Developer: Salty Dog Digital
Publisher: Salty Dog Digital
Platforms: PC
Tested on: PC
Fourtex Jugo – Review
When you’re on the road, there are a few things you can do. For instance, the Sudoku puzzles surely are one way to keep you busy for a while. There are other mathematical games, like binary codes, but Salty Dog Digital takes it up a notch. If you’re looking for a game that has some mathematical depth where you need to have some strategical wits, be sure to read on.
Story
Fourtex Jugo doesn’t really have a story behind the several puzzles that are thrown at you. The only element is a claw that belongs to an entity called Jugo. This being loves the several pies and noms that are available on the board, trying to steal them when you’re not fast enough. The reason why is a bit unclear, just watch out for its sticky hands.
It would have been nice if there was a bit more story value added as for now you just have to get your head around the puzzles and how to tackle them. It would make things a bit more interesting and entertaining to have something work towards to.
Graphics
Clean and solid, that’s probably how you can describe the graphics. Don’t expect fancy cutscenes or amazing environments, as everything is done in the same, sleek style. The numbers and shapes really stand out nicely and stand out against the environment. Sometimes you might lose your overview of what is actually on the board as there are a lot of colors, but that’s just something you will have to get used to.
Sound
Just as sleek as the graphics, the sounds are rather minimalistic too. There is an eerie, soft track playing in the background and it’s the only one that you’ll hear while tackling the numbers. It might get on your nerves rather fast as it loops the same monotone notes. There are some sound effects available when you move the particles. Depending on the what you create, there is a different sound. For example, when you get a nom as outcome, there will be a more dramatic effect than when you get a new number.
Gameplay
Fourtex Jugo is a rather strategic mathematical game where you need to combine several numbers and shapes to rack up your score and get stars for your hard work. It might seem rather difficult and you’re not mistaken. The mechanics itself are easy to understand but the strategical aspect really makes this a teeth-grinder.
You will need to combine numbers to form pies and noms (nominal particles). Each number can be merged with itself, resulting in the next digit in line. For example, combining two 7 will result in 8 rather than 14. To make a pie, you have to merge two numbers that have the sum of 15. Meaning that you can merge a 7 and a 8 or a 12 and a 3. There are three different kinds of pie: round red, square yellow and triangle blue. The color of the pie will depend on the shapes you combine. Each number has a shape and merging will result in the same or new shapes. To make it more tangible, combining a square 6 and a square 9 will result in a yellow pie while a square 6 and a round 9 will give you a blue one.
Let’s go a bit deeper, into the nom zone. There are two kinds of noms, namely white ones and black. Combining two pies of the same color will result on a white one, while two different colors will give you a black nom. Noms only like opposite colors, so you can only merge a white and a black nom. If you do so, Jugo comes into play as you created a void. He likes noms more than anything (pies are on the second place) and will try to grab as many as he can. He has his little claw ready for action, although he needs some charging time before he will take your particle. The void itself moves along while you merge your particles, which you have to keep in mind. If Jugo can get hold of one of noms or pies, he gets points. It is up to you if you want to keep his claw(s) on the board or if you want to perform a sacrifice, so you can continue playing without worries. If you merge one of your particles into a void, Jugo also gains points. If our invisible friend has more points than you, you lose anyway.
Each level has three stars for you to earn and if you want to get all of them, you will have to play at your best. The first star is rewarded if you’re able to clear all of the tiles. All tiles in the grid are white and should get a grey toned variant. When doing so, the game ends and you are rated for all of the available particles on the field. Creating new numbers, pies and noms give you a score as well and together with the final rating you might get past the threshold for this level. By doing so, you get your second star! The third one is presented to you if you didn’t perform any sacrifices or Jugo was unable to grab any of your pies or noms. Obtaining the first star is rather easy but the two others are a pain in the butt.
There are 40 levels in the campaign mode while there are new daily challenges as well. Each puzzle has a leaderboard so you can compare your outcome with other people. In the end, it is a hard game to master, unless you have great strategical senses.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for something to do while waiting or if you’re in the mood to get your brain in overdrive, Fourtex Jugo is certainly a game to consider. Although the graphics and sound are good, don’t expect the most extravagant elements. In the end, the game revolves around solving puzzles and getting three stars, so be ready to dive into the world of Jugo.
Fourtex Jugo - Review,
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