| Quick Verdict: UMAMI is a magnetic jigsaw puzzle game with 15 puzzles to construct. The artstyle is incredibly charming and the game works like a dream, but the price tag feels a touch steep to me. |
| Game: | UMAMI |
| Developer(s): | Mimmox |
| Publisher: | Mimmox and Nexting |
| Review Score: | 9 |
| Cozy Score: | 10 |
| Price: | $13.99 |
| Pros: | The art style is darling and the gameplay gave me no issues. It’s a genuinely relaxing time to sink into. |
| Cons: | The price might be just a touch steep for 15 jigsaw puzzles. |
| Platforms: | Steam |
| Genres: | Puzzle |
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UMAMI is a 3D magnetic jigsaw puzzle game where you will recreate an image out of wooden blocks. The iconography across the puzzles is of animals perched upon depictions of food. It’s a very simple and straightforward play style where you simply put the blocks where they go. The challenge comes from having to rotate the blocks to find the right orientation.
While there is a timer feature, you don’t have to have it on. So, there’s no stress or rush in finishing the puzzle in a certain amount of time. It’s just you and the heart of the blocks. If you need a reference picture, you can see the front and back of the finished image to give you an idea about where the pieces fit in.
It’s a bit more methodical to sift through the pieces and spin them around, but once you start to build the structure, it becomes easier to see where things might fit in.
In every level, there are objects scattered around the puzzle in the form of food. If you click on them, they’ll do a small wiggle animation. One item in every puzzle will have a card hidden inside it. By collecting all the cards, you’ll get an achievement, but otherwise, it doesn’t serve a greater purpose.
What I love about this is that the puzzles stay completed unless you want to start over, so it’s super easy to go back to previous puzzles to click around for the card.
Likewise, when you put pieces in the correct spot, they’ll snap into place with a little wiggle to show that it’s where it’s meant to be and will no longer be grabbable. You won’t have to worry about accidentally messing up your correctly placed pieces.
Watch the trailer for UMAMI!
There are 15 puzzles for you to dive into, so there are a few different images to construct. The art style is so bright and colorful that it’s genuinely a joy to play with. Each image is just as adorable as the last.
You won’t be able to pick and choose the puzzles, so if there’s a puzzle in later stages that you want to play, you’ll have to complete the puzzles leading up to it.
UMAMI is truly a joy to sink into. While the music is charming, this is one of those games where I’ve muted the sound and have happily listened to an audiobook while I move through the puzzles.
I didn’t run into any issues as far as bugs go. Everything worked like a dream, so I honestly can’t recommend this little game enough. If you love jigsaw puzzles, you won’t regret grabbing UMAMI.
I will say that I feel like the price might be the tiniest bit steep considering it’s just 15 jigsaw puzzles, but I can see all the work behind the art. So, it’s a bit of a tough call and I think I’m sitting on the fence about whether it’s a good price for the content.
For those who may be unsure, definitely try out the demo before you grab it and see if it resonates with you. I have a hard time believing it will be a purchase that most people will regret.
If you’re like to give UMAMI a try, you can get it over on Steam for $13.99. If this isn’t your type of game, you can check out other reviews we’ve done, like Little Corners or Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club.
