Brainpower is underrated. Granted, man can land on the moon, clone sheep and invent life-saving medicines, but can we complete a silhouette shadow puzzle? That question has been pestering away ever since the “Lucky Puzzle” was created by Hanayama in 1935. Originally a traditional board game, Neves is a reincarnation of this influential plaything, and is a signal that the premise of the tangram game has finally caught up with the advanced technology of our time.
With the popularity of the DS’s various Brain Training franchises, it seems many developers are keen to capitalise on the new 'casual' titles that Nintendo have brought to the fore of their software and console library. Developed by Yuke’s USA, the aim for this title was to modernise a concept that they felt belonged in the contemporary era. With the use of the DS’s capabilities, Neves has the right platform to show off its veteran formula once more.
Playing this title is an odd experience. With only three single player modes to out think, this certainly is one for the hardcore puzzle nut. Interestingly, each mode represents a different difficulty, and enables the player to get to grips with proceedings before moving onto tougher scenarios. Starting with the basic “Silhouettes?” mode, you are given a shadow of a geometric shape (ranging from animals to numbers), and seven unusually formed shapes to manoeuvre around. The object of the game is to use these shapes to fill the silhouette in without any gaps or overlapping, a model which at times can become much harder than it sounds. In “Silhouettes?” mode, you can leisurely work you way through each of the twelve rooms available (all with over forty puzzles in), without having to worry about time limits or making mistakes. This represents the easiest mode, and is sure to be the main attraction for most players who follow that “casual” feeling mentioned earlier. Progress onto the next level of that room comes after you have successfully completed all puzzles in the one before, meaning it may take time for you to work your way up the line. This mode is extremely successful at creating a chilled mood, and coming back to it after playing the more serious natured games is a relaxing, pleasurable experience. This is down to the simplicity of the game and the intuitive controls that have been applied. It’s all down to using your initiative, as often thinking outside the box is the key to clearing a stage.
Other than the aforementioned “Silhouettes?” mode, there are the more challenging “Time Pressure” and “7 Steps” games to complete. “Time Pressure” speaks for itself, as you have to complete each puzzle in three minutes, a mode that demonstrates the medium challenge of the game. “7 Steps” is the most interesting and difficult out of all three, as you cannot make any mistakes. As the name suggests, you have seven steps in which to complete the silhouette: a particularly menacing task indeed. If you haven’t worked it out by now, the title “Neves” is “Seven” spelt backwards, meaning that this mode is where the real action lies. Although in every section the game begins to get immensely tough as you progress through each room, it’s the “7 Steps” stages that require expert intelligence to surpass. Unfortunately, the silhouettes shown in each mode are exactly the same as the last, meaning you can learn the correct strategy from the easiest stages and then apply it to “7 Steps”. Yes, this is probably not the way to go about the game, but after some inevitably frustrating moments, many players are prone to taking the desired short-cut. Unsurprisingly, this title lacks any variation whatsoever, as it only offers exactly what you see on the limited surface. It must be said, although it’s a decent recipe for a puzzle game, there is little to come back for after the initial few rooms are complete. With such a rigid and immovable formula, the inescapability of it becoming exhausted will be far too great for many.
If you are looking to share this experience, Neves does offer some multiplayer action for you to finally prove that you have a superior mind to your friends and family. Via DS Download play, you and an opponent can indulge in a head-to-head battle entitled “Bragging Rights”. As with the rest of the game, it’s an easy section to understand, as you compete to be the quickest player who has completed three different puzzles within a time limit. These are a variation of the single player puzzles, and can pose quite a challenge at times, particularly if proceedings are close. Ingeniously, whatever your opponent is doing is shown on your top screen, meaning that it gets hugely tense when you are at similar stages. The multiplayer works admirably, and flaunts the on-the-go gameplay that has made the DS such a success in an impressively tireless fashion.
With gameplay that is so tranquil, it’s a shame that the presentation and sound codes of the title are so mundane and bland. Menus are predominantly dull, and certainly do not invite the gamer into the title with an optimistic manner. Running alongside this is a soundtrack that echoes the first polyphonic ring tones that were available years ago; an experience best turned down. With a crazy set of sounds, the audio experience the game offers is a bewildering one, and doesn’t best fit the feeling of the rest of the game.
Overall, this game's success is definitely down to the preference of the player. With over five hundred puzzles on offer, there are many gamers who will relish the challenge and embrace the ancient formula. On the other hand, many players will become jaded after only completing a minority of the puzzles. For conundrum fans though, this should be welcomed with open arms, as the relaxing nature of the title is sure to fit into the lives of many with a delicate ease.
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