The Rise of Puzzle Games

you know I think puzzles are boring the solution to that puzzle was the brick puzzles have always been a staple of video game gameplay but recently they have started to step out of their own genre and become ubiquitous across the medium but you may ask how how I'm getting to that the puzzling perplexities that are perpetually flopped on our plate have created such an addicting Loop that they find themselves in every sort of game so today on blurps let's look at the games that Define puzzles the games that refined puzzles and the games where we find puzzles first off let's look at the experiences that have defined the history of puzzle video games and the first game in that category is Tetris you know Tetris I don't need to explain it but as far as its impact on the gaming industry goes Tetris is what put puzzle games on the map it's a game that spawned a thousand games proving that stories and worlds might be cool but an addicting Loop of satisfying Solutions will enrapture the hearts and minds of Millions Tetris was historically large hell they put that thing on the brick no and ultimately while Tetris might have little to do with the puzzle games we see now it was so influential in the genre getting a start as a whole the next game that helped to Define puzzles was portal if you're anything like me you're depressed but also you played portal growing up as a kid so many people have experienced valve's game design Masterpiece so many people have been perplexed by its odd Inquisition i s so many people have loved to hate GLaDOS and so many people have been drawn to a multitude of other puzzle experiences because of portal portal simple mechanic of holes in the wall that can transport you from place to place or objects from place to place is stretched and molded in so many unique ways that each new room brings an enthralling sense of Discovery whether you're going at it alone or taking it on with a friend it's a masterpiece of game design one that will always be a staple of the puzzle genre but the final game that would go on to define the puzzle genre as we know it now is braid in 2024 we have an indie gaming scene that is made up of 25 to 30% of puzzle games and you may ask how I got that number and ultimately I made it up but regardless so many of my favorite indie games that release now are puzzle games and a big reason for that is braid bra's time bending mechanic turned a simple platformer into a game with Incredible depth and entertaining puzzles I don't love braid I think that there are far better versions of it to be played today but it's undenied ible that braid is one of the most important puzzle games because of how it impacted the Indie gaming scene it proved that focused experiences could use a core mechanic to create a deep well of gameplay and that Loop was perfectly suited for the puzzle genre next let's look at the games that refined puzzles the ones that brought them into the modern era and the first of this lot is the massively successful game the witness witness more like witness this hey the witness is one of the hardest puzzle games ever conceived pushing you to your limits and proving no matter how smart you think you are this funny tile thing will screw you up but its difficulty is what creates its Excellence as every solve leaves you feeling like a mastermind in this way it's the Dark Souls of puzzle games and I the IGN reviewer give it a 7 out of 10 not enough graphic but in all honesty while the witness is simple on the surface the way it uses the world outside of its tablets is fascinating and the game consistently bends your mind in ways you could never expect the next game that has refined the puzzle genre is Baba U similar to the witness Baba U will push you to your creative limits but it cuts to the fat and makes the game entirely about these puzzles puzzles which use code-based logic to pick your thought and open up your third eye playing Baba you is both an enthralling experience and a true test of patience as you work to line up all the phrases to make sense of the level structure and at the end of it Baba is you and you is feeling pretty good about the solutions cocoon is the final example of the refined iterations of puzzle games we see now and where the other two in this section push your brain to its limits cocoon pushes design to its limits most of the solutions are somewhat easy to find and usually pull on intuition rather than deep thought but uncovering each secret and opening up each pathway leaves the player in a sense of awe the mechanic of these orbs housing entire worlds and altering gameplay based on what they are used for can feel overwhelming but the game always AIDS the player in discovering Y and ultimately cocoon proves excellent in both design and in Polish Now we move into the final section which serves as proof that games don't need to be singularly minded on puzzles to make an impact that reverberates throughout the genre and first in games where we find puzzles we have inside inside is barely a puzzle game but that's what makes it an important piece of the genre by writing the line of cryptic story adventure and light Puzzler inside has become one of the most beloved games to date it uses its puzzles as a platter in which it delivers an enthralling Story the solutions are typically simple but work well within the setting as the pressure to uncover them quickly in order to avoid the forces that attempt to hunt you down keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times in this way inside uses the puzzle genre to create something incredibly unique and entirely impactful the next game that we find puzzles in is outer Wilds of the many hats worn by the outer Wilds I think this one is the prettiest it's a sun hat but in all seriousness Elder Wild's puzzles are the hat which stands out the most because for all of its space exploration all of its interesting characters and all of its deep Mysteries its core puzzle which you spend the entirety of the game on raveling is at the heart of its design as each Discovery tethers together the web that is the fascinating story of how this solar system got in its current conundrum there are a lot of fancy words I could use to sum up the puzzle at the heart of outer Wilds but really the only way to to understand it is by experiencing it for yourself and the final game in which we find puzzles is animal well at its heart animal well is both puzzle game and Metroid Vania but the areas in which its puzzle elements Shine the brightest are its Secrets I have discussed this in a previous video but animal Wells Easter eggs are a centerpiece of its intricate design using its tools to mix and match codes uncover areas and understand Oddities is a captivating Loop that takes puzzles to a whole another level I am almost positive that animal well will go on to inspire multitudes of other Indie puzzle games all which will attempt to push the boundaries of game design and innovate in unique ways and for that animal well has cemented itself as one of the most important games in the puzzle genre puzzles have permeated into every inch of the gaming scene whether we like it or not some of our favorite games contain puzzles or are large scale puzzles in themselves from the simple roots of Tetris to the complex open world interconnectivity of outer Wilds discovering Secrets clicking together interconnecting webs and unlocking the mysteries of a dark world are some of the many things they open up to the player puzzles and the unique ways developers are bringing them into the fold have become necessary pieces of design and ultimately make gaming a whole lot [Music] better that was the video and I hope you enjoyed but before I go I must thank my wonderful patrons we have aan Mr kyou nickol Simba I want an apple Spider-Man on my new PS5 Johnny Hammer stick and bandwagon you guys are the best thank you so much for supporting the channel and thank you all for watching the video

Channel: Blurbs

Views: 676

Keywords: Blurbs, blurbs yt, blurbs gaming, the witness, baba is you, portal, braid, puzzle video games, puzzle games, viewfinder, cocoon, tetris, portal 2, portal 3, valve, steam, deadlock, outer wilds, animal well, inside, neva, indie games, best indie games, steam next fest, hard games, ign, ign reviews, video game video essay, portal guide, baba is you guide, the witness 2, talos principle, talos principle 2, myst, Firmament, hard puzzle games, easy games, easy puzzle games, elden ring

Id: WjfGpfiLkXI

Length: 7min 50sec (470 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 21 2024