#Khimera Puzzle Island

[bbs-backlog-challenge]

Fin or Bin: Khimera Puzzle Island

Many moons ago I played criminally-free game Khimera: Destroy All Monster Girls. It ignited a rare joy in me that many paid games fail to find and I vowed that, at the soonest opportunity, I would throw money at the developer to express my appreciation.

It was a game that played solidly and also had a lot of crunchy charm about it in other aspects, mainly the oddball character designs (and approach to design in general) and fun dialogue. Thankfully, all that stuff carries over when you take an about-turn like genre-shifting from Megaman clone to picross clone.

So let's get it out of the way right now- there are a lot of completely pants picross games out there because it's a relatively easy concept to just throw up a load of boring puzzles and slap a $5 price tag on it. I am delighted to inform you, Khimera is some good picross, and that's coming from someone who has been playing since Mario first picked up a chisel on the SNES. The puzzle subjects are as oddball as the world demands- I guess you'd call it 'quirky'? Not quite 'lol so random' but definitely some bewildered smiles to be had here.

As someone who is good at picross I'm miffed that most of the puzzles are 10x10, since I can pretty much solve those on autopilot now (humblebrag), though I understand the need for their inclusion so newcomers can play some puzzles too. Even being simple, the pixel art is still well designed and fun to uncover. Few straight lines or block-filled areas, as it should be.

That all sounds great then, right? Yeah...

...which is why it sucks so much that the entire package is ruined by one very small and baffling decision. Main character Chelshia appears at the corner of every puzzle and spends the entire time dancing and she does- not- stop- moving. Ever. The whole time you're surveying the scene, there's a little bug in the corner of your vision stealing away your attention, and just when you think you've become used to the constant movement she changes to a different animation and your focus is lost once more.

It's tremendously distracting and trying to ignore it just builds up a constant frustration, an itch in your brain you cannot scratch because she's just THERE and she just DABBED and it's THE MOST ANNOYING THING THAT EVER HAPPENED. What where they thinking!

Fin or Bin:

Before writing this I legit reached out to the developer in two different avenues to see if I'm just missing something and it is in fact possible to tell Chelshia to sling her hook. Unfortunately I never heard back. There is an absolute slew of accessibility options right down to turning off colourful backgrounds and it boggles my mind that they didn't think to make her dancing optional. I'm absolutely gutted. I'm just going to consider this the free game, convince myself I paid for DAMG, and very sadly drop Puzzle Island in the Bin.

(Steam)

[shalmonsgamons]

lost to the jungle spider again in Enchanted Cave 2;; but got a cheevo at least

did very poorly in my RoRR run, but acquired some more environment detail caps that i will compile in another post;; (the fungal variety in Damp Caverns is really incredible)

played some Eastward idk how i feel about this Uva subplot but i'm at least getting some Bird Alerts out of it

tried to continue that KPI puzzle & ran into an error in which restarting the puzzle doesn't restart it 🤔🤔 played more arcanium sleepy bird alert tho

[diversegaminglists]

Games Finished in 2023

Didn't get as much gaming as I usually do, due to a combination of health issues, my cat having cancer (she's fine now) and my computer breaking in a couple of infuriatingly nebulous ways.

Games I recommend are bolded.

Archvale

Franken RPG

Symphony of War: The Nephilim Saga

Signalis

Bound by Flame

Monster Train

The Last Door Season One

Unforgiving: A Northern Hymn

Dirk Smallwood HD

The Excavation of Hob's Barrow

Flynn: Son of Crimson

Dishonored: Knife of Dunwall

Dishonored: The Brigmore Witches

Sands of Salazaar

Adios

Talk to Me

Dishonored 2

Power Wash Simulator

Power Wash Simulator: Tomb Raider

Power Wash Simulator: Midgar

Pilgrims

Stone

Teacup

Cloud Gardens

Memory Traces: Japan

Khimera: Puzzle Island

Katamari Damacy Reroll

I was a Teenage Exocolonist

100 Hidden Frogs

lure

Lights Off...

Viltnemda

Suspicious Downpour

The Lost Dachshund

Resonance of the Ocean

Swallow the Sea

Shadow Burglar

Kore

Fears to Fathoms: Home Alone

Greedfall

Rapture: The Beginning

Adventure Escape Christmas Killer

Apeture Desk Job

Corridor Z

Hero of the Kingdom: The Lost Tales 2

The Shore

Alder's Blood: Prologue

Mirlo Above the Sun

Stillwater

The Call of Karen

Karisvale

Momotype

Epic Battle Fantasy 5

Aztlan Uncovered: Prologue

Good Dog

Adventure Escape Mysteries: Cluedo

You are a Whale Also Part 1

Adventure Escape Mysteries: Midnight Carnival

I want to be a Triangle

Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery

The Case of the Golden Idol

The Darkside Detective

Project Exhibited

The Case of the Golden Idol: The Spider of Lanka

The Test

Fayburrrow

Faefever

You Will (Not) Remain

Bad Dream: Stories

Star Apprentice: Magical Murder Mystery

Arcanbreak

Glass Masquerade 3: Honey Lines

Dot's Home

Westwood Shadows: Prologue

The Suicide of Rachel Foster

The Looker

Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull

Without a Voice

Escape Academy

One Night Stand

Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice

Janosik

Don't Escape Trilogy

Spirit Cleaning

Fatum Betula

Viridi

Sarawak

Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear

Riddles of the Past

Desolatium: Prologue

Apocalipsis

The Vagrant

Apocalipsis: One Night in the Woods

Hayami Chan

Ginkgo

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

Memory Traces: Egypt

Wilful

Distraint

Baldur's Gate 3

Zombie Admin

The Lost Night

Inside

Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix (PS4)

The Painscreek Killings

Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising

One-Eyed Lee: Prologue

Nasty Little Man

Halo CE: Anniversary

Technoccult: Covenant

To be a Herpwitch

Seethe and Scab

Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition: Main Campaign

Moons of Madness

Dragon's Crown Pro (PS4)

Paradise Killer

Amnesia: Rebirth

Dave the Diver

Zemblanity

Fighting Fantasy Classics: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain

[cubyquiz]

cuby quiz #460 was amelia from khimera: destroy all monster girls (suits and sandals)

and the hint was a reference to the beginning of khimera: puzzle island

[s-------i-------g]

Khimera Puzzle Island

Super Mario RPG

Venineth

Grapple Dog

Lone Fungus

The Iron Claw

Wonka

Fitzcarraldo

The Other Side of the Wind

Sculpting in Time by Andrey Tarkovsky, translated by Kitty Hunter-Blair

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns 30th Anniversary Edition by Frank Miller with Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley

Batman: Justice Buster Vol. 1 by Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi

Damage Control: The Complete Collection by Dwayne McDuffie, Ernie Colón, Kyle Baker, Salva Espin, et. al.

Berserk Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 by Kentaro Miura

Neptune's Lair by Drexciya

A1 - D1 by Gescom

Hidden Cinema Soundtrack by Foehn

Named by EOD

Accelerator by The Future Sound of London

Harnessed the Storm by Drexciya

Moog Grooves by Edd Kalehoff

When in Dream by El Huervo

Grava 4 by Drexciya

Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller I by Drexciya

Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller II by Drexciya

Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller IV by Drexciya

Blood Sweat and Fear by Scattle

Mini Disc by Gescom

ISS:SA by Gescom

EAP Tracks by EOD

Questionmarks by EOD

Swurlk EP by EOD

Warmwoods by EOD

Rayline EP by EOD

Zone by EOD

Clean Pit & Lid by Disjecta

N-Plants by Biosphere

BBLO by Jinjé

Amya by Jinjé

Special Dry by Jinjé

The Finest by Jinjé

Be Yourself by Jinjé

Solace by Jinjé

We Need More Heart by Jinjé

Feetupfeetdown by Jinjé

I'm Psychic by Jinjé

Are Those Really Birds? by Jinjé

Single Minded by Jinjé

No Luxury by Jinjé

Closer to the Sun by Jinjé

A Ship Full of Ghosts by Jinjé

All but a Glimmer by Jinjé

Boost by Astrid Sonne

How Far by Astrid Sonne

Staying here by Astrid Sonne

Do you wanna by Astrid Sonne

Microgravity by Biosphere

Polar Sequences by Higher Intelligence Agency and Biosphere

Insomnia by Biosphere

Nordheim Transformed by Arne Nordheim, Biosphere, and Deathprod

Cirque by Biosphere

Substrata 2 by Biosphere

Shenzou by Biosphere

Autour de la Lune [Reissue] by Biosphere

Birmingham Frequencies by Biosphere and Higher Intelligence Agency

Compilation 1991-2004 by Biosphere

L'incoronazione di Poppea by Biosphere

Patashnik 2 by Biosphere

Patashnik (Reissue with Bonus Album) by Biosphere

Departed Glories by Biosphere

The Hilvanrenbeek Recordings by Biosphere

The Senja Recordings by Biosphere

Angel's Flight by Biosphere

Shortwave Memories by Biosphere

Inland Delta by Biosphere

Ask the Ages by Sonny Sharrock

Conder-Rhyptik by Oberman Knocks

Beatcroff Slabs by Oberman Knocks

Beatcroff Slabs Remix EP by Oberman Knocks

Dilankex EP by Oberman Knocks

Trilate Shifts by Oberman Knocks

Remhex Coyles EP by Oberman Knocks

Rehmunvhurse Optikonn EP by Oberman Knocks

Songs about Fucking Steve Albini by Kid606

Split Series #10 by Christoph de Babalon and Kid606

Down with the Scene by Kid606

ps I love you by Kid606

ps you love me by Kid606

Why I Love Life by Kid606

Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You by Kid606

Who Still Kill Sound? by Kid606

Resilience by Kid606

Pretty Girls Make Raves by Kid606

Die Soundboy Die by Kid606

Shout at the Döner by Kid606

Don't Sweat the Technics++ (1997-1998) by Kid606

Let's Get Radioactive (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Nuclear Energy) by Kid606

Lost in the Game by Kid606

Lost in the Game (Remixes) by Kid606

Happiness by Kid606

We Love You Mark Bell by Kid606

Waves of Now by Steve Roach and Robert Rich

Great Doubt by Astrid Sonne

Hitomi Tohyama - Night Tempo Presents the Shows Groove by Hitomi Tohyama and Night Tempo

[skullbuilt]

La Vie en Rose 2024 - Game 2: Khimera Puzzle Island (Suits & Sandals, 2020)

Very cute little narrative picross game!

I don't have much more to say about this- it's nice to sit down and bust out a couple puzzles at a time. The story is cute and the characters are all a lot of fun, and it does a fun take on the idea of a Boss Fight in a picross game.

[ozimul-reacts]

Khimera: Puzzle Island mosaics cleared!

[romanomomano]

suits n sandals titling their games appreciation post

[ozimulmakesartwork]

January's vote went to Khimera: Puzzle Island!

I've been having a lot of fun with this game! Here's a recreation of the 'lady confused by math' meme with Chelshia - the last panel's inspired by her 'bootleg popsicle' portrait.

Consider Donating: patreon com/ozimul

[romanos-photo-album]

I posted this on twitter but not here play khimera: destroy all monster girls and its sequel khimera puzzle island

[shalmonsgamons]

yesterday's gamin (lots of caps under the cut)

i ended up quitting this Khimera puzzle for another time--idk if i'm so much stuck as just sleepy. but getting stuck at picross is pretty rare for me 🤔 LATER: ????? once again, KPI apparently did not actually close as i moved on to other games;; how does this keep happening, i thought for sure i exited??

did a small quest in Exiled Kingdoms ur welcome markus

did some more Euclidean Skies puzzles i am really having some issues with the unresponsive controls (i thought i was stuck, but it turns out i just...clicked wrong? i guess? sometimes clicks do stuff, sometimes they don't 🙃 very fiddly. i guess this really was meant to be played with touch controls) but gosh i just love looking at it

look how cool this is 😭

had to do some domin' after this week's update!

lol idk how i feel about this menu style i bet there's probably a toggle to make it behave more normally cute tho

oooo new place? 0: (i'm still kinda new to DK, so maybe this was there already)

new things? (that resource portal is SO helpful)

oh!! i actually didn't know this was even a thing (i am playing on easy tho lol)

(omg i just noticed the cute li'l critter corners on the UI here, or maybe that's new?)

played some more fate; it's fun & i can definitely see why ppl are nostalgic for this one ran into a Bird Alert that i can't afford 😭

then i died & got the Title Drop;;

anyway here is Eck's current appearance: (the hulk hands;;;)

[ozimul-reacts]

the release of a Khimera picross-style game is not the news i expected but i am certainly not going to complain

[romanomomano]

I love this game

[ozimulmakesartwork]

For the time being there won’t be a Khimera: Puzzle Island playlist. For whatever reason, Twitch.tv has a limit on how many playlists you can create and... I’m at max.

I’ll see if I can condense some of these playlists (perhaps by series) to make some room, but that solution will only help so much...

Updates as I have them for what to do about this nonsense! ;)

[shalmonsgamons]

yesterday's gamin' (lots of caps under cut)

did another row of mosaic puzzles in khimera puzzle island ---------------------- then a round of enchanted cave 2;; had my first loss against the giant jungle spider 😔

i was wrong though you actually don't lose your character entirely if u die? i guess you just don't keep anything from that run in particular also, cute snake:

------------------------------------ then continued Eastward since i discuss multiple games in these posts, i'll try to leave plot spoilers out but it seems like the plot isn't going where i thought it was going? and i was kind of excited about where i thought it was going so i can't decide if i'm disappointed or not lol maybe it'll still go there, we'll see but without saying anything else, i gotta say that the change in palette is real refreshing for the eyes 💯

lol nice little Secret of Mana reference there (music even has a similar vibe) oh!!

we get overworld sprites now! and a double bird alert:

------------- continuing my first try with the robot in dicey dungeons

...and winning! >:0

i really enjoyed their whole risk/reward gimmick found them easier to use than the thief (who i still haven't won with) looking forward to trying inventor soon, but i'll prob give thief another try first -------------------- now for a RoRR run; i'm still tryin to beat rainstorm w/enforcer

welp;;; each defeat opens another opportunity to appreciate the satisfying animation on enforcer's tiny li'l leggies --------- (ok i thought i was done for the day but ended up doing a multiplayer RoR2 sesh w/spouse & friend of theirs, since they said i didn't have to be on mic \o/ ) i can't believe it all my hours in this game & i never knew there was a shrine of order on commencement;;; forgot to cap, but it's on a floating rock i did always wonder why there were so few of these; maybe there's others i'm missing i did remember to cap these glitchy melting contraption bits though:

[shalmonsgamons]

yess there we go bask in those PS1 vibes i mentioned