Puz: Zen Puzzle Garden [by Lexaloffle]

Game: Zen Puzzle Garden
Release: October 17, 2003
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: Lexaloffle
System Requirements: 133MHz CPU, 16Megs RAM, Win95 or later, DirectX 3 or later
Price: $19.95


Ever wonder what a three foot monk in orange pajamas does with his free time? Well wonder no longer. Zen Puzzle Master from Lexaloffle puts you in control of a Zen Monk who must master the art of the garden rake as you traverse your way through sixty four puzzle levels ( five available in the demo).

The point of these puzzles are simple, rake every tile of sand in the garden without stepping or raking the same tile twice. The major obstacles to this conundrum are one, piles of rocks that you can not rake over nor step over, and two, colored leafs that must be collected in a specific order as you move through the puzzle. This can prove to be a bit difficult.

As mentioned, in this puzzle instead of the typical brick moving you move the sand. Your character simply enters the sand where you say, and he will keep walking in that same direction until he either runs into an object in the sand, or runs into a spot where he has already been through the sand. In both places cases, you need to turn and find a way to keep moving to one of the 4 sides of the sand rectangle.

As the character moves through the sand he takes a rake and rakes through the sand creating sand designs. The point of the game is to rake through all the sand and end up outside the rectangle. This game is fairly calming, as a "Zen" game ought to be. It also is fun to play the earlier levels again and again just to see the patterns in the sand that you can create.

You rake the sand in a straight line stopping only when you reach one of the afore mentioned obstacles solving the puzzle and moving on to the next level or an even more difficult puzzle, right? Well, not really, actually the games menu allows for you to play any of the puzzles in what ever order you choose. Which is really cool as it allows you to move on to a different puzzle if you get frustrated get frustrated with any one puzzle.

In addition there is an online guide that can help you through the different levels if you happen to get stuck, and you likely will.  For those looking for a Puzzle game that offers something a bit different than the standard affair, or for those who just want a relaxing puzzle game, Zen fits the bill.

Graphics: 8
The graphics are very well done with special effects such as fireworks that are a delight to see. Probably the most enjoyable part of the game is looking at the sand after you move the monk through it. The graphics on the screen really give you the feeling of having walked through the sand with a small rake. The design left behind after your monk has passed through any one area is quite believable. The graphics are very well-done for this game, and though they are not 3D, the 2D drawn pixels are just perfect for this game.

Sound: 7
There isn't a soundtrack to the game, which hurts the rating in this category significantly. The few sound effects that you do get, such as when the Monk is walking, or after completing any line through the sand, are nice, and have a Zen feel to them that further conveys the theme of the game.

Game Play: 9
Zen Puzzle Garden is quite easy to pick up and learn. Beginners will be able to play within moments. The only problem I really ran into with the game was the slow speed of the monk. However, thankfully you can speed the little guy up. Sure he may have all day to tromp through the sand garden, but I don't!

Options: 7
There is very little affair on the options. It might have been nice to have a level editor/creator to share levels with friends, though the included 64 levels is more than a few hours of work on their own. The ability to turn the sound on and off is rather silly, since there is only just sound effects to begin with.

Concept: 10
Zen is as fresh a concept as any out there. It is easily one of the most original puzzle games that we have seen in a long time. Even better than the idea is how well it is done on the screen. Zen Puzzle Garden seems to have a flawless execution that leads to the game being more than just a novelty.

Fun: 10
This is one of the more enjoyable puzzle games that I've played. Many puzzle games become more and more frustrating as you go on. Zen certainly has some levels that I was swearing at, but the ability to skip levels helps tremendously at calming nerves when one level has just become too much for you. For those used to playing brick-dropping puzzles, Zen offers something completely different that is as fun to play as it is interesting.

Overall: 9
Zen is one puzzle game that does not disappoint. From the fun graphics and effects to the just the idea behind the game, this game will please you every step of the way.

Added: December 16th 2003
Reviewer: Torrence Kelley
Score:
Related Link: Official Website
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