puzzle game recommendations

[hitbyambulance]

my recent spate of playing these adventure-lite/hidden-object/mini-game/puzzle titles made me realize i just want to strip away the derivative plot, the narrative i've seen way too many times already, the tedious pixel hunting, the 'you need a key for this door/a comb tine to pick this lock/a toothbrush to complete your fake mustache' boring adventure game conventions that were interesting back in the 1980s and the silly hidden-object-everything and just have a game composed purely of puzzles. any recommendations?

[Paradroid]

You're probably aware of The Talos Principle (one of the best puzzle games I've ever played), or anything by Zachtronics such as Opus Magnum?

A bit further off the beaten track there's Glass Masquerade which I think would particularly interest you if you like hidden object games. I find it a lovely way to kill some time. And another fantastic puzzle game I've enjoyed is the Hexcells series such as Hexcells Infinite. I particularly like this because it's so calm and relaxing to play, and also because it's reminiscent of Minesweeper except that, brilliantly, there is always a logical move to make - no guessing required.

[hitbyambulance]

You're probably aware of The Talos Principle (one of the best puzzle games I've ever played), or anything by Zachtronics such as Opus Magnum?

A bit further off the beaten track there's Glass Masquerade which I think would particularly interest you if you like hidden object games. I find it a lovely way to kill some time. And another fantastic puzzle game I've enjoyed is the Hexcells series such as Hexcells Infinite. I particularly like this because it's so calm and relaxing to play, and also because it's reminiscent of Minesweeper except that, brilliantly, there is always a logical move to make - no guessing required.

i will narrow my requirements in that puzzles should be varied and of all different kinds, not all based on the same theme.

i have The Talos Principle (and the VR version) as it's a Croteam title and i have to own everything they release. it actually has an interesting story and has the distinction of being 'the game that made me want to visit Greece someday', but i was actually a bit disappointed with it. the actual puzzles themselves were basically the same throughout the game (up to the point i played) and i was expecting more out of the puzzles themselves, so i drifted off about nine hours in. i was also trying to be a completist and some of the "star difficulty" meta-puzzles are really tricky to figure out. i absolutely will return to this one, but i may have to start over (and i kinda want to play it in VR - haven't tried it yet).

i do have most if not all of the Zachtronics titles. again, very samey throughout - not great variety. and i do have two of the Hexcells titles.

Glass Masquerade has a nice aesthetic, but it's a jigsaw game, which i'm not interested in.

[Anonymous Bosch]

If you've not played it, I highly recommend Return of the Obra Dinn:



I posted my thoughts on it here. It's absolutely one of the best PC puzzle games I've ever played, and utterly engrossing if you enjoy solving logic puzzles.

[hitbyambulance]

If you've not played it, I highly recommend Return of the Obra Dinn:

I posted my thoughts on it here. It's absolutely one of the best PC puzzle games I've ever played, and utterly engrossing if you enjoy solving logic puzzles.

admittedly, i passed this one over due to the 1985-era Macintosh graphics style - NOT A FAN. but i will give it another look. i have been reading a number of the 'high seas' classics over the past few years.

EDIT: all right, added it to the wishlist. that was a no-brainer.

i should also get Gorogoa one of these days

[Isgrimnur]

[stimpy]

The Room series is pretty good.

[hitbyambulance]

have it!

The Room series is pretty good.

the closest yet to fulfilling the requirement of 'varied puzzles'. those would be a good candidate for a bundle, i think. added the trilogy + the VR edition to wishlist. (is "The Room VR" a remake, a compilation of the trilogy, or is it all totally new puzzles?)

[Anonymous Bosch]

If you've not played it, I highly recommend Return of the Obra Dinn:

I posted my thoughts on it here. It's absolutely one of the best PC puzzle games I've ever played, and utterly engrossing if you enjoy solving logic puzzles.

admittedly, i passed this one over due to the 1985-era Macintosh graphics style - NOT A FAN. but i will give it another look. i have been reading a number of the 'high seas' classics over the past few years.

EDIT: all right, added it to the wishlist. that was a no-brainer.

i should also get Gorogoa one of these days

Seriously, do not let the graphics put you off. Rest assured, once you get into playing the game, the visual style becomes highly reminiscent of those early 19th century pen and ink illustrations and definitely adds to the overall creepy and sinister nautical vibe.

Also, if the game had full colour or photorealistic visuals, it would be incredibly gruesome and brutal. Because what the crew goes through definitely is not for the faint of heart. And the process of gradually figuring out what took place solely through logical deduction greatly enhances your immersion in the story.

[stimpy]

the closest yet to fulfilling the requirement of 'varied puzzles'. those would be a good candidate for a bundle, i think. added the trilogy + the VR edition to wishlist. (is "The Room VR" a remake, a compilation of the trilogy, or is it all totally new puzzles?)

The Room VR is completely new.

[Lordnine]

the closest yet to fulfilling the requirement of 'varied puzzles'. those would be a good candidate for a bundle, i think. added the trilogy + the VR edition to wishlist. (is "The Room VR" a remake, a compilation of the trilogy, or is it all totally new puzzles?)

The Room VR is really well made but I am going to give the caveat that it is also really short. I finished it in about 4 hours. Great on sale but I would hesitate to pay the $30 asking price. This is coming from someone who has enjoyed all the games in the Room series.

[hitbyambulance]

The Room VR is really well made but I am going to give the caveat that it is also really short. I finished it in about 4 hours. Great on sale but I would hesitate to pay the $30 asking price. This is coming from someone who has enjoyed all the games in the Room series.

yeah, there's a 0% chance i'd pay $30 for that - it'd have to be seriously discounted for me to consider it.

[hitbyambulance]

have it!

i'm trying this out again. so far, the puzzles are.. ok... but i have a persistent left/right 'dyslexia' since as long as i can remember, and that's making this one more challenging than it ought to be. and there are times i have no clue what's going on... say this one, level 10 - i wasn't sure what i needed to do at all, so i had to look up a video solution:



i didn't get that the gold gear was a speed changer, but it still took me a while to figure out that the order of the gears mattered here.

i _really_ do not enjoy the move and time optimization goals. movement especially - i can not move more than one tile at a time in any expedient way. my brain can not handle it. this one is not for me, as designed... but i'll plug away at it a bit more to see if i can get used to it.

[paulbaxter]

FWIW, I liked both of the Puzzle Agent games. They have a narrative arc, but each step of the story involves solving some different type of puzzle.

[Hrdina]

Have you ever played any of the Fool's Errand games by Cliff Johnson? The most "recent" (2012) is The Fool and his Money. The downside is that it's $40 for an 8-year-old game, but you definitely won't finish it quickly.

IIRC, I played the first game on a Mac Plus.

[hitbyambulance]

FWIW, I liked both of the Puzzle Agent games. They have a narrative arc, but each step of the story involves solving some different type of puzzle.

i was playing through the first one, but drifted off. i should go back, as it takes place in my home state

Have you ever played any of the Fool's Errand games by Cliff Johnson? The most "recent" (2012) is The Fool and his Money. The downside is that it's $40 for an 8-year-old game, but you definitely won't finish it quickly.

IIRC, I played the first game on a Mac Plus.

yup, well familiar with them since the first one in the 1980s, and a significant inspiration for this thread.

[Isgrimnur]

have it!

i'm trying this out again. so far, the puzzles are.. ok... but i have a persistent left/right 'dyslexia' since as long as i can remember, and that's making this one more challenging than it ought to be. and there are times i have no clue what's going on... say this one, level 10 - i wasn't sure what i needed to do at all, so i had to look up a video solution:

i didn't get that the gold gear was a speed changer, but it still took me a while to figure out that the order of the gears mattered here.

i _really_ do not enjoy the move and time optimization goals. movement especially - i can not move more than one tile at a time in any expedient way. my brain can not handle it. this one is not for me, as designed... but i'll plug away at it a bit more to see if i can get used to it.

I look at it like the LEGO games. Solve the level first, then go back for the max completion, if inclined.

As for that level, utilizing the 3D helps see the elements at play, the gear depths, and the differing sizes to change the rotational speed.

[JetFred]

My Steam reviews may be of some help.

[hitbyambulance]

The Room VR is really well made but I am going to give the caveat that it is also really short. I finished it in about 4 hours. Great on sale but I would hesitate to pay the $30 asking price. This is coming from someone who has enjoyed all the games in the Room series.

yeah, there's a 0% chance i'd pay $30 for that - it'd have to be seriously discounted for me to consider it.

The Room 1 & 2 are on sale right now for $1.24 each, and 3 for $2.99. good to know they go for cheap at times. VR is $20.09

[hitbyambulance]

The House of Da Vinci (inspired by The Room series) is (or can be) part of this cheapie bundle:

https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-m ... ction-2020

[stimpy]

Playing House of Da Vinci right now.
Think I have 1 or 2 levels left.
been pretty good and straightforward up until the level I just finished.
A couple of non-sensical puzzles in that one.