Busway Islands – Puzzle – Review

In recent years, we have seen a boom in indie games that attempt to capture the essence of classic puzzles, bringing an uncomplicated and relaxing experience to players. It was exactly this promise that attracted me to play Busway Islands – Puzzle, a minimalist title where the main idea is to plan efficient routes for buses and trains in an archipelago full of logistical challenges. With an affordable price and an approach focused on simplicity, the game caught my attention for its unpretentious proposal, but did it manage to deliver enough to keep my interest?

The game put me in the shoes of a virtual city planner, tackling 35 levels that gradually increase in complexity. The initial premise seemed promising: create safe paths for buses and trains, avoiding collisions and maximizing efficiency. However, what started out as an enjoyable experience soon revealed layers of over-simplicity and some technical issues that made me question the overall impact of the game. Read my full review to find out everything about Busway Islands – Puzzle!

Mechanics and Gameplay

Busway Islands – Puzzle seemed extremely accessible to me right away. The basic mechanics revolve around moving and rotating pieces on a board, which is reminiscent of classic puzzle games, but with a modern twist. Each level requires you to organize roads and tracks to connect points of interest efficiently. The way the pieces work is simple to understand, and the first few levels serve as a natural tutorial, introducing the basic rules and allowing you to familiarize yourself with the controls.

As I progressed through the levels, new elements were introduced: intersections, train tracks, additional bus stops, and even traffic lights. The idea of ​​mixing different types of transportation is interesting and adds an extra layer of strategy. However, I found that the learning curve wasn’t as well-balanced as it could be. Some intermediate levels already introduced complex mechanics, such as downhill roads and multiple intersections, which, for me, who was already used to the slower pace at the beginning, was a bit of a shock.

Another point worth mentioning is the rigidity of the solutions. Each level has only one correct way to be solved, and this reduces the player’s creative freedom. Instead of feeling challenged to find different approaches, it often felt like I was just deciphering a pre-determined puzzle. This aspect made the experience repetitive at times.

Graphics

Busway Islands – Puzzle adopts a minimalist visual style that works well within the context of a puzzle game. The aesthetic is clean, and the vibrant colors help differentiate the elements on the board, making it easier to read visually. Each island features unique layouts, which adds a sense of variety when exploring the different levels.

Despite this, I felt that the visual design could have been more ambitious. The isometric view, while interesting, presented practical issues during gameplay. I often had trouble spotting pieces hidden by pieces at different elevations, or correctly identifying where a downhill rail should be positioned. The lack of a more intuitive adjustable camera angle compounded this issue.

Still, the game does a good job of using the transition between seasons to add some extra charm. Seeing the islands covered in leaves in the fall or snow in the winter was a nice touch, though it didn’t really impact the gameplay.

Sound

Soundtracks are always a crucial element in minimalist games, especially those that aim to provide a relaxing experience. Busway Islands – Puzzle tries to create a calming environment with its ambient music, but unfortunately, this attempt was not completely successful.

During my experience, the background music became repetitive and even annoying at times. Although it was intended to help me focus on the puzzle, it had the opposite effect: I had to turn off the sound to avoid distractions. On the other hand, the sound effects – such as the noise of the buses moving or the collision caused by mistakes – were well executed and added a touch of immersion.

Fun

The fun of Busway Islands – Puzzle is directly linked to the player’s expectations. For those looking for a casual game without any major pretensions, it delivers enjoyable moments, especially in the first levels. The simplicity of the gameplay makes the game accessible to anyone, and the low price is an attraction for those who want to try something new without spending a lot.

However, the game lacks variety and quickly loses its charm. After the introduction of the main mechanics, there is not enough innovation to keep the interest. Furthermore, the rigidity of the solutions and the erratic difficulty contribute to a feeling of frustration at times.

Performance and Optimization

I was pleased with the game’s technical performance. During my hours of gameplay on Nintendo Switch and PS4, I didn’t experience any frame rate drops or long loading times. The game runs smoothly in all modes (TV, handheld, and tabletop).

However, the lack of an intuitive design for the camera controls hurt the overall experience. There are no clear instructions on how to adjust the camera, and even after figuring out the functionality, it remained impractical.

Conclusion

Busway Islands – Puzzle is a game that promises to offer a relaxing and minimalist experience, but delivers limited fun. Its simple mechanics and pleasant visuals are ideal for short sessions, but the lack of depth, camera issues and repetitiveness make it difficult to recommend as a memorable experience.

If you’re looking for a light pastime and don’t mind the linearity of the solutions, the game may be worth it, especially given its affordable price. However, fans of more elaborate puzzles will likely be frustrated by its simplicity and lack of innovation.

In short, this game is functional, but not very memorable, ideal only for those looking for something extremely casual.

Positive Points:

• Easy to learn and play.
• Minimalist and pleasant visual style.
• Affordable price.
• Stable technical performance.

Negative Points:

• Only 35 levels, with little variety.
• Inconsistent difficulty and rigid solutions.
• Camera issues make gameplay frustrating.
• Repetitive and annoying background music.

Rating :
Graphics: 6.5
Fun: 5.0
Gameplay: 6.0
Sound: 4.5
Performance and Optimization: 7.0
FINAL GRADE : 5.8 / 10.0