Chime Sharp

This is a game with simple yet elegant gameplay requiring players to move basic brightly lit shapes and set them to the soothing beats of some original music. While some puzzle games rely on shiny gems, big explosions, nifty power-ups, and other tricks to keep the player distracted, this game moves away from that frenetic pace. It tries to keep things simple and just let the player go with the flow. That's the appeal of Chime Sharp. Its elements come together to make for an almost Zen-like balance of quick thinking and calm relaxation.

Although Chime Sharp may be a relatively relaxing game, that doesn't mean it's a cakewalk by any means. The game gets even trickier as quads get removed from the board, leaving straggling bits of the puzzle pieces in their wake scattered around the grid. These extra bits left behind can sometimes work in your favor, fitting perfectly inside a new quad, but more often than not they just get in the way. You also have to remember about each stage's time limit while trying to maintain combo streaks to keep racking up that high score. It's a lot to absorb at once, especially on the game's higher difficulties. Yet, even as it gets a bit more frantic, the game never crosses that line into being frustrating. If there's one big complaint to be had, it's that the overall experience feels just a bit … small. With only 15 music tracks to choose from and little variety between stages other than cosmetic changes, it can start to feel a bit repetitive. Even so, Chime Sharp is still a wonderful puzzle game, perfect for those moments you want to just zone out and come away with a clear head.