It’s certainly true that Strange Jigsaws came out as long ago as August, and it’s also very much the case that the game has a blistering “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam with a remarkable 99 percent of player reviews giving the game a thumbs-up. But somehow, this stunning follow-up to 2024’s lovely 20 Small Mazes has not received a single published review, and has gone forgotten in end-of-year lists. What a peculiar situation. Let’s address that a little bit by talking about why Strange Jigsaws is such a wonderful game, and how it’s a brilliant choice to play during your winter holidays.
2024’s 20 Small Mazes was a free game created by FLEB that was so much more than its title suggested. I mean, it was literally 20 small mazes, but it was also an extremely clever collection of puzzles, each presented as if it were a simple maze but in actuality loaded with completely lovely ideas. It was bonkers that it was free, but perhaps it was something of a runway for Strange Jigsaws, a spiritual sequel that at first looks like it employs a similar conceit, but quickly reveals a whole new realm of intricacy.
This time out, there are 50 “jigsaws” to solve, and I use quotes here because it’s so often more involved than that. As with Mazes, none is straightforward, each possessing a unique twist or original way of being solved. Even the main menu is part of its elaborate mystery of interconnecting elements that defy the laws of physics. Or rely on them, in one case.
I love that it seems, on reflection, as if 20 Small Mazes might have been part of this project, a deliberate effort to create expectations that Strange Jigsaws constantly defies. “Yeah, you thought this was another cute little bunch of novel ideas? Well, now figure out how this factory game spoof fits in to the creation of a lifeform you inadvertently engineered. Oh, here’s a puzzle that’s arrived from the future, locked behind a code and labelled ‘THE PAST.’ (It’s near the puzzle that’s on fire.) Once you’ve solved it, you can enter the infinite zoom!” Oh my goodness, I’m not sure gaming has offered anything else as clever as Strange Jigsaws‘ infinite zoom this year.
This is a masterful creation, and it’s rather mystifying why no one (including me!) reviewed it. It’s not too late, of course. And right now you can get it for yourself for just $4! That’s madness. Do that, for goodness sakes. Then buy another one for a friend.
