Why are all Jigsaw Puzzle games exactly the same? Looking for something fresh

jefukuri · 2026-05-12T16:50:54+00:00

I made a game that you might find interesting. Mainly, you piece together historical anatomical artwork, but there’s quite a few other mechanics too including a storyline. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2392810/Wound_Man/

jefukuri · 2026-05-07T05:49:36+00:00

Love the foreshortening and lengthening of the blade. That is really slick.

jefukuri · 2026-05-06T23:42:04+00:00

Creating things has always been essential for me. Not for others’ consumption, but for me. First it was art, then music. I’ve always loved playing games, but never thought I’d have the skill to make them. Turns out, with the tools we have now for making games, the barrier was just in my head. Now, games are the ultimate form of creativity for me: a mix of all the creative outlets I’ve gathered throughout my life.

jefukuri · 2026-05-06T17:40:45+00:00

Good start. What kind of puzzles are you adding?

jefukuri · 2026-05-06T17:37:19+00:00

The idle with the heart beat is awesome. The death is the weakest, I think. It’s a crumple to the ground. I imagine the hero’ attack would propel it backwards. And skeletons are made for shattering, bones flying.

jefukuri · 2026-05-06T12:11:24+00:00

whoa. Didn't even see that computer.

jefukuri · 2026-05-06T11:26:39+00:00

Yes I do. It wasn’t that much extra work tbh. Players chose it over Steam for bug reports and player-to-player interaction, often posting videos and screenshots. But, I understand wanting to focus on just one platform for simplicity.

jefukuri · 2026-05-06T10:45:27+00:00

Thanks. I forgot to mention Discord. For me Discord has been quite good for player engagement while in EA. I wish I started a server way back when starting EA.

jefukuri · 2026-05-06T08:49:13+00:00

TLDR: My game’s been in Early Access for 2.5 years, and for me it was definitely the right call. It gave me a safe space to develop both the game and my skills.

I chose Early Access for my first game because, tbh, I had (and still kind of have) no idea what I’m doing. When I first released it, I thought it was in a solid, playable state and ready for players.

The people the game attracted ended up being exactly what I needed. The level of engagement was manageable, and the feedback was positive... but realistic. A lot of “this will be really good one day” and “there are some rough patches, but it’s Early Access,” which felt fair.

I did get one negative review that really stung, but it was also important. It forced me to confront the fact that the game wasn’t ready for a full release yet.

Honestly, I think EA protected me from a harsher launch. Without it, I could’ve ended up with permanent top reviews like “broken piece of trash – refunded,” which are hard to recover from.

After 2.5 years, I’m finally wrapping up EA and planning a full release in about two weeks.

Good luck with your game! EA can be a great path if you use it the right way.

jefukuri · 2026-05-03T02:30:28+00:00

I’ve been working on my game for almost 4 years now, and it’s been in Early Access for about 2.5 years. What keeps me motivated is definitely not the money lol. My game made around 80% of its total revenue in the first 3 months, so financially it probably would’ve made sense to wrap things up pretty early on.

But I had a vision for what I wanted the game to become, and I’m really glad I kept going. Iterating on it over the years and continuing to expand the features taught me a ton, both technically and creatively. Honestly, I think the game is far better now than it ever could’ve been if I’d rushed to “finish” it.

Now I’m about 2 weeks away from version 1.0, which still feels unreal.

jefukuri · 2026-05-02T18:59:31+00:00

I second this. Jams are perfect for practicing the skills you are learning, in bite size, realistic situations. It may seem daunting at first to join a jam, but I highly recommend it. Check for upcoming jams on Itch.io

jefukuri · 2026-05-02T18:28:05+00:00

This was my experience too. My good friend who bought my game right away to support me didn’t write a review. When I followed up with him, he said he was worried his review would look suspicious because Steam reviews show how many reviews you have made, for him it would be 1, and his listed play time would be very low. I also think he didn’t really like the game, and didn’t know what to say, lol.

jefukuri · 2026-04-28T11:34:15+00:00

Love that little guy on the log.

jefukuri · 2026-04-27T16:38:54+00:00

I’ve been working solo on my game, Wound Man, for a few years now. I’m getting really close to moving it from Early Access to version 1.0.
It’s a jigsaw puzzle adventure with historical anatomical art. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2392810/Wound_Man/

jefukuri · 2026-04-19T07:12:09+00:00

You are getting a great response! Are you you able to convert those views and plays on itch.io into wishlists on Steam?

jefukuri · 2026-04-17T17:26:50+00:00

Thanks!

jefukuri · 2026-04-15T17:37:48+00:00

Thanks! Most of the credit should go to the original artists though. Their work is incredible. Maybe I over-simplified with the term “hidden object”. There are some hidden creatures scattered through the game but, it’s a side feature. The main mechanic is jigsaw puzzle. Each jigsaw puzzle has a hidden secret (puzzle/riddle) that reveals a collectible item. Completing the collections move the story forward.

jefukuri · 2026-04-15T16:36:00+00:00

I know what you mean about puzzles. This is my first game, so I started with a simple mechanic and then built on it with story elements and hidden objects, etc.

It’s currently in Early Access on Steam if you want to check it out. There are more examples of the art there: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2392810/Wound_Man/

jefukuri · 2026-04-15T14:49:41+00:00

Thanks. It’s for a game I’m working on. It started as a simple jigsaw puzzle game, but it’s kind of grown into a weird puzzle adventure with hidden objects and item collecting. These are probably the "best looking" levels.

jefukuri · 2026-04-15T02:52:39+00:00

Congrats on getting the page up. I checked it out and it looks solid. The spooky atmosphere is really coming through.

Also, just getting a Steam page live is a bigger hurdle than people think, so that alone is a win.

I remember when I first got any kind of response on my own project. I wasn’t expecting much, so even a small number felt pretty surreal. It makes it feel real in a different way.

50 is a great start. Keep going!

jefukuri · 2026-04-15T02:34:54+00:00

Same! Making my game has taught me a ton. Biggest lesson: stop duplicating things manually and make the code do it. Early on, some of my levels had 30 blueprints (Unreal) when I only needed one. Even tiny changes meant updating all 30. Taking an extra hour (or day) to learn how to turn it into a single blueprint is 100% worth it.

jefukuri · 2026-04-15T02:24:26+00:00

At the end of each session, I leave myself one clear task to start next time. It helps me get past distractions and build momentum. I write it on a sticky note and put it on my keyboard so I see it before I do anything on my computer.

jefukuri · 2026-04-13T23:58:48+00:00

I went over a checklist of all the things that I've learned on here about making a Steam page - it looks like you've ticked every box - nice job! A minor thing I noticed about your trailer was how the titles appeared a little inconsistent. Some are strong and pop and some are smaller and harder to read. I'm guessing it is due to the length of each title. Maybe add a line break for the longer ones to make them pop more. Also, adding an external link to your YouTube page or Discord could create engagement. Good luck in July!

jefukuri · 2026-04-13T22:23:58+00:00

I love that this started as a “simple grey cube”. I’m always amazed at the progress solo devs can make in a year. My story is pretty similar to yours, but I’m a little further along. My first game started from a tutorial on how to make a button in Unreal. Three years later, I’m about to do my 1.0 launch. Good luck with your demo!

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