I haven’t done an Underrated Game in a while, mostly because I have been so heavily focused on my Deep Cuts series. That series has been a ton of fun to work through, and since I started I have been mostly playing either a deep cut, my Pokémon Genlock (I think I’ve referenced this at least once before) or playing something I don’t plan to review. That being said, ever since finishing Toy Story 2 I have been just floating, without a real gaming kick to latch onto. When this happens, I have a folder of games on my Switch that I use – I will close my eyes, and pick one at random to play. I’ve started a couple of games this way, including A Short Hike and another game I will be reviewing at some point. Glass Masquerade is one that I randomly opened and decided I would tackle here.
The Review
You may notice that there is no “Spoiler-Free” review for this game. That is because this game has no spoilers. Glass Masquerade has no story or backdrop, and the gameplay is actually quite simple. What is Glass Masquerade you ask? It is, for lack of a better term, a jigsaw puzzle game. Now, jigsaw games are normally not my speed. Usually, I would rather just… do a puzzle. This game, however, is one that I have played through in its entirety, because it is not a traditional jigsaw game.
Instead, you are given a stained glass clock with its glass completely removed. You will use the glass pieces at the side to try and rearrange them in the proper order. The game has 25 puzzles total, though if you purchase through Steam there are a few packs that increase the total number of puzzles to 50. I have not done this myself, though I am very interested in trying the rest of the puzzles available!
The puzzles themselves are beautiful and entrancing, and finding pieces that link together is satisfying. Because they are pieces of stained glass, they will often have jagged and complex edges, which makes this game stand out from traditional square jigsaw puzzles.
The big selling point for me here is aesthetic. This game is stylistically unique – I have never seen a puzzle game that utilizes stained glass as a mechanic. The menus, puzzles, and map you travel through are beautiful, and the soundtrack is very relaxing.
With only 25 levels, it does not take long to plow through the campaign. However, with the DLC, and two additional games in this series, if you enjoy it there is plenty of content to dive into. It is best on Steam, and thus I imagine on Steam Deck, but the Switch port is solid and goes on sale quite cheaply by itself or bundled with the sequel.
The one criticism (besides the length) that I have seen of this game and agree with in part is that the pieces have a border that makes them look bigger than they are, making some of the fits surprising. This is frustrating until you get used to this mechanic.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a relaxing puzzle game to take your mind off your stresses, Glass Masquerade is a solid, cheap pick for you! This isn’t a game you look to in order to find deep gameplay or story, but it is something easy to pick up and play. It is also easy to pause, and then pick up where you left off, something I find very valuable in games nowadays. I loved this game, and I am looking forward to diving deeper into this series! I am not sure whether I will write a review for II and III when I eventually get around to playing them – perhaps I will, but I highly doubt there will be much more to say about them (as you can tell by the relatively short length of this article).
In a world full of trash and shovelware, it is sometimes difficult to sort out the diamonds from the dirt. This is a gem in a sea of mediocrity, and is 100% worth the purchase if you enjoy puzzle games!
Recommended for Younger Players?
This game is a bit tricky for younger players, but is still accessible! It is, after all, a jigsaw puzzler at its heart.
Verdict: Yes.
A Thinker in Space 
What do you think?