The Witness
Thekla Inc. – PC/ PS4
In his book Gaming: Essays on Algorithmic Culture, Alexander R. Galloway says of 1993’s classic adventure puzzle game Myst: “One doesn’t play Myst so much as one submits to it.” It comes as no surprise that Thekla Inc.’s lead designer Jonathan Blow took massive inspiration from Myst while developing the gorgeous puzzle opus The Witness, a game which is similarly consuming.
The Witness takes place on a beautifully rendered and intriguing island which is scattered with panels depicting two dimensional puzzles that the player must complete. The language of the puzzles is taught diegetically: you begin solving easy maze-like puzzles, but new mechanics and rules are slowly introduced which requires the player to always rethink their approach. The player must learn through trial and error which, while making the game somewhat inaccessible, ultimately leads to frequent joyous moments of revelation for those that persevere.
Usually while reviewing a game I make an effort to take note of different aspects of the design that interest me or cause me disappointment. It’s really unfortunate that the pages upon pages of arrows, hexagons, and squares I drew while attempting to solve The Witness’s various intricate puzzles can’t be easily translated into a cohesive review. The Witness is the sort game that requires serious concentration while you’re in it, and once you do find the power to put it down, its implied secrets and enticingly difficult puzzles begin to infiltrate your every thought: I spent a day away from the game thinking about a tough puzzle’s potential solution, only to solve it on the first try when returned to it.
It is the addictive sense of discovery, found in the giddy exploration of the lush mysterious island and the satisfaction of deciphering a new mechanic of the increasingly complex puzzles, which drives the game. The interplay between the traversable world and the puzzle panels is wonderfully realised. Although the player is likely to run into parts where they do not understand a puzzle mechanic, they are always able to move elsewhere on the island and learn something new to bring back to each previous area. The game is challenging, difficult, and at times frustrating, but its consistent allure is something I can barely describe. It’s really special. –AW
Firewatch
Campo Santo – Playstation 4, Windows, Mac, Linux
Under perpetually drab Dublin skies, Firewatch appears to be the apotheosis of video game escapism: taking place across a long, hot summer in a picturesque Wyoming national park, only a VR headset and a blow heater would be needed to complete the illusion.
But Firewatch doesn’t aspire to be a virtual vacation. Indeed, Henry, the game’s protagonist, has escapist notions of his own that are thwarted along with the player’s. Tasked with monitoring an area for outbreaks of forest fires, he gears up to spend the summer of 1989 alone, but along with his rucksack, Henry brings a trolley of emotional baggage. In an understated and affecting text-based opening sequence reminiscent of Pixar’s Up, Henry’s adult life flashes in bullet points, with the player butting in on certain life choices. In an honest but fatalistic twist, though, some of the most major (and tragic) events in his life are totally out of his, and your, control.
The rest of the game follows through on this idea. Henry’s main point of human contact is with his supervisor, Delilah, with whom he communicates exclusively by walkie-talkie. Through dialogue choices, the player can subtly influence the direction of their relationship, but the two ultimately get embroiled in what seems to be a sinister conspiracy totally beyond their control. At times, the plot can feel as though it may even just be a construct of Henry’s addled emotional state.
Rather than keep players constantly on edge, however, Firewatch does offer some respite though orienteering and gentle exploration. A disposable camera Henry finds reminds you to occasionally observe the calming indifference of nature, even as the stresses of life creep in. Whatever our individual problems, remember that the clouds glower upon all of us alike. –LD
Like a Boss: The Cookie
Cookie Clicker – Browser
Games can be very exacting in what they ask of you. A tricky puzzle might need some careful lateral thinking; some bosses require precisely timed attacks. But nothing compares to Cookie Clicker‘s outrageous demands on your most precious resource: your time. Sitting at the centre of a black hole of self-justification, The Cookie begs to be clicked. The more you click, the more cookies you get; the more cookies you get, the faster you can acquire cookies. Join the fun at orteil.dashnet.org/cookieclicker – at the low, low cost of your entire waking life! –LD
Words: LD – Leo Devlin; AW – Aidan Wall
