PictoQuest on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

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Logic puzzles with a light RPG twist, here comes PictoQuest!

PictoQuest is a casual, indie and puzzle game developed by NanoPiko and published by PID Games.
Released on February 04th 2020 is available only on Windows in 9 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish - Spain, Korean, Russian, Simplified Chinese and Japanese.

It has received 533 reviews of which 441 were positive and 92 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.8 out of 10. 😊

The game is currently priced at 0.79€ on Steam with a 90% discount, but you can find it for less on Eneba.

The Steam community has classified PictoQuest into these genres:

Casual Indie Puzzle 2D Pixel Graphics

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at PictoQuest through various videos and screenshots.

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows

OS *: Windows 7 SP1+ / Windows 8 / Windows 10
Processor: 2 Ghz Dual Core or better with SSE2 support
Memory: 500 MB RAM
Graphics: Graphics card with DX10 (shader model 4.0) capabilities
DirectX: Version 10

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

Nov. 2025

What you would expect from nonograms with a twist - mistakes or playing too slowly lead to losing HP or gold. When you finish a puzzle, the reward is an animated painting, which is a nice touch and brings a bit more life to the map. Some puzzles can be solved by following symmetry or intuition. The buff/debuff system could be clearer. This game is often on sale, so you might want to wait for a discount. Check steamDB for more info about that.

Oct. 2025

PictoQuest, developed by NanoPiko and published by PID Games, is a colorful and inventive puzzle adventure that merges the traditional logic of nonogram puzzles with light RPG mechanics. It reimagines the familiar structure of picture-based grid solving into a charming fantasy world filled with quirky enemies, spells, and an overarching quest to save the land of Pictoria. At first glance, it seems like a simple puzzle title, but it stands out for how it injects personality and energy into what is often a solitary and methodical genre. The result is a game that feels both relaxing and engaging, rewarding both quick thinking and logical deduction. At its core, PictoQuest remains faithful to the classic nonogram, or “Picross,” formula. Each puzzle is presented as a grid of squares that must be filled or left blank according to numerical clues displayed along its edges. The goal is to reveal a hidden image by correctly interpreting these numbers and patterns. The game, however, adds an interesting twist by integrating combat mechanics into the puzzle-solving process. Instead of solving a grid in isolation, players face off against enemies that attack periodically while they work. Every correctly completed row or column strikes back at the monster, dealing damage, while errors or hesitation leave the player vulnerable. This creates a delicate balance between precision and speed—forcing players to think carefully while remaining aware of the ticking battle timer. It transforms the tranquil logic of Picross into something more dynamic, giving a sense of urgency rarely found in puzzle games. The game’s world structure is simple but effective. You move across a map of the kingdom of Pictoria, unlocking new levels, earning gold, and gradually progressing through a light-hearted storyline about recovering cursed paintings stolen by the villainous Moonface. The two protagonists, Flöh and Arvel, serve as charming avatars on this journey, each possessing unique visual flair and a few minor differences in gameplay approach. The game’s whimsical tone and colorful art direction perfectly complement its accessible design. Every environment, from sunny villages to icy tundras, is vibrant and inviting, and each puzzle contributes to the feeling of adventure. The visual feedback of revealing pictures and defeating enemies is satisfying, especially when combined with cheerful music and crisp sound effects that make every grid completion feel like a victory. Progression in PictoQuest is built around completing puzzles to earn gold, which can then be spent in shops on items and spells that help in tougher battles. These include tools that reveal parts of the puzzle, delay enemy attacks, or provide healing. Though these features don’t drastically change the gameplay loop, they add a layer of strategy and resource management that complements the core puzzle mechanics. The gradual increase in difficulty is handled well, with early puzzles serving as an introduction to the rules and larger, more complex grids appearing as the player advances. Eventually, players will encounter 15x15 and 20x20 puzzles that demand much more concentration and logical deduction. The game rewards patience and observation, offering the same satisfaction that Picross fans have always loved while providing enough variety to keep the experience from feeling repetitive. While the idea of mixing puzzle-solving with RPG combat is creative, the depth of those RPG elements remains fairly light. The turn-based combat and upgrade systems serve more as framing devices than as robust mechanics. Enemies vary in appearance but not drastically in behavior, and most of the challenge still stems from the puzzle itself rather than from managing complex battle systems. For some players, this simplicity may be a relief, allowing the puzzles to remain the focus. For others expecting a deeper hybrid experience, the lack of evolving mechanics or narrative complexity may lead to fatigue after a few hours. The story, though charming, stays in the background, functioning more as motivation for progress than as a source of dramatic tension. From a design perspective, PictoQuest succeeds most in accessibility. Its user interface is intuitive, its tutorials clear, and its controls responsive across both mouse and controller inputs. The game is easy to pick up, making it perfect for quick play sessions or for newcomers to the genre. The clean presentation helps maintain focus on the puzzles, while the upbeat music and friendly tone ensure the experience never becomes stressful. However, this same simplicity means that experienced nonogram enthusiasts may find the challenge curve too gentle, especially in the early stages. The game does attempt to compensate with larger and more complex puzzles, but the overall difficulty remains on the casual side, prioritizing relaxation over intensity. Despite its brevity and modest scope, PictoQuest leaves a strong impression thanks to its charm and clever blending of ideas. Its marriage of logic puzzle design and light adventure mechanics feels natural and never forced. The developers clearly understand what makes nonograms satisfying and build upon that foundation with playful world-building and small but meaningful layers of interaction. It’s not a game about epic quests or deep systems—it’s about the quiet satisfaction of solving a puzzle while watching your progress unfold through cheerful, animated battles. The sense of accomplishment it provides is immediate and consistent, making it an easy recommendation for anyone seeking a laid-back yet rewarding mental challenge. PictoQuest ultimately succeeds by being exactly what it sets out to be: a delightful and accessible fusion of puzzle-solving and adventure. It’s a perfect example of how a simple concept can feel fresh with just a touch of imagination. The RPG mechanics, while shallow, give the game personality and momentum, and the art direction infuses every grid with life. It may not keep you occupied for dozens of hours, but during its runtime, it delivers a warm, satisfying experience that blends focus, creativity, and fun in equal measure. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Picross or simply looking for something relaxing yet engaging, PictoQuest offers a cheerful escape into the world of logic and fantasy. Rating: 8/10

Aug. 2025

I enjoyed the idea and the majority of the puzzles. There's really no RPG element other than it seems like you're on a quest and you can use items. But you don't level up or have stats. While I enjoyed the puzzles, I disliked the "rush" element of battling and just felt like it took the fun out of working through the game. (I get it's part of the premise, but still.) Still worth a recommend if you need a good batch of new nonograms to solve.

May 2025

Pretty fun Nonogram game that sort of pretends to be partly RPG but it's not really. The puzzles themsleves are well made, there's always a pretty obvious next move so you never have to think too hard - but you also have items to help you, just in case you can't spot the next move, though I hardly ever used them. The story is just nonsense, I skipped pretty much all of it after the first few encounters because it's just pointless filler. The one major problem is the time limits. I thought this would be a relaxing game, but the fact you have to be fast on most levels completely ruins that. Now, this was rarely a *real* issue, since I know most of the tricks and can do Nonograms pretty fast, so with a few exceptions I always had plenty of time/health left. But just the existence of a time limit is already enough to make this a lot more stressful than it needs to be. You do have unlimited retries - but nobody wants to start a puzzle over. That being said, when starting over, if you just remember what it looked like before you lost, you can recreate it pretty fast - which means you're not REALLY starting over. I dunno. The game design's a bit messy on that part. But it was still pretty fun and it was 90% off so it barely cost me anything, so I'm gonna give it a positive. They should absolutely consider adding a "casual" mode though, with the time limits removed.

Feb. 2025

Fun Picross game. Well worth it especially if bought on sale with the amount of puzzles. I've been playing this daily for 2 weeks around lunch break & evening on steam deck and finally completed it today. Puzzles are a mix of combat (timed) and chest (will drain your gold if you guess too many incorrect tiles). Some of the combat-themed puzzles took a few attempts for me to complete since sometimes I didn't balance the timing in between correctly triggering rows & columns so I get hit a lot or rush to the point I make mistakes and get hit. I didn't really like relying on the items from the shop (aside from the health expansion which was quite steep to obtain in the beginning) that assist with solving the puzzle and would say the game is doable without using any items. Pretty fun & cozy game to play while resting.

Frequently Asked Questions

PictoQuest is currently priced at 0.79€ on Steam.

PictoQuest is currently available at a 90% discount. You can purchase it for 0.79€ on Steam.

PictoQuest received 441 positive votes out of a total of 533 achieving a rating of 7.78.

😊

PictoQuest was developed by NanoPiko and published by PID Games.

PictoQuest is playable and fully supported on Windows.

PictoQuest is not playable on MacOS.

PictoQuest is not playable on Linux.

PictoQuest is a single-player game.

PictoQuest does not currently offer any DLC.

PictoQuest does not support mods via Steam Workshop.

PictoQuest does not support Steam Remote Play.

PictoQuest is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.

You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for PictoQuest.

Data sources

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Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates

Steam data	26 January 2026 02:12
SteamSpy data	26 January 2026 19:55
Steam price	28 January 2026 20:28
Steam reviews	26 January 2026 18:07

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about PictoQuest, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about PictoQuest
SteamCharts - Analysis of PictoQuest concurrent players on Steam
ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck PictoQuest compatibility