Fantasy Mosaics 13: Unexpected Visitor

Puzzle games are usually pretty relaxed, since you are allowed to think about solutions and take your time when it comes to putting your ideas into practice. Hence, they are perfect for when you do not want all the drama that comes with most other genres, or for when you want to put your brain to work for a while.

Fantasy Mosaics 13: Unexpected Visitor is a puzzle game in which you have to solve mosaics by placing every tile by hand. While it doesn’t take very long to do so under normal circumstances, each tile must be placed according to the instructions, and the whole level resets if you make too many mistakes. It’s definitely not a revolutionary idea, but the gameplay is challenging enough to keep you busy.

The story revolves around the Penguin family yet again, and this time they are making preparations for a very special visit. As it turns out, their great Uncle Aaron plans on dropping by, which means that they have to tidy up and make sure that everything is in order. Granted, uncle Aaron loves puzzles as well, so you’ll be teaming up with him and the other penguins to tackle the mosaics.

As you manage to solve the puzzles and move forward, the mosaics get more demanding and more complex as well. The first ones can be solved in a matter of minutes, at least if you are familiar with the mechanics, but after that it gets significantly trickier to avoid mistakes. Granted, you can pretty much get it all right if you take the time to study the puzzles, because they are designed in such a way as to avoid trial & error. You can also ask for hints if you find yourself stuck.

The graphics quality is pretty basic as well, since there’s no need for flashy visuals when all you do is click on tiles. However, the pre-rendered cutscenes and the colorful backgrounds are pretty nice, and they can certainly catch your eye every now and again. A relaxing song is always playing in the background as well, which helps you stay focused and block any outside noise at the same time.

Even if Fantasy Mosaics 13: Unexpected Visitor is a tad too basic for most puzzle enthusiasts, its purpose is to provide you with a few brain teasers, and it certainly does that. Thus, if you are in the mood for something challenging, this could certainly do the job.