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Myst-Like Puzzle Game 'The Witness' Now Available From the App Store

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Popular PC and console game The Witness finally made its way to the iPhone and iPad tonight with the official release of the iOS version of the game. If you're not familiar with The Witness, it's a 3D Myst-like puzzle adventure game designed by Jonathan Blow, the developer behind popular game Braid.


In The Witness, players take on the role of a mystery person who wakes up alone on an island full of puzzles that need to be solved. The idea is to explore the island (which is open world), finish puzzles, and discover your identity.

There are more than 500 puzzles to solve and dozens of locations to explore on the island. The game, which took seven years to complete, has been well-received on other platforms both for the gameplay balance and art style.

thewitness-800x600.jpg

Our sister site TouchArcade has been eagerly awaiting the launch of The Witness since 2011, when we heard the first hints that the game might eventually be released on iOS devices. TouchArcade has followed its progress since then, and shared the news of its launch tonight.

The Witness is priced at $9.99 in the App Store, which is cheaper than the price from Steam or on consoles. In the Mac App Store, for example, it costs $39.99. The Witness is available now on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Myst-Like Puzzle Game 'The Witness' Now Available From the App Store
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/20/the-witness-hits-the-app-store/
Thanks for the heads up. I'm sure it's a paid article but the App Store has so much crap to sift there that identifying quality content is greatly appreciated.

Curious what other games are like this? I love the room games but they aren't as difficult as old school Myst type puzzlers. Blackbox is good but so many require things that just take timing (distance and elevation puzzles). Any others out there people recommend?
 
This is a great game, but I wouldn't exactly call it Myst-like. It's a game about ideas, rather than story, so if you're expecting a narrative you'll be disappointed. There are some design elements though that are very clearly Myst-inspired.

Jonathan Blow is giving out codes later tonight on Twitter, but you have to be really fast.

Curious what other games are like this? I love the room games but they aren't as difficult as old school Myst type puzzlers. Blackbox is good but so many require things that just take timing (distance and elevation puzzles). Any others out there people recommend?
Click to expand...

Specifically on iOS? Not sure. I played Faraway recently and it was pleasant but even easier than The Room games.
There's much more lucasarts-style puzzle games than Myst-style on iOS. Year Walk, Longest Journey, Machinarium, Syberia, Grim Fandango...

Of course, Obduction by Cyan, the Myst developers, is far and away is the most Myst-like game I've played in a long time, but it's not on iOS.
 
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When I read that it was Myst-like I was definitely interested. That game was far ahead of its time and still sets the bar. Within 5 seconds of launching the video though I knew my hopes were dashed. This is nothing like the rich textures and soundscapes of Myst. Apparently there isn’t even a storyline. Very disappointed.
 
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bmunge said:
Curious what other games are like this? I love the room games but they aren't as difficult as old school Myst type puzzlers. Blackbox is good but so many require things that just take timing (distance and elevation puzzles). Any others out there people recommend?
Click to expand...

I don’t know about this game, but along the lines of Myst and The Room, I like anything from Glitch Games. They do good work. They have eight different games out with more on the way. Lone Wolf and Fire Maple Games also have decent games. But nowhere near as good as the stuff from Glitch in my opinion.
 
FelixDerKater said:
0 chance of paying $10 for it.
Click to expand...
I played this game on ps4 and it is well worth the money! If u like puzzle games this is the best of the best. I hate that they paralleled it to myst, cause it is not a myst type game. It's a sandbox puzzler that points you in no direction and let's the natural inquisitive nature of humans to make you pursue the answers. This game can get frustrating cause some of the puzzles are damn hard. But seriously if u like puzzles buy the game immediately. Only thing I'm not sure is how it runs on Apple, but take the risk it's worth it.
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mpolda said:
When I read that it was Myst-like I was definitely interested. That game was far ahead of its time and still sets the bar. Within 5 seconds of launching the video though I knew my hopes were dashed. This is nothing like the rich textures and soundscapes of Myst. Apparently there isn’t even a storyline. Very disappointed.
Click to expand...
Comparing it to myst was a terrible idea. It's a sandbox puzzler that will never hold ur hand. This game makes you smarter, seriously. It is not easy and it starts off with a simple puzzle and continually adds more complexity to it and you must teach yourself new tricks to master it. I have nothing but praise for this game. Well worth 10$ and is extremely long. Disclaimer : I only played the ps4 version.
 
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MacRumors said:



Popular PC and console game The Witness finally made its way to the iPhone and iPad tonight with the official release of the iOS version of the game. If you're not familiar with The Witness, it's a 3D Myst-like puzzle adventure game designed by Jonathan Blow, the developer behind popular game Braid.


In The Witness, players take on the role of a mystery person who wakes up alone on an island full of puzzles that need to be solved. The idea is to explore the island (which is open world), finish puzzles, and discover your identity.

There are more than 500 puzzles to solve and dozens of locations to explore on the island. The game, which took seven years to complete, has been well-received on other platforms both for the gameplay balance and art style.

thewitness-800x600.jpg

Our sister site TouchArcade has been eagerly awaiting the launch of The Witness since 2011, when we heard the first hints that the game might eventually be released on iOS devices. TouchArcade has followed its progress since then, and shared the news of its launch tonight.

The Witness is priced at $9.99 in the App Store, which is cheaper than the price from Steam or on consoles. In the Mac App Store, for example, it costs $39.99. The Witness is available now on iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Myst-Like Puzzle Game 'The Witness' Now Available From the App Store
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1505973585][/doublepost]Why are games like this not coming out on Apple TV?? Apple TV is such a crappy gaming platform but there a lot of high quality games on iOS. The port to Apple TV should not be that hard...
 
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mpolda said:
This is nothing like the rich textures and soundscapes of Myst.
Click to expand...
Uh... the trailer didn’t even have sound from the game. The textures are low contrast, but there is a reason for that. The game world is very dense with excellent design. There is no filler.

The sound design on The Witness is excellent. No music, though.
 
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FelixDerKater said:
0 chance of paying $10 for it.
Click to expand...

It's a shame you feel that way. I played it on PS4 and it is indeed an amazing game and well worth the (small) price of $10.

I'm not sure about the controls on iOS, so I'd wait for some reviews. But, yeah, if (extremely) difficult puzzle games are not your cup of tea, I'd stay away from this.
 
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I've played through the game on my PC, and I was curious to see how well it worked on iPad, so I bought it. The movement is a bit combersome. I’d like to see an option for an emulated dual-analog stick control instead of just the tap-to-walk controls.
[doublepost=1505978542][/doublepost]
meaning-matters said:
Myst looks 1000 times better.
Click to expand...
E2CC7115-EA6D-43BF-A478-80766DD645A3.jpeg AABB11E6-DA18-465B-88A8-C70817E5F06E.jpeg you must be referring to how perfectly cone shaped the trees in Myst are, compared to the messy trees in The Witness.
 
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This game blew my mind, and at 9.99 it's a no brainer (for me).

Yes, it is true it lacks of a proper story line, but it seems like there's something the author wants to tell you.

As a puzzle game, it is the best I've ever played, seriously. But if you're expecting a mind blowing story...
 
I played this at work on my Xbox One, and a few people started watching me every Lunch. It's a really good game to play on a Big Screen and socialising and working out Puzzles with other people. Playing alone however I was bored out of my mind, there is no story and nothing to keep you going when alone. I preferred Obduction because it's Puzzles were visually better and it had a story and mystery... something The Witness doesn't have.
 
FelixDerKater said:
0 chance of paying $10 for it.
Click to expand...
It took the guy seven years to make. May not be Myst but it looks like an really rich and complex puzzle solver. $10 is 3 or 4 cups of coffee. The problem isn't this game's price. It's our having been spoiled by the early days of the App Store where everything was free or 99¢, even the great stuff. If you go to a brick & mortar game store you'll be happy to find a quality game for $10.

What's surprising to me is that the macOS version costs four times the iOS version. I wonder why.
 
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