Train your brain in The Sequence, a challenging puzzler

[the Sequence] ($0.99) by Maxim Urusov is a logic puzzle game that will keep you busy. If you like giving your brain a workout with games like Perfect Paths, Trainyard, and Trapped, then you are going to love what The Sequence (stylized as [the Sequence]) has to offer.

I love playing mobile games on my iPhone — it’s one of the best ways for me to pass the time lately. While there is a huge variety of games to choose from on the App Store, one of my favorite genres are puzzles, because there is no better way to pass the time than to think about a solution to a problem, since it keeps your brain busy. While I don’t think I’m the best at logical puzzles, I still enjoy them and giving them a try. When I heard that a new game called The Sequence was going to arrive on the App Store, I knew I had to check it out for myself, especially since I was a big fan of titles like Perfect Paths.

The visual style of The Sequence is simple and clean, with dark backgrounds and bright, vibrant colors that contrast nicely. While the beginning of the game features just a few colors at a time, later levels will have a ton of different hues, serving as some fantastic eye candy. While the graphics are fairly minimalistic, players can quickly understand what each piece does after a few seconds of seeing it in action during the sequence mode. Animations in The Sequence are buttery smooth and fluid, with no lag or frame rate issues. The game also has a soothing, subtle soundtrack in the background, and the sound effects are delightful.

The Sequence features 72 levels for players to figure out, and the goal is pretty straightforward: build a sequence of actions using special modules in order to transfer the binary cell to the end point. The puzzles start off elementary, but as you make progress, the difficulty ramps up with different kinds of modules and obstacles that will interfere with the sequence, since no collisions are allowed. If you’ve played sequence-building logic puzzles like this before, then you should get the gist of things quickly.

The controls are effortless and intuitive. When you are in “Build Mode,” you just drag-and-drop the various module pieces available to you onto the grid. Each piece can be rotated using the buttons in the editor mode as you select them on the board, and you can change the sequential number of each piece as you go if needed. If you change your mind about a module, just tap on the trash can button to get rid of it, and when you are satisfied with the placement, tap on the checkmark to set it in place.

Repeat the process for each module, and once everything is in position, switch over to the “Sequence Mode” and tap on the play button. You’ll see your sequence in action, but if there are any collisions, then it was unsuccessful. For your solution to be a success, it has to grab enough cells in order to fill the gauge, otherwise, you’ll have to rethink the pieces of the puzzle and find the right order of events.

For the moments when you are stuck and can’t figure out a solution, there are “Hint Points” that you can earn by completing puzzles. Using a point means that the game will show you the spot that one module should go, and you have to figure the rest out on your own, or use another hint point. Since the game is mostly just trial-and-error, I recommend saving the hints for the super difficult levels later on, when you’ve exhausted all possibilities.

While the game only has 72 levels but has no scoring system or medals to earn, there is still a lot of content to enjoy for your dollar, since the puzzles are challenging. To make things better, the game has no in-app purchases, so you must earn your hints and use your brain to complete The Sequence.

I’m still early on in the game, but I’ve been enjoying it a lot so far. The visuals are crisp and colorful, the music is lovely, the controls feel natural and are easy to pick up, and the puzzles can prove to be difficult enough to keep you busy for a long time.

I highly recommend grabbing The Sequence if you are a fan of sequential and logical puzzle games. The Sequence can be found on the App Store as a universal download for $0.99 with no ads or in-app purchases.