Topic: The Witness

[Quemaqua]

So I've been playing The Witness, Jonathan Blow's post-Braid puzzle game. And it's really cool so far. I can't say it's as cool as everyone else seems to think, but it's entirely possible that it is, as I haven't really put much time into it at all.

It was really difficult for me to get a sense of what the game was and—more importantly—how the game FELT from watching trailers and short videos, so I decided I'd record some stuff for posterity. Giant Bomb did a Quick Look which gives a sort of decent look at the game, but it's also pretty short and sweet.

Anyway, if the game piques your interest at all, don't watch anything else and just go play it. It's the kind of thing where you don't know anything and have to learn on your own as you go, and the way it layers stuff on top of other stuff is really neat. And apparently it's also basically the entire game. So only watch any of this as far as you feel is necessary, and don't spend any significant time watching unless you don't plan to play the game at all.

[gpw11]

So, a year later and this is on sale so I tried it out. It's a great game and if you like puzzle games and mysteries.  It's a great game if you like "walking simulators" and exploring environments.  I have a feeling there's also something under the surface there waiting to reveal itself but I'm not sure about that.

I'm not going to keep going with it though.  I don't know why...I can't really put my finger on it, but I just don't really want to play it. I like the puzzles, I like the environments, I like puzzle games and exploring in general, and the atmosphere here works, but for whatever reason I just don't feel like doing what it wants me to do.  Like I got a few hours of it and just thought "Yeah, I'm good with this for now" and I know I'll never get back into it.

That said, I really do think that its something that people should check out for themselves because it's good.


Edit:  I figured out one of the reasons I'm not that into it, there's a certain game mechanic that pops up every now and again which I just really don't find enjoyable in certain contexts and it just really made me realize it may be more prevalent later on as well and I mentally checked out of the game.  I'd elaborate but our spoiler tag seems to have disappeared.

[Quemaqua]

I had a similar experience. I enjoyed the time I spent with it, but nothing about it grabbed me in the way it did some others. I felt absolutely no compulsion to continue, despite being a big fan of puzzle games.