Is there anyone that fails?
Is there anyone that falls?
Am I the only one in church today
Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions on Xbox One does what it says on the tin. It looks great and delivers a series of enjoyable jigsaw puzzles but can get more than a little frustrating throughout. This bundle contains Glass Masquerade and Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions – beautifully artistic and calmly challenging puzzle games from developer Onyx Lute. Enjoy these two highly acclaimed games as you piece together over 50 intricately designed jigsaws at your own relaxed pace.
EVERYONE Welcome to Glass Masquerade – an artistic puzzle game inspired by Art Deco and stained-glass artisans of the 20th century. Combine hidden glass pieces to unveil clocks and themes exhibited by various cultures of the world at the 'International Times Exhibition' - an interactive electronic show. Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions is a dreamlike collection of artistic jigsaw puzzles to piece together at your own relaxed pace. On our stained glass masquerade. CHORUS: Are we happy plastic people. Under shiny plastic steeples. With walls around our weakness. And smiles to hide our pain? But if the invitation’s open. To every heart that has been broken. Maybe then we close the curtain. On our stained glass masquerade. Is there anyone that fails? Is there anyone that.
Feelin’ so small?
‘Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong
So I tuck it all away, like every thing’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So, with a painted grin, I play the part again
So, everyone will see me the way that I see them
CHORUS:
Are we happy plastic people
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain?
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade
Is there anyone who’s been there?
Glass Masquerade Review
Are there any hands to raise?
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage?
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be?
Would your arms be open?
Glass Masquerade 2
Or would you walk away?
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay?
CHORUS:
Are we happy plastic people
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain?
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
Glass Masquerade Review
On our stained glass masquerade
CHORUS:
Are we happy plastic people
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain?
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade
Is there anyone that fails?
Is there anyone that falls?
Am I the only one in church today
Feelin’ so small?
Platforms: PC/Mac (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 (reviewed), Xbox One, Google Play
The introduction of trophies and achievements into video games has been a blessing and a curse. On one hand, they may push us to do things we otherwise might not, allowing us to get more out of our games. For me though, seeing that pointless number go up and acquiring those beautiful platinum trophies on Sony’s platforms has become almost problematic. I’ve gotten to the point where I’ll buy games solely for trophies or use trophies as a deciding factor in purchasing one game over another. This has led me to buy my fair share of mediocre games and even a few downright bad ones. Every once in a while though, I’ll end up grabbing a game that is actually pretty good. One such example of this is the artistic puzzle game Glass Masquerade.
If you’re familiar with putting together jigsaw puzzles, you’ll immediately be familiar with the gameplay of Glass Masquerade. You’ll be given an assortment of pieces that you must combine in order to fill in a clock with beautiful Art Deco and stained glass designs. Each piece starts as just a silhouette, and as you examine it, it will reveal its design. Examining each piece also positions it exactly the way it will fit into the puzzle, making figuring out where each of these uniquely shaped pieces fits a little more forgiving.
While there isn’t really a story in Glass Masquerade, its puzzles are broken down into a bit of a campaign. You’ll be tasked with exploring the International Times Exhibition which features 25 different puzzles that each represents a different country from around the world. Each puzzle, when completed, will unveil a picture that is unique to the culture of that particular country and also features music inspired by that country. The music wasn’t particularly memorable, but it lends itself well to the relaxing nature of the game.
There’s a lot to enjoy with Glass Masquerade, but there are a few issues I feel are worth mentioning. First of all, it’s a short experience and probably won’t take you more than 2 or 3 hours to finish all 25 puzzles. An assortment of difficulty levels that either added more pieces or maybe had pieces that needed to be rotated in order to figure out how they fit in the puzzle would have gone a long way in both creating a more challenging experience and adding to replayability.
The other issue I have is with the pricing. Right now you can get it on Steam for $5 (and also have access to cheap DLC puzzles), but if you want to pick it up on consoles it will run you around $12 (with only access to the base game), which feels like a bit much for what is offered. It has been on sale multiple times since it was released earlier this year on consoles (I think I got it for $2 or $3), so I’d recommend picking it up on Steam or waiting for a sale unless you’re a die hard puzzle fan.
Glass Masquerade is a game that is all about offering a relaxing experience and it does just that with great success. Its 25 puzzles probably won’t take you more than a few hours to complete, and the price is a bit steep on consoles, but if it sounds like something you’d enjoy then you probably will. It’s definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of jigsaw puzzles or just need an experience to chill out with.