Freshly Frosted - Two Minute Review!

Free from Epic Games between June 20th and June 27th 2024
Title: Freshly Frosted
Summary: Place conveyor belts to solve puzzles in the world's most adorable donut factory!
Release Date: 2022
Rating: Rated E for Everyone
Developer: The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild
Publisher: The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild
Platforms: PC, Switch, Xbox One, PS4, Series S/X
Genres: Puzzle
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"Freshly Frosted" is a pipe-puzzle game focused on transporting donuts from one point to another by placing a series of conveyor belts. The game consists of one hundred and forty-four puzzles, grouped into sets of 12, each introducing a new mechanic to keep the gameplay fresh. However, with the introduction of each new mechanic the difficulty resets, leading to only one or two TRULY challenging puzzles per set.
The gameplay is simple but effective, making players think critically about making valid solutions. The logic behind the puzzles is generally clear, requiring thoughtful placement of conveyors to guide the donuts through various checkpoints in order. However, a number of the later levels introduce mechanics that necessitate timing and coordination, which are realistically only solvable through trial and error, which does detract from the overall experience. The new mechanics also fail to significantly alter the core gameplay, leading to a sense of repetition over the roughly seven hours required to complete the game.
The game is whimsical and charming, with a minimal yet pleasant narrative. The narration is simple and filled with affirmations, providing a calming atmosphere that fits the game well. The game's main strength is its relaxing nature, supported by a very sensible hint system that offers partial solutions, or even the option to skip levels altogether. This ensures the game remains accessible while still being able to challenge you.
Graphically however, the paths all tend to blend together and become hard to follow visually, making it difficult to spot issues with a solution before the machine runs. This is exacerbated by finicky mouse dragging controls that often result in correct partial solutions being disrupted. Fortunately, good quality-of-life features help alleviate these frustrations.
Overall, Freshly-Frosted offers a delightful and engaging puzzle experience. It never gets too challenging, so it's not going to appeal to the more hardcore puzzle fans, but it is a great casual experience!
Review Points:
* pipe puzzle style game about transporting donuts from one point to another across a few checkpoints in order using conveyors
* 144 puzzles
* Gameplay is simple but effective
* throughout the game you only place conveyors, but puzzles are grouped into sets of 12, each with a new mechanic that you must interact with
* With each new mechanic however difficulty resets, and theres only but only one or two difficult puzzles per set
* makes you think, but consistently doable without getting unreasonably difficult
* Logic to all the solutions, and you really have to think about what is valid
* later levels however have a few puzzles that require co-ordination in pipe timing and specific order, that realistically can only be solved through trial and error.
* stays relaxing
* hint system that gives a partial solution, or you can simply skip levels
* slightly repetitive, adn the new mechanics never change the game much. Lot of overlap/repetition within sets
* about 7 hours to beat
* annoying dragging and clicking placement. Often misclicks ruin correct parts of the solution.
* Further to this, graphically the paths blur somewhat, so obvious issues with a solution are unclear until you start running the machine
* whimsical, pleasantly presented, and charming but minimal narrative
* Narration is simple and charming, and filled with affirmations. It works well

[@MLeleven11]

I enjoyed this game, but only played about 2/3 of it. I didn't skip any levels, and got stuck on one of the last donuts in a box. Fun idea and very chill, like you mentioned.