Neves (Nintendo DS) Review

What makes a good puzzle game? There are normally several factors, but the key one has to be 'simplicity'. You only have to look back over the years at the likes of Puzzle League or even Tetris to see that the basic ideas can often be the ones that become the most addictive. After all, nobody wants a puzzle game where each time you pick up and play for a few minutes you end up spending just as long trying to remember what on Earth the rules are. In Neves, which is based upon the old Tangram puzzle that reportedly harks back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279AD), players must use a selection of seven differing pieces (called 'Tans') to fill in a pre-determined shape on the puzzle board. And that is basically it! However, it is not just a case of touching each piece and dragging it to the appropriate space, as there is the matter of attempting to fit everything together so nothing spills out over the edges of the on-screen silhouette. The objective is to fill the shape perfectly with the pieces available.

To do so players will use the stylus to drag the Tans around, double-tapping on them to flip them over or even touching the pointed edges in order to rotate as required before making the final move. The premise may be straightforward, yet as the game progresses the silhouette shapes that have to be filled grow increasingly complex and more often than not players will find themselves seemingly flying through a puzzle only to get to the 'end' and find one Tan is left that does not actually fit into the remaining space...time for a re-think!

In terms of modes available, gamers can either work through the standard play mode, Silhouettes, solving puzzles without any time restrictions, take on the extra challenge of Time Pressure (against the clock) or '7 Steps' (beating a puzzle in...wait for it...only seven moves!). You can also keep a track of just how many different types of Tangram have been completed in 'The Room', which breaks each Tangram from the game down into categories and shows the percentage completed of each group, for example 'Character Text' shapes, 'Plants & Food' or 'Transportation'. Finally, for those wanting to play against a friend, there is 'Bragging Rights', which pits combatants against each other to see who can complete a puzzle the quickest using just the one DS game card. There really is so much to do that once hooked, Neves will have players' attention for a long time, until all five hundred-plus puzzles are completed that is, and even then there is the draw of beating fastest times. Puzzle fans should definitely make sure they take a look at this one...