Hana's Story: Nonograms ~ RIEview

 

Looking for a game that is challenging enough to kill time, but not too challenging to kill your interest? Nonograms are puzzle games that can be bland on its own. Hana’s story: Nonograms incorporate a simple storyline to keep players interested, however not is all it seems with this cute looking game.

Game Plot

Hana comes across a cafe that she’s never been in before, just as a guy walks out of the cafe. The cherry blossoms fall around them as they make eye contact. Their story now begins...

Verdict (4/5)

Hana’s story is a romance, slice-of-life game. But because the game focuses on nonograms, the plot is more of an additional reward rather than taking a central role. With the pacing of the plot, I wish there were the ratio of story to number of puzzles required to piece the picture leans towards less number of puzzles needed. See the Game Mechanics for full explanation.

Character Diversity & Personality 

The story is told mainly from Hana’s point of view, but also from Jay’s point of view in the same episode. In Hana’s point of view, Jay is a nice guy whom fate has it that they keep running into each other. On the other hand, we know the actual truth in Jay’s point of view on the same events...

Verdict (4.5/5)

Not much personality can be seen here. So far Jay is forward in expressing his feelings towards Hana the best that he can, but other than that there isn’t much to expect here.

Game & CG Art 

Simple hand drawn art style that fits the casual setting of the game. However, the central art theme here is pixel art, formed once the nonogram is completed. While the main nonograms are pieces of the picture of an episode, the item nonograms are standalone art reflecting different objects. The main nonograms are only available in black and white, while the item nonograms are in colours.

Verdict (4.5/5)

Nothing much to comment regarding the art style. Clearly the story art leans towards a webtoon type of format, and nonograms are really like pixel art.

Game Mechanics

Nonograms are a bit similar to sudoku where you need to first strategically understand how the numbers on each end will correspond to its respective and surrounding line of squares. Each time you make a wrong marking, you will lose a heart. The number of hearts available corresponds to the level of difficulty of the nonogram. 

There are two sections of nonograms: Story and Item. When an item in the Item section is completed, it will appear in the home page where Hana is sitting. The Story section reflects the storyline, where completing pieces of the episode will unlock the story in that episode.

Verdict (4/5)

I’ve hinted at an issue before in the ‘Game Plot’, but as you progress through the episodes, more pieces of the puzzle need to be pieced together to complete the episode. This can be tough as the story in each episode is not long; a short comic strip that, personally, doesn’t have an equivalent exchange for the number of pieces to be completed. Sure, I do enjoy the occasional challenge a nonogram brings, but as I had downloaded expecting a decent paced (and amount!) storyline, it can be grinding. 

Of course, if you downloaded the game for the nonogram, the story will be more like a treat rather than your central focus.

In-Game Events

N/A

That wraps up the RIEview for Hana's Story: Nonograms. Final verdict: This is a pretty decent nonogram for all the puzzles lovers out there. Want some story as reward? There is one, geared towards the romanticists. Just keep in mind that this is a nonogram first and foremost though, don't make the same mistake like me thinking otherwise! 

Will you check out this game? Or are there other nonogram games that interests you? 

Leave your comments below!

Happy Gaming!

~ RieRie