Not all games need to be complex to be outstanding. While we often put emphasis on good graphics, carefully crafted storylines and gameplay, simple can leave a lasting impression. Enter Poems and Codes from Hero Games Co, a puzzle game of rhythmic proportions.

Challenging simplicity

Before I continue, I should clarify what I mean by simple. Poems and Codes premise is rather basic: like a game of hangman, guessing the right letters to finish the words will reward the player with lines from classical poems. It does seem on the surface to be as simple as you can get.

That doesn’t mean the game is boring. Yes, players can set their preferred difficulty setting. However, even on easy, the puzzles can still be challenging. If you want to kick it up a notch, the developers added a clever optional angle. If one wishes, each puzzle can be solved using a substitution cipher.

Poem and Codes is broken up into 12 themes, from love and despair to music and beauty.  Each poem is delivered as a set of pages. Each page has a number of missing letters, while others are filled in. The trick of figuring out which of the remaining letters need to be used to complete the passage is where the puzzle truly lies. Certain blanks are obvious- a single dash is most likely an “a” or “I”, whereas a three-letter word with an “a” in the middle could mean anything from “mad” to “had.” Figuring out the context of the poem becomes key here.  

The missing pieces

Additionally, the further you delve into each poem, the harder the puzzles and ciphers become. More letters are missing from each passage, leading to rather hilarious attempts at trying to decipher what the lines say. Knowing common poems can help alleviate possible frustration but doesn’t detract from the fun or charm of the game. If the puzzle becomes too tough, the developers thoughtfully added helpful options such as hints which reveal one missing letter at a time, undo your last move, reset the entire page or skip.

After deciphering all the pages, you have a chance to read the poem in its entirety, as well as historical background on the writer and their lives. Famous poets, such as my personal favorites Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickenson, as well as lesser-known writers, like James Joyce, are included in the library. Links are also provided to peruse their entire collections, 100% free. Even writers typically known for their prose, like Emily Bronte are part of the over 450 poems.

Simply soothing

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the beautiful artistic backgrounds, and soothing music: Ancient Winds composed by Kevin MacLeod. Poems and Codes lends itself well to the “wholesome” and “cozy” game genres, making to overall experience a wonderful way to spend a few minutes or hours lost in the beauty of the game.

And if you’re into helping a worthy cause, 10% of each purchase is donated to Project Gutenberg, an online library of over 60,000 free eBooks. So, feel free to relax and enjoy a beautiful trip into a poetic past.

Poems and Codes is available on PC, Mac and Linux through Steam, itch.io and Green Man Gaming. Nevermore Niche received a free review copy from Hero Games Co LLC. Retail price: $9.99.