Hexologic strips back the brain training game format and reinvents it in a way that is both challenging and soothing.

The game’s ability to relax you is built into every element of it. The pastel colour scheme is combined with a gentle art style that is evocative of somewhere calm and immersed in nature. This is complimented by soft music that completes the calming atmosphere.

All this makes for a really distinct style that invites you to sink into the game at any time.

The gameplay itself consists of a unique puzzle that is faintly reminiscent of Sudoku but with more adding. The puzzles definitely make you think, but aren’t hugely challenging. If you are capable of adding one to two to three, you probably won’t have too much trouble.

This relatively low level of difficulty works very well with the relaxed tone of the game as a whole. It doesn’t feel like Hexologic is designed to make you struggle to work out the solution to each puzzle, but to give you enough of challenge to keep your mind feeling sharp and thinking creatively.

One of the impressive things about Hexologic is the way that it teaches you how to play, which – like almost everything else about the game – is charming in its simplicity. The opening tutorial starts you off with a puzzle with only one possible answer and a visual of which button you push to get it.

There is no explanatory text telling you what to do. This means that the game is easily accessible to anyone regardless of what language they speak or whether or not they can even read. This is a really nice touch that might go unnoticed by most players, but could make a world of difference to others.

There are a good few hundred puzzles to solve that gradually increase in difficult with each one you unlock. Players with a big appetite for puzzles can probably power though the lot in the space of a day.

But the way that the game is structured makes it great for giving your mind a quick workout no matter how busy your day might be.

Hexologic isn’t the most complicated game you’ll ever play. But a lot of love has gone into crafting an atmospheric and enjoyable series of puzzles that is well worth the few bucks it costs.