When you’ve successfully worked to make your puzzle game the best in its class, I suppose you need to look for new ways to challenge yourself. That seems to be what’s happening with Jupiter and their release of this new title, looking to move their Picross puzzles in a little bit of a different direction. There’s no need to worry, at its core this still delivers the clean interface and well-implemented nonogram puzzles associated with the series, but it wraps it up with a different theme and an added layer of challenges to spice things up.

Right away you’ll be introduced to Emil, who will act as your guide and host in this more mystical take on the series. While his explanation for the situation with this Logiart Grimoire is a bit dramatic, the basic problem is that the magic surrounding it has gone bad, and in order to unlock it you’ll need to work your way through its over 250 puzzles. Initially only a few sections are available, but as you solve puzzles more will become available to you. The added twist is that there are some that are locked with a riddle, and in order to open them you’ll need to combine elements tied to those you’ve solved. It doesn’t make for a major twist by any means, but it’s at least something new and different to consider.

Outside of the theming, and this additional need to solve some periodic riddles, the core play from the Picross series mostly stays the same. However, if you have enjoyed alternative modes like Mega Picross or Color Picross those aren’t along for the ride in this case, and neither is the ability to play cooperatively with friends. That said, the same rules and assists the series is well known for are still in place, and you’ll be able to scale them up or down as you see fit.

So if you’re a fan of the Picross series, whether or not this is a great fit for you may depend on what you’re specifically looking for. If you happen to be a fan of the variety Mega and Color Picross offer, their absence from this edition may be an obstacle. If, however, you’re just a fan of their clean interfaces and challenging puzzles in general, but have been feeling they’re running out of new ideas this may have even more appeal than its numbered sequels. In general, I’m encouraged to see them exploring alternative themes to try to spice things up, even if deviating from their normal path may throw casual fans off. Logiart Grimoire may not add all that much to the formula in terms of play, but the slightly different overall flavor is appreciated.