Summary
There aren’t many better ways to pass time than a good oldpuzzle game. The simple yet complex and challenging nature of these games can keep you entertained for a long time, and these can also be the perfect games to play on the go, especially when they don’t require an internet connection.
As there are so many amazing puzzle games out there, we will try to pick some from different types of sub-genres, so there is a lot more variety for you to choose from.
Myst is a mix of an adventure and puzzle game that is a remake of the original made in 1993. The basic premise of the game is based on walking around the beautiful island and finding clues and solving the puzzles that you come across.
As you solve more puzzles, you will be able to travel to other Ages and explore different islands, all of which have their own different and beautiful surroundings. If you really want to immerse yourself into the world of Myst, then checkingthis game out on VRis a good option as it makes it feel a lot more realistic.
Originally released in 2008, Braid received an updated anniversary edition in 2024 which makes the puzzle-platformer game look a lot better while keeping the same fun and challenging gameplay. There are a lot of cool mechanics that make this game so fun, and most of them rely on usingtime-travel-based abilitiesto solve puzzles and clear levels.
This game has some of the smartest puzzles we have seen, and casual puzzle game players might struggle with them a little. Along with the puzzles, Braid’s great soundtrack and underlying narrative are also good enough reasons to check out the game.
The Turing Test is the perfect game for any casual players who want the fun of solving relatively easy puzzles while enjoying the story of the game. You play the role of a space engineer who has been sent to investigate the disappearance of a crew on Jupiter’s moon, and you have to solve the puzzles left behind by them to find out the reason for their disappearance.
The first-person nature of The Turing Test makes it feel very immersive and its eerie soundtrack and dark graphics make you feel as if you are truly alone in space, with nobody but your AI companion to guide you.
Superliminal is a first-person puzzle game that tests your mind as well as your creativity. The core theme of the game is thinking outside the box, and that’s exactly what you will have to do if you want to get through it’s confusing andmind-bending levels filled with optical illusionsand clever puzzles.
There is also a story behind the puzzles, which keeps becoming more and more twisted as you progress through the game. Superliminal has some of the most unique mechanics we have ever seen in a puzzle game, with its only flaw being that it is very short at just two and a half hours.
Riven is the sequel to Myst, and it is arguably a much better game, and it is much more challenging in terms of its puzzles as well. The graphics of this game are surreal and the world of Riven has been beautifully crafted and the fact that you can roam around it makes the whole experience so much better.
You will also have plenty of puzzles to solve as you move around, with some of the late-games ones being especially tough and testing how much attention you have paid to the game.
The Talos Principle is more than just a simple puzzle game, as itfeatures a philosophical narrativethat will have you questioning who you are as a person. Solving the variety of technology-based puzzles while thinking about the questions of life and humanity is a great way to pass the time and keep yourself entertained.
It makes good use of gadget-based items such as jammers, turrets, buzzers, laser connectors and much more throughout all the different environments in the game. There is also a sequel to The Talos Principle you can try out which is just as good, if not better.
Return Of The Obra Dinn is one of the most unique and challenging puzzle games you will ever play. You are tasked with assessing the damage of a ship that has returned without any of its crew members, and in the process you figure out what the real mystery is behind it.
There isno hand-holding in this game, and you will pretty much have to figure out everything by yourself, from identifying dead bodies to figuring out their causes of death. This game certainly isn’t for everyone as it can be quite confusing and unique, but there aren’t many better options if you are looking for a puzzle game that comes with a real challenge.
Fez is a mix of anopen-world platformermixed with a puzzle game. This game has a vivid art-style and makes use of different dimensions to create levels that will test your mind as well as your platforming skills, although it is quite lenient in both regards and doesn’t punish players too much.
What makes Fez so good is its emphasis on the visual aspect. The different perspective changes and the large amount of exploration you have to do to find certain clues keeps things exciting and makes this game different from others.
Portal 2 is not only one of the best puzzle games, but also one of the most iconic games of all time. The premise of this game is simple, as you have to use your portal gun to open up portals to help you complete levels full of different challenges. Although this game can also be played co-op, it is just as fun by yourself and it also has a completely different campaign mode for solo and co-op players.
Its funny robot characters provide entertainment throughout your struggles, its campaign mode actually has an unexpectedly interesting story, and the challenging puzzles test your intelligence.
One of the most exciting games to be released within the last decade, Baba Is You is indisputably one of the best puzzle games of all time due to its interesting concept where you have the power of changing the rules of the game to progress through the levels.
These puzzles are super satisfying to solve, and they make you feel as if you truly are controlling your own destiny or outsmarting the game, even if all the solutions are already fixed, and you’re just doing what you are supposed to. This is a must-try game for all puzzle lovers, and it can also be downloaded on mobile devices if you’re looking to play it on the go.
