Back when I reviewed Ouros ($2.99) from Michael Kamm on Steam Deck, I enjoyed it a lot, but thought it was better suited to playing on iOS since it was best with touch controls on Valve’s handheld. Fast forward to today, the spline-based puzzler about forming curves has hit mobile, and I’ve been enjoying replaying it on my iPhone and iPad. Even though this isn’t close to the same style of puzzler, it reminded me of the classic Osmos and its elegance when I started playing, and Ouros is one of the best mobile puzzlers of the year despite a few issues.
Ouros has a very smart way of onboarding and introducing new mechanics. You begin with just the most-basic level of the first chapter where you are taught to drag an orb to move a curve on top of numbered objects. Your aim is to have the rotating orb on said curve follow a path in a specific order, and that’s where the puzzle aspect comes into the picture. How you interact with the orbs, the level changes, obstacles, and even the direction of movement change how you tackle the puzzles. Ouros isn’t a difficult game, but it does have some levels that had me wanting hints.
Right now, Ouros ships with more than 120 puzzles, and I love that you don’t have to solve every single one to move forward. Some levels introduce mechanics that completely change up the game as well, but I love how it never loses sight of being an elegant and relaxing puzzle game even when the levels get a lot more complex later on with different path requirements and obstacles. There’s always the hint system, but it isn’t a direct answer for later levels with you still having to think about forming the curve correctly.
The accessibility of Ouros isn’t just related to it being on the easier side when it comes to puzzle solutions or the hint system, but also in its controls. Ouros is a simple game about dragging orbs with responsive controls to correctly align different curves. You aren’t forced into any pixel perfection or to worry about timers. Think of this as a nice game to chill with when you have a few minutes to kill time and want to do something to keep your brain working.
Visually, Ouros is very pleasing. I love the animation work, sped-up movement when you’ve solved a puzzle, and also the transitions between levels. Even situations where you make an error are accompanied by a delightful little animation. All of this is accompanied by very good performance on every iOS device I tested it on: iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 12, and iPad Pro (2020). I have almost no complaints with the iOS version, but the lack of iCloud save support is disappointing. If you plan on playing Ouros on iOS, stick to one device right now.
Since I was testing it on both devices, I ended up liking it more on iPad than iPhone. It looks and runs great on both, but I enjoy these kinds of games more on the larger screen. I had the same feeling with World of Goo though that requires faster inputs. If you do have the option to play on both, I recommend doing the first three levels and seeing how you feel before settling on a specific device. I would also recommend it on iOS over Steam because these games are better off with full touch controls, and an iPad is more comfortable for a touchscreen game than Steam Deck.
Aside from the lack of iCloud save sync, a few of the later puzzles hold Ouros back a bit, but there’s little wrong with this otherwise creative, elegant, and relaxing puzzle game. Given how it controls perfectly with touch controls, I didn’t bother using a controller.
Ouros was already well worth the asking price on Steam earlier this year, and the lower price on mobile makes it an even easier recommendation. If you enjoy relaxing puzzle games, Ouros is an essential. I hope we see more from developer Michael Kamm in the puzzle space in the near future.