Happy Color Links

[b]8/10[/b] A deceivingly cute, but really hard block pushing puzzle game. [b]What is it:[/b] A block pushing game, there are blocks of different colors you have to push around until all the blocks of the same color are together, forming contiguous islands. The story is that a professor was trying to perform an experiment, but due to an error it failed, releasing many creatures that can only be happy when they are together. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3318116501 And I can't believe how hard this actually is. The first levels are super easy, and the creatures (and the protagonist) have such cute expressions, with big bright eyes, always happy, hopping up and down, you’d think this is an easy game for children. After the first world, there may be a few easy levels, but most of them are challenging, and at least two in each world take a lot of time to solve. And not because of their size, even a small level with fewer than 10 creatures can be super hard. Other mechanics make things a lot more complicated. While square blocks can be pushed with the standard Sokoban rules, circles keep rolling until they hit an obstacle. Clone spots clone any creature on top of it. Paint spots change the color of creatures. Hoops only allow creatures of a certain color on top of them (they may block yourself too), and they may be pushed around. Some special creatures forbid cloning or painting. And the meta world is even harder, you don’t just solve individual puzzles, they are all connected and you have to think outside the box for a global solution. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3318116065 Remember how I said that even a small level can be hard? Well, they're not that small, but not big either. The issue is the many degrees of freedom. A very hard level in something like Stephen’s Sausage Roll or Bonfire Peaks is hard because you need to figure out the right sequence of steps for the 3-5 items you can move, but you have complete control over the items at all times and have to figure out interesting interactions between the items, the environment, and yourself. Here not only are there more items, but they have different types, they can multiply, they can change their color, and you don’t know where they should end up. You may start with just 3 or 5 creatures, but you may end up with 5 times as many in the end. You solve levels little by little, playing around, figuring out ways to control them, what subproblems you have to solve or need to avoid, how many creatures of each color you must have and must not exceed, etc. You will need to keep notes, work on a plan, iteratively improve it, and finally execute it. And you don’t really gain true insights, you rarely discover new mechanics that help you in a future puzzle. I played this a few times, and the same levels trip me up every time I try to solve them. I may be getting a bit faster each time, but not by much. This game is a real challenge, and it may not appeal to everyone. Still, ignoring the very hard levels in each chapter, the easy and moderate levels are a pleasure to solve. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3318114677 While the graphics are simple, they are pleasant, and there's a lot of polish and attention to detail: varied trees decorating the worlds, insects roaming around, nature sounds, NPCs you can talk to… [b]How hard is it:[/b] Starts easy but gets very hard. [b]How long is it:[/b] 10 worlds with around 10 levels each, 10+ hours, progress is mostly linear but there is some branching and not all levels need to be completed to unlock the next world. [b]Level design:[/b] Great! Interesting mechanics, varied levels, but the harder ones could be frustrating. [b]Quality:[/b] Very good. Undo, quick restarts, full progress saving. Multiple save slots. Good default controls, but not configurable, works with keyboard or controller, but not with a mouse. A few settings, including movement speed. Cloud saving, progress achievements. Small, fast and responsive. [b]Worth the price:[/b] Yes. [b]Most positive aspect for me:[/b] Very interesting mechanics. [b]Most negative aspect for me:[/b] Nothing. [b]What would make it better:[/b] Custom level editor and workshop support. A hint mechanism. Configurable controls. [b]Also consider:[/b] [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1747510/An_Architects_Adventure/?curator_clanid=25928931]An Architect’s Adventure[/url], challenging box pushing. [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1052990/A_Monsters_Expedition/?curator_clanid=25928931]A Monster’s Expedition[/url], very cute, but very challenging game. 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