If you like putting together jigsaw puzzles with pieces that look like broken bits of stained glass, then this game is for you!  It’s really more of the same from the first game, which I reviewed around this time last year, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to these jigsaw puzzle games.  The theme of the last one was world travel, but I’m not sure what the theme is this time.  Weird stuff like clowns, jesters, and magicians, I guess.  Anyway, it’s available on nearly all current home consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.

You’ll start out by choosing puzzles on a map.  As you complete puzzles, you’ll unlock more places to go and more puzzles to solve.  Each puzzle is circular in design like a stained glass window.  The pieces are around the circle, and you can highlight them with the left analog stick and press the X button to pick one up.  Once you do that, you can move it on the puzzle and if you press the button again where it’s supposed to go, it’ll snap into place.  If not, it’ll just go back to where it was before.  Once you have all the pieces in place, you’ll solve the puzzle.

There are two difficulty selections for each puzzle, represented by a heart and clubs.  I’m not sure which one is which, but the harder difficulty level lets you rotate pieces with the shoulder buttons.  Both difficulties still have the pieces with pegs to help you start out.  The game will show you how much time you take to solve the puzzle.  You can also stop and come back to puzzles right where you left off, which is nice.

The main problem I had with this game is the same as the last one.  The pieces don’t always exactly look like they’ll fit, and since they’re stained glass, you really go by the shape of the pieces, not the adjacent colors.  Plus, the puzzles get harder quicker in this one and I don’t like the theme as much as the last game.  There’s not much in the way of good instructions, but if you’ve played the first one, you’ll be able to jump right into this one.  So, if you enjoy jigsaw puzzles, here’s more fun for you!

Kid Factor:

Nothing violent or objectionable here.  Reading skill is helpful for some of the text, but not necessary just to play.  Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions is rated E for Everyone.

Tags: Game Reviews