Hook 2 is a catchy minimalist untangling puzzle game Rock Paper Shotgun Support us Join our newsletter Visit our store Sign in / Create account If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Untangling minimalist puzzles in Hook 2 is catchy Taking objects to pieces in the correct order News by Alice O'Connor Associate Editor Published on June 30, 2022 1 comment A few years back, Pip enjoyed Hook, a minimalist puzzle game about untangling mish-mashes of hooks and pins by removing pieces in the correct order. If you try to remove that one, the hook will snag on that pin, so first this pin needs to go but ah! that goes through the middle of this ring, so... it's interesting to understand a shape and system so you can pull it to pieces. Now a sequel is out, and it's also nice, and it's under £2, and it has a demo too. Watch on YouTube Hook 2 is a bit like those ads for Evony: The King's Return with the minotaur, but without that idiot groaning every time he fluffs an easy puzzle. Or it's like Hook, but with more puzzles. Each level opens with an arrangement of individual hooks, loops, and pins. Click the end of one and it'll retract towards its base, unless it snags on another part in the way. So you're looking to figure out the correct order to dissemble everything. Starts simple, gets more complex as moving parts, a whole extra spatial dimension, and other complications come in. I dig it. It's chill and just taxing enough to be satisfying. And the two-tone look is not only attractive, it's a complicating factor in some puzzles, with parts and paths hiding behind others until you look for a new perspective. That's clever. The mechnical clicks and clanks of the process are good too, the suggestion of tinkering with a gizmo or picking a lock. I don't imagine the game will be huge, but it's nice and it's cheap. I'm 51 puzzles deep so far and haven't even encountered some of the components in Hook 2's marketing screenshots. If I had to guess, I'd say they look... controlled by wireless? Oh no. But I trust it will continue to introduce me to concepts gently then ramp up difficulty by mixing with other puzzle elements. Hook 2 is out now on Steam for Windows, Mac, and Linux, with a 10% launch discount making the price a mere £1.52/€1.43/$1.79 until the 6th of July. A free demo is up on that Steam page. Hook 2 is also available for Apple and Android pocket telephones. It's made by Maciej Targoni, who also made the lovely Klocki and other minimalist puzzlers. More News Jack King-Spooner's next handcrafted game has a teaser demo out Judero brings chat and action in the Scottish Borders Alice O'Connor 17 hours ago 1 If you were hoping for any Overwatch 2 balance changes then you'll have to wait until season two The next season begins in December CJ Wheeler 18 hours ago 3 The Dead Space remake will chuck random Necromorphs at you as you wander the Ishimura In space, no one can hear you proper bricking it CJ Wheeler 18 hours ago 8 Valve register mysterious new Neon Prime trademark in the US It doesn’t seem to be for a particularly colourful Steam Deck CJ Wheeler 20 hours ago 11 Latest Articles What are we all playing this weekend? Well? Alice O'Connor an hour ago 21 Past Wordle answers Here's an archive of previous Wordle words Ollie Toms 2 hours ago 1 Wordle answer today (Saturday 15 October) Hints and the answer to today's Wordle word Rebecca Jones 9 hours ago Overwatch 2 hero tier list Which are the best heroes in Overwatch 2? Ollie Toms 16 hours ago Supporters Only You're probably better than me at One Many Nobody You go on without… uh, you? Sin Vega 17 hours ago Supporter podcast - The Nate Files episode 13: dry bones Bad science is also FUN science! Alice Bell 18 hours ago Japanese dating show Love Wagon has surprising parallels with Yakuza and Persona My new obsession Ed Thorn 2 days ago If you're hankering after Bayonetta 3, Valkyrie Elysium might be a good substitute It's not out on PC until next month, but the console demo has been a surprise charmer Katharine Castle 1 week ago 4 We've been talking, and we think that you should wear clothes Total coincidence, but we sell some clothes Buy RPS stuff here