get-go.

Fantasy Mosaics 12: Parallel Universes is a slow-paced puzzle game in which most of your time is spent thinking and analyzing. In short, you have to complete a couple of mosaics by filling the right cells with the right colors, which is obviously a lot easier said than done. Although the mechanics are repetitive, the pattern you have to complete changes from stage to stage, which is enough to keep you engaged.

Each line in the mosaic tells you how many of the total cells you need to fill in, which comes in handy, but not as much as you would think. In fact, you have to compare multiple rows and columns to figure out how to proceed, otherwise you might click the wrong thing and attract a penalty. Depending on the difficulty level you choose, it is only possible to make a handful of mistakes before the board resets.

As you manage to get further and further, the mosaics get a lot more complicated and vague. You also have to tackle multiple colors by switching between them whenever you want. This feature can help a lot in certain cases, while in others it’s just another way to put pressure on yourself. It is also possible to get hints whenever you feel stuck.

In the technical department, the game looks about as simple as you can imagine, since not much is happening on screen most of the time. The graphics are basic and to the point, but the artwork displayed in the background can catch your eye sometimes. Relaxing music keeps your head clear as well, at least if you do not mind hearing the same tunes for hours on end.

All things considered, Fantasy Mosaics 12: Parallel Universes can easily keep you busy for many hours, especially if you can’t turn down a challenge. The mosaics are diverse and quite difficult to solve, which means that even experienced players can have trouble with them.