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Myst-Like Puzzle Game 'The Witness' Now Available From the App Store
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Think yourself lucky it's only $10. I paid £40 ($54) for the PS4 version when it came out last year. Well worth it IMO. It's a fantastic game that challenges your perceptions, forces you to think outside the box and makes you look at the (real) world in a different light.
Why? Because it's no good or because there are still ads in it even though it's a paid game or something like that?
$10 to get a full program with no IAP or microtransactions needed to complete the full game without grinding?
Yes please. Can I have more?
You're probably dealing with someone who wasn't even born when the original Myst came out, and has only played the Real Myst full 3D remakes.
The thing that is holding me back is the trailer for the game. It looks fine and all, but the puzzles appear to be quite repetitive. I even looked up a review and found this: "Different areas correspond to different puzzle types. Though all of them ultimately have you tracing lines on panels." That's what I saw in the trailer. Multiple versions of "trace your finger along the right path".
I spend that much on a single beer in a bar. This game will bring many more hours of enjoyment. Well worth it.
They are repetitive, but that's part of the brilliance of this game. The puzzles are all designed around a single basic concept, but the game gradually introduces new "rules" that combine in challenging ways. And just when you think you've got it all figured out...you're forced to think outside the box. It's incredibly well-done.
I'd be happy to pay 10$ for it, but I want it on Apple TV, not iOS. Otherwise I would rather pick up the Mac version when it comes on sale.
Such a nice looking game with slow moving gameplay Is perfect for the big screen!
Such a nice looking game with slow moving gameplay Is perfect for the big screen!
I bought this game on PC (for full $40) and can't recommend this game enough. It's the kind of top-tier puzzle game that doesn't come around very often.
This game is not for everyone though. It's for the inquisitive minds who can find motivations to solve challenging and hard problems that while hard, are fair (IMO) and makes you go "aha!" once you figure them out. You need to be observant and notice the environment (which looks sterile and boring initially until you play longer and forced to pay attention to them more due to how the game puzzles work). There is kind of a light story and the game can get philosophical which borders on being pretentious but you can safely ignore that while playing and focus on puzzles.
The Myst comparison is unfortunate. Both games are puzzle games set on a deserted island, but the nature of the games are a little different. The Witness is more like a... zen experience.
It's similar to how first person shooters just involve "shooting things".
One thing about the designer of this game is he's *really* good at taking one idea, and stretch it out to explore all sorts of possibilities and potentials, while avoiding duplicate puzzles (each one is intended to teach something or challenge you in a unique way). It's really an example of depth over breath, but it does require you to like the core mechanic. His previous game, Braid, also took one single idea (platformer with time travel) and took it all the way.
Edit: And yes, I made an account just to post this.
This game is not for everyone though. It's for the inquisitive minds who can find motivations to solve challenging and hard problems that while hard, are fair (IMO) and makes you go "aha!" once you figure them out. You need to be observant and notice the environment (which looks sterile and boring initially until you play longer and forced to pay attention to them more due to how the game puzzles work). There is kind of a light story and the game can get philosophical which borders on being pretentious but you can safely ignore that while playing and focus on puzzles.
The Myst comparison is unfortunate. Both games are puzzle games set on a deserted island, but the nature of the games are a little different. The Witness is more like a... zen experience.
It's similar to how first person shooters just involve "shooting things".
One thing about the designer of this game is he's *really* good at taking one idea, and stretch it out to explore all sorts of possibilities and potentials, while avoiding duplicate puzzles (each one is intended to teach something or challenge you in a unique way). It's really an example of depth over breath, but it does require you to like the core mechanic. His previous game, Braid, also took one single idea (platformer with time travel) and took it all the way.Edit: And yes, I made an account just to post this.
It's similar to how first person shooters just involve "shooting things".
Edit: And yes, I made an account just to post this.
I'm fine with what it is. I just wanted to make sure I was understanding what I was seeing. It sounds like I was. That doesn't mean it's not worth the money. I just want to understand what it actually is before spending the money. I hadn't even heard of this game until last night.
All interaction with the world is done by tracing lines. Usually directly with your finger, except in the areas you see in the trailer at 0:25 - 0:30, where you walk along the path. But it's not just a bunch of puzzles scattered around an unrelated pretty environment. The trailer holds back so you can make some discoveries about the world by yourself.