Strata

Strata is aesthetically minimalist but still manages an elegant beauty. Its sound design effectively communicates success and failure in a manner befitting the 'zen puzzler' mould it is trying to fill. Its minimalism extends to interface in a way that promotes the kind of 5 minute drop-in gaming that makes these games so addicting. Still I can't recommend this game because it fails in the one place that really matter, it's a weak puzzle. For the first 10 minutes or so I really enjoyed Strata, a simple but engaging puzzle format that seemed to have a lot of room for variation ahead of it. Then it hit me, there is a simple mechanical stratey to solve literally every puzzle of this format regardless of the size or number of colours. However complicated a solution may be it is always trivial to solve in reverse, this leads to the game quickly evolving into busywork. Even for this low price with all the pretty packaging a bad puzzle is a bad puzzle and a thorough waste of time. I kept hoping that in the later sets the game would through in some new spin or twist on the mechanics, unless it appears in the final 6x6 it never comes. I feel like there is something hidden within this concept that could be saved, maybe a block type that is set by the bottom ribbon or requires a particular ribbon combination? In its current state the game is nothing but dissapointing. MINOR ISSUES: the game had a few navigation bugs in the level select menu which require a restart to make the game playable again. Some of the ribbon colours seem too close to each other leading to silly mistakes, this wouldn't be a big deal if the perfect system didn't punish undoing.

Looking for a beautiful, relaxing game? This is it. Similar in feel to Kami, Picross, Splice, Lyne. Everything from the graphics to the music, to the gameplay is incredibly zen and gives you peace of mind while still managing to engage you. Very easy to get into, even without the excellent yet simple tutorial. What made me first discover Strata and Kami was the wonderfully clean art-style, I was very surprised how well orchestrated the game is with small bits of beautifully crafted sounds. There seems to be no loading times for each puzzle which makes everything feel like it flows together beautifully, adding to the already peaceful setting of the game.

A nice zen puzzler. You against your own intellect. Tranquil and meditative; provides food for thought. No rage-quits here. Well worth the money.

The most Zen game you'll ever play. And I don't just mean its design. Its minimalist art style and pleasantly satisfying piano cues make it a joy just to be in there. But there is also the actual puzzle solving aspect. The puzzles themselves have an abstract way to them, and they'll put your mind to work. You'll wrack your brain figuring out the proper way to solve a stage... but just when you're about to give up, you'll simply [i]see[/i] it. Clear in your mind: the solution. You'll suddenly find yourself in the zone, and you'll be solving stages in a breeze, amid an unstoppable flow of clarity. It's a feeling that is hard to describe in words otherwise, so I highly recommend you experience it yourself.

Did you love Lyne? If so, this is the BOMB.COM for you! Strata isn't fast-paced. Or action-filled. Or multiplayer. Strata is relaxing. Calm. Fun. It's a very simple game: draw lines on a grid, so every square is covered by the same coloured line. But here's the twist: the colour needs to be the same on the top. What starts off as a simple, easy game becomes a mind-boggling addictive puzzle. I could spend the same amount of time into Counter-Strike as i could with Strata. It's that good. Soon, you'll be matching up lines everywhere! But gameplay isn't the only thing. Strata is beautifully designed, with clean, neat, paper-like formatting that is both relaxing to the eye and wonderfully complex. In addition, the sound is well done. Timing right with the game, it eases you straight into a position of comfortability and easy-mindedness. Beware! This game most certainly isn't Borderlands 2, but it is well worth 3.99 (2.99 on sale), for a relaxing puzzle game that you can play for hours on end. Just remember to take breaks once in a while.

The graphics of this game are beautiful and the challenges are appropriate in difficulty and simplicity. I'm an avid fan of logic puzzles and prefer the ones where the rules are clearly explained in a visual manner. Strata does that perfectly and quickly, allowing you to jump right in without excessive amounts of tutorial. With two and a half hours in I've gotten up to the end of Set 2, out of 7. Granted theres been some moments of idling do to me being a stay at home mother and needing to check on my son, but I still feel entertained and eager to continue on with perfecting each score. The price is fair at the 3.99 I purchased the game for. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a casual logic puzzle.

Strata is a weaving puzzle game that presents a challenge unique to the game itself. The puzzles may look simple at first, but soon you may realise there could be multiple solutions (or weaves) to a problem. If you're eager enough try out all the possibilities and patterns and invent your own strategy, like what I did, you will get hooked to Strata in no time. The design of the puzzles are not only beautiful, they look visually mesmerising as well. The game is so rich with a wide array of colour palettes, I can't help but to stare at the completed puzzles and be filled with wonder. Strata is a must if you love puzzles with a mix of artistic elements, or even apply some weaving techniques in real life!

Strata reminds me of puzzle games like Flow and Picross. Like those games, Strata has a simple, grid based ruleset whose depth comes from the many variations of the playing board. The simplicity of the game's interface helps keep the focus on what is important. No wading through unnecessary time-wasting elements searching for the game or fun play. Each little action results in relaxed musical riffs which set a peaceful tone. This, coupled with subtle animations gives proper weight to each click, making the game have a sense of physicality which grounds the player in the interaction. And Strata makes fanatastic use of color. For that reason alone, give it a shot.

If you enjoy puzzles that give you a sense of accomplishment when you complete...this game is 10/10 the game for you. Very reasonable price, and simplistic yet endearing game play and artwork. As soon as you get the hang of it, you'll zip through the puzzles until...no longer shall you trudge through 3x3 puzzles, but you reach the ever increasing difficulty of 4x4! A whole new style of getting it just right to learn, and many many more to complete, this goes on until 5x5, and ending up with the God-like 6x6! With achievements that are 100% completed from just playing the game and completing all the puzzles, this game will test you over and over, putting your patience and intelligence into question. Get it, play it, win it, love it.

Strata could be so frustrating--except it's so careful not to be. I mulled over purchasing Strata for a while. At first I was worried I wasn't smart enough to get too into this game, but it's very forgiving and the sound effects are calming, almost meditative. I have lovely moments of insight, where everything just clicks and the ribbons weave so perfectly, and I have times where I ponder and redo... and occasionally look at the hints. Don't worry about difficulty: it draws you in slowly and gently and gives you all the time you need.

Strata is a very simple idea that works well and is nicely delivered. It starts as a pleasant casual game in that you can just walk away from it an any time and it's out of your head in a nanosecond, but while you're playing it. But.... A possible criticism is the change in difficulty curve every time your square increases in size. There's a large jump between 3x3 puzzles and 4x4 ones and the further one progresses the less casual it becomes and the more concentration is needed. Strata stops being so casual and becomes fiendish once you're sucked in unless you use the hints I guess. But I'm not a fan of just following instructions.

one of the few puzzle games that I've been a constant supporter of. From a year ago when it started on greenlight it has come out as something truly zen without sacrificing gameplay for it's simple and beautiful art style. How it works is that you click on a banner color and select where it goes, the way the puzle works is that you have to fill out all the spaces without having any colors over the wrong spaces. The music is minimalist but peaceful. You don't have to play from start the finish you can freely choose which chapter you want to play but keep in mind they do become more elaborate and complicated as you go. The price as the defining factor as to whether or not to buy it is undoubledly fair at a price of $3.99 for such a small and simple title just to relax and stretch your mind

This is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable games I've ever played. Musical cues are fantastic, the levels are challenging but not infurating, and the premise is really fun.

Artistic, relaxing. Clean, functional, & minimal UI. Simple design. The music is nice, and the musical notes attached to each action is nice, but can be a tiny bit annoying if you do puzzles quickly, as then it sounds like someone smashing all the keys on the piano.

Layering, Colors, and Patterns. This game is unique, easy to understand, challenging to master, and overall a brain teaser. Over hundres of levels to solve, hours of fun. The ambience is very fitting for each set of levels. Calm, soothing. Feels like you're in a whole different world. You get a choice of colors and amount to solve grid puzzles. Do solve the puzzle, the correct colors must be met with a ribbon as the second layer over that box. You will notice patterns with the ribbons that may hurt your eyes if you stare at them too long, but you may also notice patterns without the ribbons to help you get started and where to go. It'll come with experience the more you play and keep trying. The learning curve eases upward at first, but might spike up a bit if you weren't prepared. You do need to concentrate if you're trying to solve it mentally before you make your first move. It's worth the price, wouldn't wait for a sale. ---- Check out more games I see that deserve more attention from my curator group: [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/BPUGL]BluePaw's Underrated Games List[/url] Join and/or follow if you wish.

Strata is a fun puzzle style game done with lines, and a hint of music. The artistic value of such a small game is done very well and will test your brain to being able to think ahead. I enjoyed the puzzles and found beating a puzzle to be highly enjoyable. For more reviews be sure to check out the channel here, as always thank you for your time. https://www.youtube.com/user/SocioPyscho https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmV7RNdC780&list=UU7_-PLIhjsEBwIQXqKxmNpA

Worth the money, probably. It never seems to go on sale. I bought it when Steam had a $6-off-for-$35-purchased sale and saved a little that way. The menu system is a bit buggy (wait a second before pressing the Escape key) and overlong. Once you grasp what's going on, it's more an exercise in memory than reasoning. Still hard, though. Quite pretty, and the sound feedback is good. Somewhere into the third set I finally figured out what I was doing. Spoiler (solution algorithm): [spoiler] 1.) Take any single-color strips off (in your head). 2.) Add them to the end of your mental list. 3.) With those gone, the puzzle will have new single-color strips left (or be done). a) If it isn't done, loop to 1.). b) If it is done, go to 4.) with your mental list. 4.) Lay strips of the appropriate colors on the puzzle in the opposite order from which you mentally removed them. [/spoiler] If you ever get stuck, you can paste a screen grab into Paint and use that to remember your solution order.

Enjoyable spatial reasoning and layering game, definitely recommend for anyone who picks up a game now and then to while away the time while listening to an audiobook. Pleasant and simple graphics with a minimalist feel that add a meditative feel to the game.

[h1] Pros [/h1] [list] [*] Healing music [*] Plenty of puzzles [*] Difficulty increases at good level [/list] [h1] Cons [/h1] [list] [*] Somehow similar gamplay repeats. No new technique until end of game. This makes game get bored in short time. [*] Bug in achievements: does "All" meant "Any"? [/list] 7/10 I think this is good puzzle game to enjoy for short time. I hope there could be some new techniques, such as making board triangular and have 3 lines per each cell

The good: I like the concept of the puzzles. It's unique, and does take a little time to think through. Subtly a memory puzzle at times. Very consistent, which can be tricky to make in a puzzle game. The presentation is also generally quite pretty, and the music is nice and relaxing, and each move you make sounds rather musical as well so that's nice. The bad: Repetitive. No surprises here whatsoever, and once you come up with a strategy for the early puzzles every other one works exactly the same way. I like the puzzle idea but now I feel like I've done as many of them as I'd ever want to. Game awards a crown for a "perfect" score, which just means no undos - this could benefit from some kind of extra challenges, I'd say by taking advantage of the multiple solutions each puzzle has in its current form. Game feels meant for a touchscreen, and I wouldn't want to play it with a mouse. Also, no indication on a puzzle screen how many more puzzles are left in the set - I've taken to tallying them just so I know how far I have left. The ugly: While I've never had much issue with the gameplay (aside from what I think is fat fingers on my part but I could be wrong), the interface is bugged to hell. Sometimes I'll exit a puzzle set (seems to happen when I exit one without completing it all the way) and the puzzle set select screens bug out and overlay on top of each other and navigation becomes impossible. When you complete a level and all the ribbons slide away, the two on the bottom don't quite make it all the way off the top of the screen before blinking out, implying that the game was never really intended for a landscape view (and really, the left and right 1/3 of the screen is almost empty the entire game). Most damning, the achievements for completing and perfecting an entire puzzle set trigger on completing and perfecting the FIRST puzzle in a set, meaning you can get 14/24 achievements from playing a tiny fraction of the available puzzles. Verdict: I do not recommend spending more than [b]$1.00[b] for this game.

The puzzles are very engaging, relaxing, and stimulating. However, I recently bought a new macbook and I cannot figure out why it won't play...the description says it is compatible. I hope I figure it out soon because this is my favorite game in my library! =)

Strata is a calming and pretty way to spend time. The puzzles are not too difficult once you get th hang of things, no, but they are nice and calming. If tha is what you are looking for, then this is definitely the game for you. The musical notes that sound as you play are a very nice touch and the colors are very appealing. It is good for lesiure, if you want to play a slightly challenging logic game with a beautiful design.

A worthwhile addition to your library if you enjoy puzzle games. There are a LOT of puzzles in this collection so you're definitely getting your money's worth. Some replayability too since you'll want to go back and try to 'perfect' some of the puzzles, i.e. complete a puzzle without using the Undo command at all. Music is ambient with some piano notes that dynamically highlight your moves. Nothing special but sets the mood nicely.

In the time I have played Strata, I have been nothing but pleasantly suprised by it. The game is shampoo simple: players need to take ribbons and use them to cover coloured squares to complete each puzzle. The catch is that the colour of the square you're covering needs to be the same colour as the ribbon on the topmost layer. Some way somehow using a premise this simple, Gravek has found a way to take the best features of puzzle games and combine them all into one. Strata is very relaxing: I'm not sure if it's the music (you hear a piano cord play each time you roll out a ribbion and a gentle tune when you finish a puzzle). Strata is challenging: You'll find yourself thinking 5 moves ahead in multiple directions and, if you're a perfectionist like me, will find yourself restarting to solve the puzzles perfectly. Strata is fun: You can play a few puzzles right quick during a break, or you can go after an entire set of puzzles - depending upon time constaints and enjoy yourself either way. Strata is addictive: You find yourself coming back for more due to the three previously mentioned attributes. So why not pick it up? I mean at only $4 it's more entertaining than most movies.

This is not so much a puzzle game as a symphony of sound and colour, a relaxing yet somewhat challenging cooldown from the troubles of the world and a brief, beautiful escape from everything. You play it and it's as if nothing else matters, or nothing else is even happening. It just washes over you as you experience it, and calms you wonderfully. I would recommend this to anyone.

This is one of the most soothing and relaxing games I have played in a while. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still very difficult. I love the music. It reminds me of Eufloia. It’s one that I keep coming back to while sitting on a plane or have some other time to kill. This would be a perfect game for a tablet. My official score based off of my just now made up matrix…. Graphics = 9 Sound = 10 Gameplay = 7 (it gets repetitive but I keep coming back after time away) Thought Provoking = 8 Replayable = 4 (I have a feeling that once I finish the game I will be done with it) Worth the Money = 10 Thanks for a great game!

Strata is a very well designed little puzzle game in which one must match the colors on a square to ribbons woven by the player. One must figure out not only which colored ribbons go where, but also in what order. For the price, this is a wonderful game to get if you want to pass the time and/or are into puzzle games. The music in the game is very beautiful and calming, and the shapes and colors really are nice to look at. I have been enjoying it so far, and I think you will too!

Very nice game if you need some break for calm down or to train the brain with some puzzle quests and calming music. Some little bugs if you navigate backwards in the menue after quest 2: sometimes overlapping text and interfaceflipping around but gamestate is save also if you use taskmanager ;) For the bug you can also use "Esc" Key to go back somewhen you will reach the start screen and the game close ;) It looks like that the bug also not happens if you use "Esc" and wait that every animation is finished before pressing the key again to get backward in the menue...

Buy this if: a. You're the friend people go to when they need knots untangled or Rubix cubes solved; b. you like games like Lyne c. you like sophisticated color palettes d. you like simple but soothing music for your background in puzzle games or e. any/all of the above My only criticism is that sometimes it doesn't seem to register that I'm clicking on a ribbon box - takes several tries to activate it. A blemish on an otherwise well-crafted game; might be a Mac bug, or might be something in my system, though I've yet to have any similar problems in any other game, which is what leads me to believe it's the fault of Strata, not my [strike]baby[/strike] laptop. That aside, well worth the money and quite enjoyable.

I really love this game. It's a simple concept that can be deceptively difficult at times and the aesthetic makes this a very relaxing and challenging game. The puzzles are paced well to introduce new concepts for solving the later puzzles and the hint system gives you just enough so you can really understand how the puzzles work. Just play it.

A great puzzle game which works on simple principles but slowly grows more and more complex in an engrossing way. And the finishing works always look gorgeous. Highly recommended for some quick relaxation.

Really fun and zen-like puzzle game that's not too challenging while still being engaging. It's something you can just jump into for 5 minutes while you're waiting or bored. I don't know if I'd play it again and again, but for its price I'd say it was worth the money :)

This is one of those games that is extremely simple in their concept, but deviously hard to beat. The visuals are comfortable to the eyes and the easy-listening, laidback music further draws you in. If you like to exercise your visual imaging then Strata is a must-have. The game is a bit buggy at times, e.g. it sometimes freezes when you move around menus or levels too quickly and some achievements pop-up when you haven't rightfully earned them yet. This is however compensated by the low price and enjoyable gameplay.

I didn't complete game fully, but I did get all achivments, and oh god I really like it, the design, the idea, but after few hours you understand, that's just repeating all over again and again the same thing, but with different colors. That's just became annoying, but over all, I enjoyed playing it. 6/10

Don't be fooled by how simple Strata looks. The game walks you through how to play it pretty quickly and effectively, but other than that, you are on your own. The rest of the game is just you, your brain, and the piano keys tinkling blissfully in your ears. Any casual player can pick it up and jump right in, and any puzzle/indie lover can dedicate hours to solve and complete each set and wave of puzzles down to straight perfection, like me. For $3.99, this game gives you a crapton to work with. My only complaint is that after playing the 5x5 puzzles for awhile you will start to feel it, and I mean feel some sort of brain exhaustion. Don't marathon this for 12 hours on end. Especially as some of the levels can have god-awful colour schemes, you don't want to risk eye strain or your sanity just to perfect a few puzzles. That being said, 8/10 would let wreck my brain again.

Peronally I'm an avid fan of games that tease your brain and give you that "Aaah" feeling when finally figuring out the puzzle you're presented with. Sadly I have to say that Strata disappointed me in that regard. Strata was fun for the first ~5 minutes while I still got to know the game mechanics and figured out how it works, but then it fell into a state where the levels got bigger and bigger, but I just kept repeating what I did before, again and again. Strata is very static and does not offer variation whatsoever. It is possible to complete a level in many different ways, but repeating a level over and over again just to find all possible solutions, from which many of those barely even differ doesn't sound very appealing to me. If, on the other hand, your goal is to find a game that simply keeps you busy while progressing through it with time, but doesnt really present any difficulty, you might find Strata interesting, but for me the things that Strata has to offer were not quite enough.

A fun, casual puzzle game that has enough content to keep you busy for a while. I also loved the minimalistic art style. My only complaint would be that at a certain point you develop the necessary strategies to solve the puzzles and the game doesn't get any more difficult.

This was a great, unique, little puzzle game. It was for a few hours, and the later puzzles are very challenging.

The underlying puzzle in this game is great, and the aesthetic is pleasing, but it's all let down by the sheer number of bugs that the developer is unwilling to fix. If you haven't already, play KAMI instead.

Great puzzle game was actually challenging but engoyable at the same time music was lovely only complaint was glitchy achievments and text overlapping with other text at some points

A wonderful, challenging little game that does a great job of keeping things relaxed. Very addictive and with a lovely, sweet soundtrack. Definitely worth it!

Like Kami, I found this game satisfied mind, eye, and ear. None of the puzzles are especially hard, particularly since there is an undo, but they're still fun. The navigation is a bit glitchy if you go between the levels, and it can be confusing to get back where you left off between sessions. I did not enjoy this quite as much as Kami, but it was well worth the cost.

Really great game, nice concept, interface is tidy, the audio is great and it looks nice but it could be a bit more challenging. It has a lot of levels and it isn't so easy that it's boring definately a fun yet relaxing game. 9/10

It seems like a really simple game, but the further you go the harder it gets which is fantastic. For such a simple concept, it really does make you think and encompasses what a puzzle game should be - challenging but easy to understand.

One of the best puzzle games I have ever experienced. Everything, from visuals, to audio and the gameplay is elegant. Truly a masterpiece.

An absolutely amazing game. Sound and visuals are top notch, and with tons of levels, the game provides hours of serious puzzling fun. A masterpiece in the midst of repetitive high-octaine shooters, for such a low cost you really have to get this game

I really enjoy this puzzle. It is challenging but never feels impossible, there are no loading or waiting or other small frustrations, and when you want that perfect puzzle, you can instantly start over at the click of a button. The sounds are great and fit the theme, and while I imagine the game could get repetitive over time (after all, you do the same thing in every puzzle) it's still a very beautiful game.

A great game with stunning visuals and challenging puzzles. The only down side is that it can get repetitive after a while. 7/10

This game is gorgeous, and it might not look very difficult from the videos, but it is definately a challenge.

This game is amazing. Minimalistic and beautiful. Simple and challenging. Wonderful music and visuals. Four dollars, less than a bag of Doritos. 10/10 Would buy again.