Rogo Review

It's genuinely hard to find new ideas in the world of puzzle games these days, which is what makes apps like Rogo really stand out. While the title may borrow some ideas from other puzzle genres, it combines them all together to make something which is truly new and different. This clever little puzzler is definitely an app worth looking into if you're a fan of teasing your brain in whole new ways.

Rogo is a sort of odd mash-up of Sudoku, mazes and word finds, all rolled into a delightful little ball. Each stage has a variety of numbers sprinkled around the screen, and players must draw a loop through the numbers which they think will yield the highest score. The trick is there is a very specific limitation on how many squares you can connect, and players aren't allowed to come in above or below this number. The result is come clever lateral thinking which requires you to approach each stage in unique ways in the hopes of victory. It's a lot of trial and error, but it's still very fun.

The game tries its best to be helpful to players, but sometimes this results in some annoying screen clutter and general ugliness. Every loop you draw stays onscreen in a sort of ghosted form, ostensibly so you can see what combinations you've already tried. The problem is, if you constantly start in the same part of the game board or use some of the same numbers multiple times it starts to get ugly. Users can shake to clear the screen, but then you lose all your reference points and have to start over. It's a sort of "damned if you do, damned if you don't" mechanic, but it would be nice to see a more elegant solution in a future update if such a think exists.

Aside from these minor issues Rogo is a fun new puzzle experience that will surely be a hit with both math nuts and those who just genuinely enjoy trying new genres. The sheer number of levels and depth of challenge will keep you busy for quite a while, and we fully expect to see more stages added down the line. The game also features a very nice, mellow soundtrack that does a great job of setting the perfect mood. Despite the fact that this may not be the most polished game ever, it's still pretty darn good.