Spotology (Free) by Pavel Simenov is a reflex-based puzzle game involving a battle with time to find the correct solution quickly. This fast-paced game can become addictive very quickly, as the desire to beat your high score will take over as you wonder what it would take to bump it up just a few points higher. Spotology is definitely one of those games you’ll have a love-hate relationship with, since you’ll be kicking yourself in the foot with every mistake you make, but will still want to play over and over again.

The object of the game is basic enough for anyone to pick up and play, yet teasing enough to push you to keep playing every time you lose. As a series of circles appear within a grid of squares, all you have to do is swipe your finger across each one to turn it into a square in a linear direction so all of the circles will turn to squares in one continuous motion. That means no diagonal connections, no left out circles, and no running into other squares. I would hardly call each scenario a “level” per say, since they only take seconds to complete, but this is essentially what each puzzle is like.

After completing every scenario, 10 seconds will be added to the clock so you can continue to play the game. That means that, as long as you take less than 10 seconds to complete one series of circles, you’re winning. The game is scored by awarding one point per level passed, and as long as you don’t run out of time or make more than three mistakes, you can keep playing forever. Unfortunately, that’s practically impossible, so at some point, you’ll have to start over.

To get a better idea of how Spotology is played, check out the video included below. If you’re having problems viewing it, just head over here.

My initial impression of Spotology was that it was just another one of those trendy, flat-looking puzzle games without a lot of substance. However, for some reason, I just can’t put the thing down. I have managed to gain some control over myself now that I’ve had the game for about a week, but whenever I get curious and decide to open it, it somehow finds a way to suck up a lot of my time. I guess this means that it’s not a particularly boring game, if it means anything.