Late to the Party: Hexic

Platform: Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Review Type: Touchy
Version: Retail


I find myself playing Xbox Live Arcade way more often than I expected to. Most of the games there can be found in some other shape or form elsewhere. But I'm not the type to look go looking for games in the MSN portal. Just not my scene, I suppose.

So when I don't feel like re-engaging the myriad quests I'm juggling in Oblivion or taking another pass at learning how to play Ghost Recon, I settle down for a game of Hexic. The game was designed by Alexy Pajitnov, the brain behind Tetris. Yet two puzzle games couldn't be more different. Where Tetris is comes at you in a steady stream, forcing you to think and react on your feet, Hexic trickles.

In Marathon mode you're given all the time you want to ponder your moves. And if you want to beat the game, thoughtful play is vital. One ill-advised spin can trigger an avalanche, destroying an hour of hard-won progress. And they call games like Hexic "casual" games.

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