A Puzzling Fusion of Minesweeper and Nonograms?
People have been putting their own spin on Minesweeper for years, possibly in the hopes of reinventing the concept and keeping it relevant. Variations have included ideas like presenting the grids in 3D form with special effects in place (Tilesweeper), adding turn-based tactical elements (Let’s! Revolution!), and even combining it with some classic Sudoku (Minesweeper Genius).
The latest variant, Polimines Deluxe, comes from developers Molter Games and looks to create a captivating puzzler by merging Minesweeper and Nonograms together. This deluxe version contains both of Molters’ Polimines games that were released on PC and received a positive reception. So, let’s discover what it’s all about and whether Polimines Deluxe is going to scratch that puzzling itch of yours.
Polimines Deluxe Offers Two Games in One
Immediately upon firing up, Polimines Deluxe presents two sets of puzzles for you to delve into. One set covers the thirty levels of the original Polimines, whilst the other is the jam-packed Polimines 2, featuring sixty levels for you to tackle. The choice is yours as to where to begin, but it’s probably more sensible to start with the first set. Either way, the core idea is the same.
You’ll be faced with a grid of squares and within this grid are a number of sneakily hidden mines. There are numbers outside the tiled area and these denote how many consecutive mines are in a particular row or column. Using the numbers displayed, you must work out exactly where the mines are, colouring in those squares accordingly. Furthermore, you can uncover the tiles suspected of being safe from detonation, potentially unveiling extra numbers indicating any adjacent bombs.
It sounds very straightforward, but not every row or column has a value attached to it and so you’re working with limited information. While the solutions are easy enough to figure out initially, the bigger the grid, the less obvious it becomes and you begin to ponder how on earth you’ll reach a conclusion unless you risk making a few guesses. Fortunately, the developers have ensured that their cleverly designed puzzles are solvable without guesswork. And, after much deliberation, I can’t argue against it.
Thinking Outside the Box
Once you get the hang of the concept, you’ll realise that knowing a single figure for a column or row means very little by itself. Assessing the entire board, area by area and simulating potential solutions to find any certainties as a foundation to build upon, is essentially the way to go about it. Rather handily, there’s a drawing feature included, allowing you to annotate as much as you need to play out different scenarios.
The seemingly impossible task of a grid made up of well over a hundred tiles is actually doable. Every single marker placed provides a tiny bit of joy, with pure relief and elation felt upon finishing up a tough level. Ultimately, a logical approach, as well as an abundance of patience, will see you through the most overwhelming levels.
New Symbols and Intriguing Challenges
To ensure some freshness is injected into proceedings, other symbols are eventually used as signage for the mines. The mysterious ‘?’ wants to tell you that there are mines there, but they’re not going to tell you how many. Meanwhile, ‘¿?’ will let you safely assume that however many are in the row, the column contains the same amount. Perhaps the most interesting is the introduction of a chain symbol within the grid, which means all adjacent mines must form an orthogonal chain. Mathematicians will lap it up, but the average joe is going to be absolutely stumped, so it’s a risk to not explain it better. Still, the additions, especially in the levels of Polimines 2, are welcome in creating more intriguing problems.
Polimines Deluxe Offers Hours of Brain-Bending Fun
Once you can grasp what Polimines Deluxe is trying to do, it’ll get its hooks into you and the minutes spent solving the levels will soon become hours. When you’re on a level that’s so big that the square tiles are really small, don’t be surprised to spend a good chunk of time just thinking about what move to make first. Thankfully, if you become stuck. you can jump out of a level mid-solution and return with a new perspective when you’re ready. Unless you’re a completionist, making a few mistakes here and there is no big deal either, for it doesn’t penalise or prevent you from progressing to the next level. No matter how badly you do, it’s very forgiving.
In terms of sound and visual design, there’s no doubt everything is minimalistic. The audio is relaxing enough that it won’t intrude on your thought process, which is good. As for the actual level layouts, there are some complex looking designs, but nothing overly eye-catching.
A Challenging and Rewarding Puzzle Game for Logical Minds
And that’s fine, because Polimines Deluxe is all about putting your brain through its paces with incredibly challenging puzzles merging those Minesweeper and Nonogram styles. It’s simple in presentation, but the logic is solid and the amount of delight garnered from completing any of the ninety levels is worth the effort. That said, the steep learning curve, alongside the most daunting looking setups, is a bit much and Polimines Deluxe will not be for everyone.
Should you possess a logical mind and have plenty of patience, Polimines Deluxe is a very good puzzler; one that is more than capable of giving your brain cells a good workout.
Important Links
Polimines Deluxe: A Brain-Bending Puzzle Fusion for Console – https://www.thexboxhub.com/polimines-deluxe-a-brain-bending-puzzle-fusion-for-console/
Buy Polimines Deluxe on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/polimines-deluxe/9NH4RMN5X2BV
