[b]Magic Wings[/b] is the sequel to an originally mobile nomogram game. Gone are the microtransactions, and instead, its built-in hint system refreshes with time without restriction. With exactly 200 puzzles to solve, it's quite the bang for your buck compared to many other puzzle games on Steam, but bear in mind that once it's over, it's over - there's nothing here to pad replayability beyond completion.
[h3]Pros[/h3]
✅ 200 Puzzles. How many games can boast that number?
✅ Layered puzzles, meaning 3-6 interwoven nomograms in each stage
✅ Hint system is unobtrusive and lets the player control their experience
✅ Click-and-drag control allows for speedy highlighting and exclusion
[h3]Cons[/h3]
❌ Arguably repetitive. Complete the first stage, and repeat the process 199 more times.
❌ Not all stages can be solved by logic alone. Guessing / Hint use required at times?
❌ No temporary marks or erasing. Any mistake is an immediate score penalty.
❌ Gold currency serves little purpose. It's possible to buy all decorations before halfway through the game.
The nomograms in this game are layered, which means that each puzzle is itself made of 3~6 overlapping colors. No square can be occupied by two colors, so you will find yourself toggling between layers many times to find clues and chip away at the open area.
While some games allow you to make temporary marks before committing to coloring in squares, this game does not have any such feature. Whether you fill or X out a cell, that is considered final. So one of the frustrations to achievement seekers will be having to restart stages due to mistakes. Even using a solution guide, it's highly likely a player will have to restart several times.
The hint system comes with two selections: One reveals a random square, the other, a cross-shaped area. Perhaps it was a bug, but sometimes the cross shape only revealed 3 squares at a time. After using a power, a timer ticks down to its re-use. There is no limit to the number of times you can use either of these powers per stage. A player could, hypothetically, use them to reveal the entire stage without ever actually solving the puzzle themselves. So it's up to you to choose how easy or hard you want your game to be.
Regarding gold in this game: The previous game used gold as a grindable currency to purchase hints, unlock levels, and buy optional decorations for the game's landing scene. But in this game, the microtransaction elements are removed, and the hint system is free. So gold quickly becomes obsolete in the course of playing it - there's never any need to grind for more, and the decorations can be fully purchased before even the game's halfway point.
There certainly are more exciting nomogram games that feature randomized levels, challenges, leaderboards, level creators, and modes that add replay to the game. [i]Owl Kingdom[/i] is a one-trick pony: 200 puzzles, composed of the same process over and over. I grew tired of the repetition, and I didn't use a guide (little did I know there was one all this time...). But, considering it's around 2.5 cents a puzzle at list price, I'd argue that's great value.
Get it if you're a nomogram fanatic. Skip it if you're less enthusiastic. At the time of this review, it's still profile limited, and doesn't add to your statistics.
[u]Achievement Hunters[/u]: Don't make my mistake to do it the hard way, and [url=https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1632481210][u]consult the complete guide by Gingergal[/u][/url]. But I advise you to still use the hint system for tricky areas because it's incredibly easy to mis-click and lose your 3 star score. Clearing every puzzle without a mistake is required for 100%. Even with the guide, it's slow and steady work that will take you, in my estimate, 10 hours to do. My playtime was completed unguided and includes idling, so it's not an accurate measure. Happy grinding.
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