Puzzle Inlay Plus Demo

Sometimes, playing a video game can be more relaxing that anything else, at least if the gameplay mechanics do not put too much pressure on you. Puzzle games usually have this quality about them, although some choose to keep you on edge at all times, which makes it difficult to relax. The same goes for time limits as well, which considerably hinder your ability to take it slow.

Puzzle Inlay Plus is not your typical puzzle game, because the underlying concept is quite exciting at first. In essence, your task is to use a couple of predefined shapes to fill up a larger one, all while the said pieces come to you on a convenient conveyor belt. However, not all of the pieces are useful in some cases, which is why you need to pay attention to the way you arrange them.

The drawback is that there is constant pressure on you to keep the belt moving, otherwise the game ends when there’s no more room for gems. Since it takes a while to analyze every piece and place it as conveniently as possible, it can get frustrating to fight against time as well. On the other hand, maybe the challenge makes the game that much more exciting, depending on your preferences.

Every now and again, a power-up is created by placing one of the pieces into the shape. These power-ups allow you to break some of the gems right on the conveyor belt, or even dismantle them into smaller pieces. It is also possible to automatically fill an empty space, which comes in handy when you cannot get the right piece for the job. Obviously, these bonuses need to be used when the time is right, otherwise they are wasted.

Since the actual puzzles are going to take up most of your attention, the visual quality is less important to the overall atmosphere. However, the backgrounds and the actual pieces look decent enough not to be an eyesore, although it’s kind of a bummer that you do not have the option to change the graphics settings, or at least play the game windowed.

Puzzle Inlay Plus is definitely a fun experience, especially if you are a fan of challenging puzzle games. On the other hand, it may prove to be a bit too fast-paced for some, mainly because you are always fighting against time.