Hiding Spot is the rare hardcore puzzle game that proves difficulty is not as important as design. The game is typical sokoban fare. Push/pull the blocks into a winning configuration. You would think that would make the game trivial or boring. But each puzzle centers on an unique problem or introduces a new idea. These ideas are presented in the simplest possible manner without distractions. And, because the game is not concerned with challenge, it's more compelling (and accessible) than most puzzle games.
Pipe Push Paradise has excellent puzzles and plenty of mechanical twists and surprises. The time I had with it was wonderful and joyful. A lovely soundtrack, welcoming art and plenty of character and charm. I would highly recommend this game to anyone with a passing interest in puzzles.
Qrostar is one of the best puzzle game developers out there. Their games' mechanics are so simple and yet the puzzles devised with them are so devious. The creativity on display is insane. Every puzzle - and I mean every - will seem impossible to you. The level will at first seem obvious and straightforward. You devise a plan quite easily but there will always be some hiccup. Something will be too low or out of reach or there aren't enough stones or CAN'T YOU JUST LET ME PUSH THE BLOCKS? (Calm down.) Hanano Puzzle 2 is a masterwork in challenging the player's assumptions and forcing them to think critically about the gameplay. This game is not for the faint of heart. It will break you. It almost broke me. It's not as hard as Jelly No Puzzle but it is one of the best puzzle games I've played.
Dissembler does something I don't see many other puzzle games do: introducing conceptual leaps with patterns. Usually when a puzzle game is very pattern-centric, it tends to have nothing to say. But this game manages to reframe match 3 phenomena as surprising and delightful.
Fun game that combines Zelda-style dungeons with sokoban-style puzzles.
It lights up like a slot machine but is as honest as a goody two shoes. Six Match is an accessible, colorful, challenging match three game with an addictive gameplay loop.
A Good Snowman is Hard to Build is a charming sokoban puzzler with a unique take on accessible difficulty.
When thinking about Induction, I'm reminded of how Marc ten Bosch described the puzzles of Miegakure as 4D miracles for 3D beings. I feel Induction is quite the same. Each puzzle of Induction illustrates a unique marvel of travelling through time. And, because of the game's aversion to paradox, the solutions don't feel contrived but feel honest and earned. Did I mention the soundtrack is amazing?
I'm generally not a fan of games where you fight monsters and gain experience but Fidel is no ordinary RPG. The way health is handled feels like a natural addition rather than a trope which is a tricky balance to pull off. And the rogue-like elements are really strong precisely because it treats randomness as integral to the experience. And, of course, you play as a dog.
I've been recently playing several minimalist abstract puzzle games but nothing quite comes close to English Country Tune. Those other games tend to artistically aim for distraction or, if they are more ambitious, insight. Yet, English goes for something more elusive: wonderment. It's puzzles, while difficult, are never about the satisfaction of overcoming adversity. They are about the wonder of discovering something fundamental and true. The feeling I imagine a scientist has when experimenting with nature and observing the universe.
The puzzle game I've been waiting for! A cutesy game with smart and intelligent puzzles. Never make the mistake of underestimating this game. You will be sorry!
