There's a new type of puzzle game sweeping the app store, and I like the direction these games are headed. Instead of relying on fastest speed or fewest moves, these puzzles are designed to help a player unwind, not unlike meditation. Instead of feeling frantic or stressful, these games offer a calm experience to get wrapped up in. We found one of these gems,
Hook, a simple puzzler that focuses on relaxation rather than frustration.
Hook has a similar vibe to other games we've tried out, specifically games like
Breath of Light and
Rop.
Hook has no time mechanics, no score mechanics, and no goal other than to finish the puzzles. The minimalistic design and mellow, ambient soundtrack help make this a relaxing, immersive experience that we think casual gamers and fans of puzzle games alike would enjoy.
The objective is simple, undo the hooks in the correct order, without bumping or crossing any two or more hooks together. A tap on the corresponding reel will pull the hook inward, and that specific hook is considered cleared once it passes a certain point denoted by a small perpendicular line. The task starts out simple enough, but soon becomes an exercise in lateral thinking as the hooks become entangled and overlapped in increasingly complex ways. While there's no time limit and no score, a player will fail the level if the hook bumps into other hooks, forcing the player to start over. Some levels are particularly tricky and took us a few tries to figure out how to solve them, but we still enjoyed the ride just the same.
The game touts itself as a meditative experience, which we wholeheartedly agree with. There's a certain puzzle-zen that you can get from playing
Hook. Our only complaint is that there are only 50 puzzles, and we hope that there will be more levels added in the future.
Hook is available for the iPad and the iPhone,
and costs $1.
Who should try out Hook:
If you're the type of gamer who prefers relaxing, low-stress games, this is a great game to keep in your arsenal for days when you just want something to wind down with.
Who shouldn't try out Hook:
If you need to be challenged or demand non-stop action from your games, this isn't going to keep up the stress and excitement that you crave.
-Amber Neely (
@SurferAmber)
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