I have the three versions. I prefer the last one, Infinite.

However, some people who started with the Infinite, said the game was not good, impossible to solve without guessing, etc. That's why I recommend the basic version first, because the level of difficulty increases gradually.

I read the reviews, they staste Infinite involves guessing and it makes it faulted in comparison to the first one. On the other hand, Infinite is supposed to have a level generator. Does it provide some replayability beyond theory? Also is the quality of basic singleplayer levels comparable to any previous release of the franchise?

=> Play Hexcells then Hexcells Plus then Hexcells Infinite.

First you learn to walk, then you learn to ride a bike and then you learn to drive a car. And not the other way round.

If you do that you don't come to the idea that you have to guess, because

=> you start at easy, you learn step by step and you build up *confidence by experience with each solved puzzle* (IMO the most important factor, because if you trust you keep trying without losing focus and wasting energy to doubt the puzzle and/or yourself), that Hexcells does not involve guessing.

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Or you can start with Plus and Infinite and we might or might not see you soon again posting that it's impossible to solve the puzzles without guessing -- not recommended
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If you seriously only want to buy one of them, choose Infinite. Because it has a random game generator and also a way to play levels that other people create. But all of them are good. And yes, there is no guesswork needed.

Originally posted by Jxt09:

If you seriously only want to buy one of them, choose Infinite. Because it has a random game generator and also a way to play levels that other people create. But all of them are good. And yes, there is no guesswork needed.

Big "if".

Wait for the sales then you get all three for less the price of one. It's such a great game and in every case worth the money and supporting/give merit to the devs.

I would not start with Infinite but if you a determined to buy only one, then go for Infinite.

I would say start with the first game, because Plus and Infinite don't waste a lot of time going easy on you.

Originally posted by Consumerism Temple:

I read the reviews, they staste Infinite involves guessing and it makes it faulted in comparison to the first one.

Those reviews are flat-out wrong then, because it's all quite solvable without guessing -- even Infinite's randomly generated levels, which are done by algorithm to ensure uniqueness -- and most of us on these forums have done it and are willing to dispense hints.

User-created levels in Infinite may require guessing, but there's no ensuring anything about user-created content. The levels posted on the subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/hexcellslevels/) are pretty quickly vetted by the rest of us, and the poster usually either runs it through an autosolver just to make sure, or edits his puzzle when we can show it's not possible. Still, expect those levels to be harder than the main games, sometimes by a LOT.

Originally posted by Waypoint:

User-created levels in Infinite may require guessing, but there's no ensuring anything about user-created content. The levels posted on the subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/hexcellslevels/) are pretty quickly vetted by the rest of us, and the creator usually runs it through an autosolver just to make sure. Still, expect those levels to be harder than the main games, sometimes by a LOT.

I had a look at your link but am a bit puzzled. Could you post an example how to insert a reddit puzzle into Hexcells Infinite? Would quite like to solve a really hard one.

Copy the entire text of the puzzle into your clipboard (from "Hexcells level v1" all the way down to the final dot), then hid "Load Custom Puzzle" on the main menu of Infinite.

For all you none believers, I have played all 3 games all the way thru, in addition to 1500 random games, plus another 100 or so very difficult levels created by the community and I NEVER HAD TO GUESS ONCE!!!!

SO WAKE UP AND STOP SPREADING LIES ABOUT THE NEED TO GUESS! JEEZ!

Originally posted by Waypoint:

Copy the entire text of the puzzle into your clipboard (from "Hexcells level v1" all the way down to the final dot), then hid "Load Custom Puzzle" on the main menu of Infinite.

It works. Thanks mate!

Thanks for the answers, I am a minimalist, therefore - even though the price of a bundle is just slightly bigger than that of the Hexcells Infinite - I would rather have one, then decide if that will suffice, but this depends whether I think it is worthy or necessary.

Originally posted by "▀▄ Doc Greystone² ▄▀":

First you learn to walk, then you learn to ride a bike and then you learn to drive a car. And not the other way round.

Originally posted by "Waypoint":

I would say start with the first game, because Plus and Infinite don't waste a lot of time going easy on you.

Nice comparison. But I can expect to get some tutorial in the Infinite or should I be thrown into deep water right off the bat?

Regarding guessing, true in a real puzzle game one should be able to solve the riddles without guessing and though some imply in Hexcells Infinite it is unavoidable sooner or later, most of you state it is the matter of skill, which seems understandable. But does the game mechanic predict guessing or is it an outcome of situational configuration?

Originally posted by Consumerism Temple:

Thanks for the answers, I am a minimalist, therefore - even though the price of a bundle is just slightly bigger than that of the Hexcells Infinite - I would rather have one, then decide if that will suffice, but this depends whether I think it is worthy or necessary.

But I can expect to get some tutorial in the Infinite or should I be thrown into deep water right off the bat?

Regarding guessing, true in a real puzzle game one should be able to solve the riddles without guessing and though some imply in Hexcells Infinite it is unavoidable sooner or later

THE PUZZLES ARE DESIGNED THAT YOU NEVER HAVE TO GUESS.

Hexcells gives you enough information, Windows Minesweeper not. There is no such thing as "sooner or later it's unavoidable". When you feel that you have to guess it's time to give the game a break. As Waypoint already wrote it could only happen if somebody posted a flawed puzzle or you made a copy-paste error when copying it - but never in the in-game-puzzles and not with the generator. You really need to trust the answers if you pose a question.

IN HEXCELLS YOU NEVER HAVE TO GUESS!
IN HEXCELLS YOU NEVER HAVE TO GUESS!
IN HEXCELLS YOU NEVER HAVE TO GUESS!
IN HEXCELLS YOU NEVER HAVE TO GUESS!
IN HEXCELLS YOU NEVER HAVE TO GUESS!
IN HEXCELLS YOU NEVER HAVE TO GUESS!

About tutorial:

Infinite will introduce to you all the rules you need to know, step by step, and you will have a couple of easy maps when a new rules is introduced. But it gets faster hard. If you wanna relax Hexcells is better, because you feel like the dude, you come into the flow! With Plus and Infinite you will be quite soon thinking a lot. And back to the example with learning to drive: You can go to the final test without taking a lot of car drive lessons, if you are good in theory, but it would be easier if you have the chance to gather more experience before the big challenge(s).

However, if you are a dedicated minimalist go for Infinite. You get infinite games for a minimal amount of bucks and your library will not look overfilled too. It is makable this way, you can anytime post question here and you will get quick help, the community is really amazing in my opinon, but don't post anything like "these puzzles can only be solved with guessing" just because you skipped part 1 and 2. If you can't solve something it will be because you overlooked something - and I think that happens to most people if not to say to all. Usually it helpes if you take a break and give it a new try when you are rested and fresh.

Note: Sometimes when a puzzle seemed to be not solvable I forgot to take the information from the counter (on top right of screen https://gyazo.com/0a0ce8fe91a7c9eadcdfb112f592c463 ) into account, which tells you how many blue hexcells are remaining.

The non-generated puzzles are all handcrafted specifically in a way that you'll never have to guess. The generator runs an algorithm that not only also ensures uniqueness and never having to guess, but if anything gives you too many clues. I'm not clear on the details but I think it adds them until it can run a solver against it.

Furthermore, solvers for this game have been created, and are used to generate the text dump to import custom puzzles. Even if you don't believe us when we say we've done all of these puzzles ourselves and can offer assistance at any point (probably 2/3 of the threads in all three Hexcells forums), all ingame levels check out against it.

Let's put it this way: since the game came out years ago, there has been exactly one case where the generator spat out an unsolvable puzzle -- and it was caused by a crash halfway through generating it (long since fixed, and it had other symptoms too). There's always the possibility of another generation bug somewhere, sometime, but it's got a really, really strong track record so far.

Originally posted by Waypoint:

Let's put it this way: since the game came out years ago, there has been exactly one case where the generator spat out an unsolvable puzzle -- and it was caused by a crash (long since fixed).

Nice one

Thank you for the tips and answers, I will get Infinite then, even though I am aware it may appear steep in difficulty very shortly.