Game EXP: Picross for a Cause (PC)

Picross for a Cause
Systems: Windows
Release Date: September 6, 2020
Publisher: Porter Zach
Developer: Porter Zach
Time Spent: 53 Hours 48 Minutes

Picross for a Cause started out as a game released in September 2020, with all proceeds being donated by the developer/publisher to the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.  As of July 1, 2022, the game became free to own, so the title lost a bit of its meaning, as owning, playing, or beating the game will not result in the benefit of any nonprofit organizations.  BUT, if you were so inclined, you could still donate the original asking price of $4.99 to the NAACP via their donation page.

The game!

Picross for a Cause is a no-frills picross/nonogram logic puzzle game where you place markers on a grid based on the numbers that run along the left and top of the grid.  Grids run anywhere from 10x10 to 30x30, and also include oblong shapes like 25x35, 40x10, and 15x50.  Most of the puzzles are monochrome, with two collections of puzzles using between two and six colors.  What's interesting about puzzles that use colors is that the strategy and technique is a bit different since with monochrome puzzles (black and white), you can't have, for example, you have to have a blank square (or an X) between two numbers, i.e., 5,4.  So you know that on a row of ten, it will look like ■■■■■x■■■■, but with puzzles that use colors, with 5,4, without further information, your row of 10 looks like _🟥🟥🟥🟥_ ■■■_.

With over 500 puzzles spread out between six themes and a larger puzzle that opens up pieces after you complete a puzzle, there is a lot of content here.  What I liked too was that because this isn't a monetized mobile game or a game with a timer, there's no nonogram boss in the wings who will penalize you if you make a mistake or make you start a puzzle over if you make more than three mistakes and don't have any diamonds to buy additional lives.  At the same time, because there was no indication when you made a mistake, it might be 20 minutes into solving a massive 30x10 puzzle before you realize that there's a big mistake somewhere and the only thing to do is start over from the beginning.

The only real downside to this game is that there is no save function, so if you start a puzzle, you have to finish it in that single sitting.  For a lot of the easier and medium difficulty puzzles, this wasn't really an issue, but for a lot of the harder puzzles from the last three themes, where puzzle sizes were not square, it was either a decision to screenshot the work on the puzzle to come back to later, or just start over from the beginning.  Not ideal, but it was something I had to come to terms with.

There were several puzzles that I needed help with because I found them to be too difficult, especially on the final selection of puzzles, such as the last 30x30.  Oftentimes I would look at the picture and select one of the borders or a row/column that was giving me trouble and then continue on my own until I got stuck.  For a lot of the harder puzzles, you would often only be able to fill in a single square or X off a box or two, feeling like you weren't making much progress, and I admit that at times it felt a little demoralizing.  But I still received immense satisfaction finishing all of the puzzles, even with assistance, because it wasn't as if I were copying the answers for the entire puzzle, just getting a little needed boost.  While I do love picross/nonogram puzzles, I admit that at times I do need a little help.  And that's okay too.  And I would gladly spend another 53 hours completing another 500+ puzzles.

~JWfW/JDub/The Faceplantman/Jaconian
So You Do It Once Again to Ease Your Sorrow

P.S.  And if you're feeling comfortably generous, you can donate to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund even if Porter Zach ended the campaign four years ago.  There's still plenty of need for the LDF.