The Witness

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 699 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 440 out of 699
  2. Mixed: 127 out of 699
  3. Negative: 132 out of 699

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  1. AstroAaron
    Jan 27, 2016
    10
    Simply put, if you like puzzles and exploration you'll love the game. If you don't like those things, you more than likely won't enjoy yourself with this title. To me, this game has been worth every penny. I love the setting and even more so the fun in not only solving the puzzles, but also in the how to even do the puzzles.
  2. SonOfKhmer
    Jan 27, 2016
    10
    A masterful praise to exploration and learning, The Witness is a game that rewards understanding and ability for abstraction. No previous knowledge necessary, everything you need to reach your next prize, that precious "Eureka!" moment our society values so little, is there for the taking in small incremental steps
  3. KillingArts
    Jan 26, 2016
    10
    If you like puzzle games and are up for a challenge, The Witness is your game. A beautiful island full of hundreds of little puzzles awaits you. And although all puzzles look pretty similar, if you see them on screenshots, there is a lot of variation. Also, while there is no traditional story, there are little story pieces to be discovered, scattered around the world. The Witness may notIf you like puzzle games and are up for a challenge, The Witness is your game. A beautiful island full of hundreds of little puzzles awaits you. And although all puzzles look pretty similar, if you see them on screenshots, there is a lot of variation. Also, while there is no traditional story, there are little story pieces to be discovered, scattered around the world. The Witness may not be a game for everyone, but it most certainly is one for me. ;)… Expand
  4. RoccoSalvetti
    Jan 26, 2016
    10
    Curiosity, exploration, patience and learning are very close experiences as The Witness proves. They complete each other and learning proves itself rewarding. In life discovery is fun not because you find rare armours but because you find a way around to fulfil your curiosity.
    The first few minutes of Super Mario are to teach how to play and it does so via events. (Braid quotes Mario in    Curiosity, exploration, patience and learning are very close experiences as The Witness proves. They complete each other and learning proves itself rewarding. In life discovery is fun not because you find rare armours but because you find a way around to fulfil your curiosity.
    The first few minutes of Super Mario are to teach how to play and it does so via events. (Braid quotes Mario in these first few minutes quite a lot). That kind of tutorial is an intelligent learning experience. There are obvious actions to take, suggested actions and hidden actions to experiment if you are curious. The Witness is a whole game dedicated to this!
    This game is not for casual gamers because it could walk as master example in a philosophy book titled: Phenomenology of learning.
    10 out of 10 and the reason is simple, we have to pick a side here, we have to side with designers that count on us being intelligent. This is the opposite of Candy Crush.    … Expand
  5. Thilus
    Jan 29, 2016
    4
    This game was way too over-hyped. All based on the fact that on screens (and in real life) it looks very pretty. But on contrary to what we're looking in a one-night-stand, it's the inside that counts. And the inside of this game is shallow and uninteresting, just like the one-night-standee might turn out to be.

    Some 10/10's want to us to think that there's something more behind this    This game was way too over-hyped. All based on the fact that on screens (and in real life) it looks very pretty. But on contrary to what we're looking in a one-night-stand, it's the inside that counts. And the inside of this game is shallow and uninteresting, just like the one-night-standee might turn out to be.

    Some 10/10's want to us to think that there's something more behind this whole walking around the island and solving hundreds of maze puzzles. Nope. There are no little story pieces, just some random quotes from famous thinkers, like Albert Einstein. It doesn't give us any background, they're just quotes.

    Then there are the puzzles. At first I thought: "Oh, a maze puzzle, cool." Then I was: "Oh, that was a clever one. I feel smarter by solving this one." But after the 100th puzzle I was thinking: "is that all there is? I'm going to solve hundreds of puzzles to get several ray guns shoot that big thing on the top of the mountain?" Well, I looked it up and it turns out it's exactly that. Apparently you wander the island for hours and hours, solving one maze puzzle after another until you reach the end (which I didn't manage to accomplish, mind you) that makes all the puzzle solving completely futile. Neat. Why not buy a paper Sudoku booklet for like $.99 then, instead of spending $40 on a game which very principle is exactly the same - to get you thinking real hard.

    I won't go any lower than 4, because the game looks pretty. We had a one-night-stand together, but in all seriousness, I don't want to see it ever again.    … Expand
  6. cauebs
    Jan 28, 2016
    5
    All I can say is that this is what you get when you spend 8 years on a game, focusing almost solely in the level design and visuals. No sain person will disagree that this game looks incredibly gorgeous, but the level of detail given to the world is wasted on a simple, repetitive puzzle game that is pretty much what people expect to find in a mobile game.
    Apart from that, there are    All I can say is that this is what you get when you spend 8 years on a game, focusing almost solely in the level design and visuals. No sain person will disagree that this game looks incredibly gorgeous, but the level of detail given to the world is wasted on a simple, repetitive puzzle game that is pretty much what people expect to find in a mobile game.
    Apart from that, there are various technical flaws that should've been sorted out during the game's long development, such as the absence of a field-of-view slider, mouse control in the menus, proper graphics settings, etc.
    Players will face some other design issues, such as the slow acceleration when you start walking, the initial lack of maps or any sort of guidance - which makes us feel overwhelmed and lost.
    If you can handle a considerable amount of frustration and much repetitive gameplay, you might even enjoy the experience proposed by Jonathan Blow and his team in this beautiful, yet boring game.    … Expand
  7. fredhorrigan
    Jan 27, 2016
    4
    I heard you just walk around and solve maze puzzles.

    I thought there was more to it than that, but there really isn't so I checked it out, but there really isn't. You wander around these okay looking but ultimately bland and soulless environments looking for the next maze puzzle to complete. The maze puzzles get somewhat more complex as the game goes on and every now and then there's    I heard you just walk around and solve maze puzzles.

    I thought there was more to it than that, but there really isn't so I checked it out, but there really isn't.

    You wander around these okay looking but ultimately bland and soulless environments looking for the next maze puzzle to complete. The maze puzzles get somewhat more complex as the game goes on and every now and then there's so extra trick to them like having to look at the environment and/or look at them from different perspectives but most are extremely simple and all boil down to tracing a line from point A to point B.

    Also the worst part about the praise this is getting from journos isn't how it's being treated like it's good, it how it's being treated like it's art.

    Not worth $40, not worth spending time on unless you have absolutely nothing to do.

    Soulja Boy please save us from this indie hell.    … Expand
  8. damianshrinivas
    Jan 26, 2016
    2
    Game was interesting for about an hour, then gameplay become the same thing all over again with no real purpose. Minimalistic graphics but terribly optimised including settings options. There is a thin line between something artistic and smart, and something boring that appears to be smart and this game is just boring.
  9. rodericrinehart
    Feb 17, 2017
    5
    I'll update this as I give it more time, but I just found the game lifeless and boring. Who makes a game based on a single puzzle type? This guy, that's who. The game world is nice looking, but so are fan-made drawings on imgur and Deviant Art. There is just nothing to the world or story at all.

    You will walk around a beautiful world, but spend 90% of your time staring at a line puzzle    I'll update this as I give it more time, but I just found the game lifeless and boring. Who makes a game based on a single puzzle type? This guy, that's who. The game world is nice looking, but so are fan-made drawings on imgur and Deviant Art. There is just nothing to the world or story at all.

    You will walk around a beautiful world, but spend 90% of your time staring at a line puzzle of increasingly obtuse solutions. I did not at all get the same sense of presence and philosophy and that the story bits instilled in The Talos Principle. And that game had such varied puzzles.    … Expand
  10. praXismaXimus
    Oct 30, 2019
    7
    You like line puzzles? This game has line puzzles. Lots of line puzzles. They will test your ability to wordlessly glean the logical rules to solve them, and some use sound instead of visuals. Those who are in any way colour-blind or tone-deaf will not enjoy this game at all.
    There is no real narrative to this game. There is some over-arching philosophical wank that comes off as painfully    You like line puzzles? This game has line puzzles. Lots of line puzzles. They will test your ability to wordlessly glean the logical rules to solve them, and some use sound instead of visuals. Those who are in any way colour-blind or tone-deaf will not enjoy this game at all.
    There is no real narrative to this game. There is some over-arching philosophical wank that comes off as painfully pretentious. The religious and metaphysical padding (that you can completely ignore, thankfully) start off interesting, but quickly become an unhinged rambling and tedious mess as you uncover more and more.
    The island is colourful, diverse, and fun to explore. There's a touch of Myst and Portal here, along with Talos Principle - minus the humour and appealing lure of the forbidden.
    Once again, there are A LOT of line puzzles. Just don't expect much else of any real worth.    … Expand
  11. Dannystaples
    Apr 4, 2017
    4
    This game looks stunning but nothing else about it particularly shines.

    The puzzles in the game are basic line games. You draw lines in a maze like diagram where you have a start point and an end point. These open doors and routes around an island for you to explore. Sounds simple enough and it is for the most part but the game goes out of its way to make every iteration of these    This game looks stunning but nothing else about it particularly shines.

    The puzzles in the game are basic line games. You draw lines in a maze like diagram where you have a start point and an end point. These open doors and routes around an island for you to explore.

    Sounds simple enough and it is for the most part but the game goes out of its way to make every iteration of these puzzles frustrating. Like the idea by itself wasn't versatile enough to give variety so they decided to break their own rules to make them more interesting.

    They failed. The puzzles were not more interesting they were simply frustrating. I LIKE puzzles but these don't feel even remotely rewarding or fun to work out. A lot of the time I was just putting lines in at random hoping to get a solution.

    The open world in this game is a bad idea as well. It wouldn't be so bad but there is NOTHING indicative of where you might need to go next.

    The problem is there are a variety of puzzle tiers. You can't unlock some puzzles until you've been taught the basic premise of that puzzle. Unless you can work it out on the fly, which is usually impossible because of the way the puzzles are designed.

    This is made frustrating by the fact you find high tier puzzles as soon as you leave the first tutorial area. At first it was fine, I wandered off and started exploring and the path split into two routes. So I decided to take the right path. This then slit into another two paths, so I took the stairs leading into a castle like building. Got to the bottom of these and then ANOTHER split in the road.

    Before I knew it I was a LONG way from the starting area and totally and utterly lost with no doable puzzles in sight. They can give you a nudge in the right direction without it being hand holding. I don't want a map marker or GPS I just want some indication of which of the seven billion routes I should be taking!!!!!

    I just started getting frustrated by it. The convoluted island layout the BS puzzles where half of the board is invisible or smeared across a shadow. Then you also have the pretentious audio logs....

    In the end I didn't give a rats *** about this island or the people turned to statues around it. The ending would have to be AMAZING to get over the frustration of getting there.

    I decided to spoil the ending for myself. I'm glad I skipped this game. I'd have been annoyed as hell if I had trudged through to get that pretentious and pointless ending.

    Leaving a game in mystery is only good if the mystery is worth uncovering. In this case, the mystery isn't worth the time uncovering it.    … Expand
  12. lord_raccoon
    Oct 5, 2020
    5
    Its inadequately hard after 4-5 hours of gameplay. The problem of the game is not in complexity of its puzzles (though they are tough too), but on the fact that player should find himself what symbols on the panel mean. And sometimes its almost impossible, to my taste. I always had to google to understand what is the logic on this or that sector of the map (and sometimes even search forIts inadequately hard after 4-5 hours of gameplay. The problem of the game is not in complexity of its puzzles (though they are tough too), but on the fact that player should find himself what symbols on the panel mean. And sometimes its almost impossible, to my taste. I always had to google to understand what is the logic on this or that sector of the map (and sometimes even search for solutions, because i dont really want to spend hour of exploring on each panel while there are hundreds of them in game).

    So, when it came to the stage when i had to google every panel and sector, i decided to delete the game because it just doesnt worth it. You made the whole game based on one mechanic, pretty diversed, but still the same. And so i got bored and tired.

    About other parts of the game. Nothing specific beautiful was found by me in this game. Pretty average locations, no music, weird audiosecrets. So, i disappointed in all those 10/10 reviews.    … Expand
  13. B-Bog
    Dec 22, 2020
    5
    Maybe I'm just not smart enough to properly appreciate games like this, but after the initial few hours, which admittedly, were fun, I ran into several brick walls and I closed the game and never came back. I just don't enjoy staring at the same screen for 20 minutes, grinding my gears trying to work out the solution to what feels like pretty arbitrary maze puzzles, only to get rewardedMaybe I'm just not smart enough to properly appreciate games like this, but after the initial few hours, which admittedly, were fun, I ran into several brick walls and I closed the game and never came back. I just don't enjoy staring at the same screen for 20 minutes, grinding my gears trying to work out the solution to what feels like pretty arbitrary maze puzzles, only to get rewarded with: More maze puzzles.

    I just don't have that kind of patience and I also want more from a video game. Yes, the island is beautiful, but there's not much in terms of story or context (or even music), and, from what I've read, that doesn't really change when you progress further into the game. It's all intrigue and no pay-off.    … Expand
  14. Olshansky
    Jul 18, 2020
    6
    I really admire and respect Jonathan Blow as a game designer, engineer and entrepreneur. This game is original, interesting, and beautiful but not quite captivating. I played it with my friend, enjoyed it, but was not drawn in enough to finish it.
  15. Gnawer
    May 17, 2016
    8
    Beautiful puzzle game. You play on an island, literally every square foot of it feels well thought through, you find unexpected new places all the time. Only flaw is a lack of actual story. This game is well on the level with Talos Principle and Portal, but the latter ones had a clear story, so they were more interesting in this sense.
  16. arachnaut
    Feb 20, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My wife and I played this game from Feb 5 to Feb 16, playing maybe 8 hours a day. We are not avid gamers, but we liked MYST and the sequels to it, so we decided to try it out. We were not disappointed. We cheated and looked up about 10 puzzle solutions on a walkthrough site. My rule was I would not spend more than about 1 or 2 hours on any puzzle.

    I give this game very high marks overall, but not a 10 because of a few defects as I perceive them.

    The first defect is that I could not use my gamepad controller in Windows 10. I had to use the keyboard arrows and mouse to navigate. This was a bit awkward at times and not so convenient. I also could not get it to run on my main Win 10 desktop and Win 10 laptop. I submitted a problem ticket but have not got a reply. I did manage to find an older computer running Win 10 that could run it.

    The 3-D navigation can be head-spinning at times and you can lose your way when things look very different from direction to direction. which leads to the next defect in that there is no 'map'. I know the boat has a map, but I mean something that you can call up to show you where you are on the island. Ideally something that you could put notes on as well, like 'there is a weird door/monolith/figure here". Later you can check these off as you solve them.

    There is no 'save game' feature which is really sad because you lose everything when you solve the main puzzle. It seems that the game is saved at some random intervals (I can load certain older games) but they are not under my control. After you solve it you will probably want to go into the various challenge rooms and special doorways. I loaded an older saved game and spent two days getting back to the inner mountain room just before the finale. I looked at the program files locations and could not figure out how the data was saved in order to make a copy and restore.

    I have complaints about some types of puzzles. The spectrum-based puzzles are very annoying. The sound-based puzzles also have annoying properties. These are sensory issues, not intellectual issues. I found myself having a serious head-ache sometimes. The spinning puzzles are malicious. I had to alter my video settings (brightness, etc.) to solve some puzzles with dark gray dots on a light black path.

    Then there is a type of puzzle that I really find annoying. Fortunately there are only a few of these. Some puzzles have multiple solutions (you think) but only one is correct from the author point-of-view. Since you have to read the author's mind to figure out what is going on, you are sometimes at the mercy of an arbitrary and capricious rule. As one example of this --- spoiler here --- I point out the hedge labyrinths. When I was solving this puzzle, I had just completed some of the mazes where you had to look around you for clues. I noticed that the hedges were completely identical except for a pattern of wooden outshoots at the very bottom. I manage to find a unique solution following that pattern, but it would not solve. Some puzzles give you feedback about what is wrong, but this one didn't. When I finally had to cheat I found that you had to listen to the sound of your footsteps for clues. This is a real bad deal because up til now the sound had never been an issue before and I had the sound turned down rather low so it wasn't in my attention.

    Now that I have completed the game, I looked at other sites and found lot of other interesting doors and puzzles I want to explore, but the lack of save game makes this a real problem.    … Expand
  17. bigjeff5
    Mar 19, 2016
    10
    This game is easily the most satisfying game I have ever played.

    It's really hard to describe the kinds of feelings this game evoked while playing it. Confusion, then understanding, then more confusion, then frustration, then excitement. That feeling you get when you finally solve a puzzle that has stumped you for the last hour, or that you couldn't solve three days ago, or whatever,    This game is easily the most satisfying game I have ever played.

    It's really hard to describe the kinds of feelings this game evoked while playing it. Confusion, then understanding, then more confusion, then frustration, then excitement. That feeling you get when you finally solve a puzzle that has stumped you for the last hour, or that you couldn't solve three days ago, or whatever, it's exhilarating.

    No other game has left me feeling like an idiot one minute, and then a genius the next. I put it down several times, once for as long as a week, too mentally fatigued to continue. I even considered cheating or just quitting, but I just couldn't. It's too beautiful, and I'm glad I stuck it out to the end. I can't recommend this game enough.    … Expand
  18. Esett
    Jan 30, 2016
    10
    It a masterpiece.

    After the first two hours i was sure Jonathan Blow produced a 7 year dud. After another 3 i was ready to un-install and throw my computer towards the closest living thing in the hope i would finally be committed for my genocidal tendencies while playing video games. And then something happens after 7 hours. You start seeing things. I could swear i started hearing music    It a masterpiece.

    After the first two hours i was sure Jonathan Blow produced a 7 year dud. After another 3 i was ready to un-install and throw my computer towards the closest living thing in the hope i would finally be committed for my genocidal tendencies while playing video games. And then something happens after 7 hours. You start seeing things. I could swear i started hearing music in the game. There is no music in the game. I am now obsessed with the games' puzzles. I want to see more, learn more, see more.

    This is the Dark Souls of puzzle games.    … Expand
  19. Serenityinaz12
    Jan 29, 2016
    10
    Oh man this game is awesome!!! Totally brings me back to the Myst days but the puzzles actually are clever and you can figure it out if you use your mind, where as Myst was so damn ridiculous. But then again I was way younger when I played Myst so who knows how I would do now. I love this game!
  20. IslingtonA
    Feb 10, 2016
    10
    This is the best puzzle game ever made. It is also one of my top 5 games of any genre. It is absolutely *not* the same puzzle over and over, as others have said. I guess they just didn't play far enough? The environment and the "maze" puzzles are bound to and inseparable from one another. Neither could exist or would make sense without the other. This is increasingly true the further intoThis is the best puzzle game ever made. It is also one of my top 5 games of any genre. It is absolutely *not* the same puzzle over and over, as others have said. I guess they just didn't play far enough? The environment and the "maze" puzzles are bound to and inseparable from one another. Neither could exist or would make sense without the other. This is increasingly true the further into the game you get. If you like puzzles you really must play this game. The Witness is a true classic. People will still be talking about and playing this game ten years down the road. How many games can claim that?… Expand
  21. benjamminlaner
    Jan 27, 2016
    9
    TL; DR: Great game. Not for everyone. All puzzles, no "action."

    -- I'd like to preface the review by saying that this game is not for everyone. If you're looking for excitement, you're not going to find much. If you know that you have a short attention span, or are easily bored by repetitive tasks, do not buy this game. If you can handle a little repetition, especially if there is    TL; DR: Great game. Not for everyone. All puzzles, no "action."

    --

    I'd like to preface the review by saying that this game is not for everyone. If you're looking for excitement, you're not going to find much. If you know that you have a short attention span, or are easily bored by repetitive tasks, do not buy this game. If you can handle a little repetition, especially if there is some deep complexity within the repetitive act, then read on.

    The Witness is a puzzle game where you draw lines. The entire game revolves around the simple process of basically completing circuits. The puzzles become increasingly complex as time goes on, and often involve other parts of the world to solve. Their is a wide diversity of puzzles that encompass motion, light, sound, and other factors that keep things from ever feeling too similar. It's also just enjoyable to explore the island and look for hints or secrets than flesh out the game.

    Despite what others have said, if you do all the puzzles as you come across them, this game will teach you the required information, and will do so with as little intrusion to the game itself as possible. If you're getting the hang of things, you'll have many "Aha!" moments that are deeply rewarding.

    The art style is beautiful, resembling a sort of hand-painted, minimalist aesthetic. The island is vibrantly colored, and never feels dull or gray, except when its supposed to. The audio, while sparse, is also wonderful.

    The story is picked up primarily through scenery and little audio logs that are scattered across the island. It too is minimalist, but you start to get a sense of some underlying narrative as time goes on, even if its never fully revealed.

    The game often feels isolating, which is intentional, but can be uncomfortable if not deeply engaged in a puzzle. There is no musical score, and think that although it was omitted intentionally, it could have really added something to the experience. Though rare, there might come a point where you feel like you're missing some information when solving a particular puzzle. This is almost always the fault of the player, but sometimes it can feel like the games fault which is frustrating.

    There is also no way to keep track of your progress through the game, so if you need that organization be wary. I think it adds something to the experience, but keep a pen and paper handy if it makes you nervous.

    Again while this game is not action packed (even less so than Braid), the game itself is beautifully designed and implemented. I highly recommend to anyone with an appreciation for peaceful aesthetics and/or who enjoys puzzles.    … Expand
  22. Grandviewsurfer
    Feb 11, 2016
    10
    Take a look at the user score distribution, for it is very telling. I am not at all surprised that (at the time of writing) 67 people didn't have the patience or brain functionality to understand the game. I am, however, surprised at how many people felt qualified to hop on Metacritic and formulate a representative and truthful review having fully admitted to only playing a few minutes ofTake a look at the user score distribution, for it is very telling. I am not at all surprised that (at the time of writing) 67 people didn't have the patience or brain functionality to understand the game. I am, however, surprised at how many people felt qualified to hop on Metacritic and formulate a representative and truthful review having fully admitted to only playing a few minutes of the game in said aforementioned review. This phenomenon is both mind blowing and discouraging. If you are on the fence on this one, I do hope reason guides your decision, and that you give the game the time of day. I mean, Blow blew like $6 Million and 7 years of his life on this thing... the guy that created Braid... it obviously doesn't suck. Just hang in there for half a minute and you'll enjoy this environment. It is quite literally the most beautiful place I have ever been.… Expand
  23. Valdio
    Feb 1, 2016
    3
    The game is REALLY overpriced, it has been the first game i refund in my entire life. And here is why:

    I am a Myst fan, have read all the books, have played and recently replayed all the games, and this game was heavily advertised as a game inspired by Myst. Here are the similarities with Myst. Is in an island. That is it. Probably the best experience you get in Myst is that puzzles    The game is REALLY overpriced, it has been the first game i refund in my entire life. And here is why:

    I am a Myst fan, have read all the books, have played and recently replayed all the games, and this game was heavily advertised as a game inspired by Myst. Here are the similarities with Myst. Is in an island. That is it.

    Probably the best experience you get in Myst is that puzzles where really well though, and all of them were different. Different for me is that each puzzle you found didn’t had the same buttons, the panel never operated the same way and sometimes you could even tell by solving the puzzles the teachings of the ages, and some of them were so well though that you learned how de D´ni counted. Or the marble puzzle in Riven it was so well thought that it would be near impossible to solve in trial and error.

    The Witness on the other hand has the same panels and the puzzle to move a line inside different panels. No matter if you solve a puzzle you will eventually run into another panel that operates the same way it JUST need to be solved different. In other words the Witness has one puzzle, and 499 variations of the same puzzle. That is not a Myst game if something is Room Escape game.

    And a Room Escape Game at 40 usd is a joke. No one will buy it, and that is probably why so many negative reviews. I´m sure that if the game didn´t look as pretty there will be almost no positive reviews.
    So my advice if you are a fan of Myst games please do not consider this game anything like that, because you will be very disappointed. Think of it a Room Escape but instead of a door is panel.

    Also for a game the price the game has almost no options at all, that in the current era of gaming is unacceptable. So my advice is the game is worth buying later on when it hit 20 USD mark. And that is if there is nothing new worth buying or a good sale. I recommend you if you want and adventure exploration game, to buy Myst and Riven but can be bought for less than the Witness and both are awesome, if not Portal o Talos Principle are really good options going in the same puzzle just adding new variations. Or you can hold that money and wait for Obduction, which the creators are the same of the Myst series. Cyan and the game since it passed its kickstarter campaign will have VR support.

    Now for the developers if you’ve been complaining so much about piracy in your product then don´t abuse so much in the price, the gamers feel robbed but still want to play the game, might take another path. If you lower the price you will probably sell more, and people don´t like it, they might save it to another day give it another go, not refunding it like me because for that money there’s a lot out there.    … Expand
  24. JohnWitten
    Mar 24, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [Brief Synopsis of Full Review]

    Unlike the largely linear experience presented in most puzzle games, The Witness actually allows you to freely leave a puzzle in progress in order to go solve other ones around the island. You also don’t even have to feel pressured to complete every single puzzle in the game in order to complete it, although I’d imagine that should probably be your goal if at all possible. In terms of storytelling, this jumping around isn’t prone to mess with much as the story is more of what you make it than really anything so established as a specific plot. Everything is all mysterious and nothing is ever quite fully confirmed, which definitely leaves things up to the player’s imagination which I thoroughly appreciated. You’re presented with the cold hard facts as they are- what will work and what won’t, and that’s simply that.

    Now, there is some loose basis of a slight hint of a plot to be found, and that is through select recordings scattered about the island in sometimes devious, sometimes easy-to-access areas. These won’t do much to quell the questions, but they may sate some of your burning desire to get to the bottom of things, if only a little bit before the game’s ending. None of this should really detract from the experience however as at its core, The Witness is a test of logic. There are frustrating moments, but nothing beats the thrill of successfully completing a puzzle or a series of puzzles and discovering something new about the world you’ve been presented. Instead of questioning the purpose of things or asking the horrid “why” question, start exploring and figuring out how things work and what affects what. It’s all almost brilliantly philosophical in some ways.

    Concept: Exploration and puzzle solving presented in a rich environment where no stone should be left unturned and no detail, however minimal ignored.

    Graphics: The art-style is uniquely rendered and attention to detail beautiful to behold. Some may consider it basic or simple, but then things don’t need to be unnecessarily complicated to be gorgeous.

    Sound: There’s more of an argument to be made for the ambiance than there is to be made for a soundtrack or voice work, but what there is of everything here is more than adequate and only adds to the sense that you’re isolated and surrounded by mystery.

    Playability: Complicated puzzles can sometimes make games an exercise in frustration, but you should never be angered by difficulty even when you are stumped as the game is precise and easy to grasp once you get the hang of things.

    Entertainment: It’s puzzle-solving at its finest or close enough thereto. Puzzle after puzzle will challenge how you think and what you know. Don’t stop to question motive or intent, but soak up the rich scenery and equally rich gameplay elements.

    Replay Value: High.

    Overall Score: 9.0    … Expand
  25. theponcho
    Apr 5, 2016
    10
    I played this game with my girlfriend. It's awesome for playing like it is a couch coop, since puzzles can be challenging, and it's very funny to solve them with someone else.

    The game surprised me quite a lot, since "solving sudokus" its not quite my thing. Yet, the atmosphere catches you in an unique way, and the game is long enough to make you be a part of the island, and try to    I played this game with my girlfriend. It's awesome for playing like it is a couch coop, since puzzles can be challenging, and it's very funny to solve them with someone else.

    The game surprised me quite a lot, since "solving sudokus" its not quite my thing. Yet, the atmosphere catches you in an unique way, and the game is long enough to make you be a part of the island, and try to understand its profound philosophy.

    Unique game, don't be scared if you never tried anything like this, I encourage you to try it.    … Expand
  26. PizzaWizard
    Feb 2, 2016
    10
    I'm not even done and it might already be one of the best games I've ever played. It's hard to talk about the magic of this game without spoiling anything but I will do my best.

    The game is a metroidvania open world puzzle game. You are on an island without any context for why you are there, it is a very cold open. You find a door with a panel on it displaying a maze, you trace a    I'm not even done and it might already be one of the best games I've ever played. It's hard to talk about the magic of this game without spoiling anything but I will do my best.

    The game is a metroidvania open world puzzle game.

    You are on an island without any context for why you are there, it is a very cold open.
    You find a door with a panel on it displaying a maze, you trace a path through the obstacles to complete the maze.

    You do more of these, each puzzle providing a context that leads you to a better understanding of the puzzles around it.

    It's as if every panel is both a puzzle and a hint.

    You're probably thinking, "why open world? Couldn't I just buy a book of puzzles?" No, because the island that you are on is a puzzle in itself and, like the panels, the island puzzle is also a hint.

    I say it is a metroidvania game because you will inevitably find a door that you cannot open. It is not because you haven't acquired the proper weapon or tool, it is because you haven't acquired the proper knowledge to solve the puzzle blocking your path. The knowledge to solve those puzzles are elsewhere on the island.

    To dismiss this game as only a bunch of puzzles is to dismiss a song as just a bunch of sounds.

    I saw another metacritic call this "the dark souls of puzzle games" and it's definitely something I've been thinking since Dark Souls was probably the last game I obsessed over as much as The Witness. Both gave me a serious case of the Tetris Effect    … Expand
  27. Datamari
    Feb 3, 2016
    9
    This game is very good, but it's not for everybody.
    The Witness is one of the most beautifully crafted games i've ever played. It's pretty much the shining example of what video games are capable of. It has an amazing art style, engaging puzzles, and little bits of story sprinkled in. As I said, however, it's not for everybody. For a lot of gamers, we most likely require something to    This game is very good, but it's not for everybody.
    The Witness is one of the most beautifully crafted games i've ever played. It's pretty much the shining example of what video games are capable of. It has an amazing art style, engaging puzzles, and little bits of story sprinkled in. As I said, however, it's not for everybody. For a lot of gamers, we most likely require something to do other than walk forward. If you're the type of gamer that doesn't like to stop and smell the roses, this game may not be for you. However, if you're a type of gamer that plays for the wonder and adventure, you NEED to try The Witness, it really is that good.

    The Witness gets a 9/10    … Expand
  28. Scade
    Jan 27, 2016
    8
    Ok so this is not a casual game. You will have to play along to enjoy it because this game will barely help you understand it.
    You're on an island where there are various puzzles, but the island itself is a puzzle and you will have to understand the puzzles mechanics but also how the island works.
    It is rather hard, but is you like puzzle games, this is a must have. Graphics and audio    Ok so this is not a casual game. You will have to play along to enjoy it because this game will barely help you understand it.
    You're on an island where there are various puzzles, but the island itself is a puzzle and you will have to understand the puzzles mechanics but also how the island works.

    It is rather hard, but is you like puzzle games, this is a must have. Graphics and audio are also great, but don't buy it just because it looks good, buy it because you want to make every piece of brain you have suffer ;)    … Expand
  29. Torro
    Feb 2, 2016
    5
    The game is ok, it's hard but I like that. The hype was terrible though. And let's be honest, the game isn't anywhere near the 88/100 it got. The price is also too steep.
  30. Hadzi
    Jan 31, 2016
    9
    Before the release of this game (long development cycle) hype was absolutely huge, i personally thought that it was going to be a big let down but the game was released and it was great. In this game your goal is
    to solve puzzles so if you love puzzles and challenges this is the game for you. Game graphically looks beautiful and it is based around exploration. I have seen some of the    Before the release of this game (long development cycle) hype was absolutely huge, i personally thought that it was going to be a big let down but the game was released and it was great. In this game your goal is
    to solve puzzles so if you love puzzles and challenges this is the game for you. Game graphically looks beautiful and it is based around exploration. I have seen some of the reviews here talking about no killing in the game at all and how that is bad but i think that is good for the game because it was focused on exploration and puzzles take The Talos Principle for example it was also like this game but it was set in a different time, of course it had different mechanics but the goal of these 2 games is the same. I am not a fan of walking around an area in the game and searching but i found walking around this beautiful island fun. Price is very high but you get hours of fun with that game. I would recommend it if you love puzzles otherwise you will get frustrated and rage quit the game. I enjoyed most of the puzzles and mazes but some were just too easy and some were too hard on which i lost 30 minute each. If you cant do without killing do not play this game. Good luck and have fun if you decide to play it.    … Expand
  31. JoeB777
    Jan 30, 2016
    10
    A beautiful challenging game of exploration and problem solving. It's my game of the year for 2016, despite only been one month into the year. The game is certainly not for everyone: if you have low tolerance for failure in problem-solving, you'll find it very difficult To enjoy. But one can learn patience. And it's worth taking the time to learn to enjoy this game, even if one is notA beautiful challenging game of exploration and problem solving. It's my game of the year for 2016, despite only been one month into the year. The game is certainly not for everyone: if you have low tolerance for failure in problem-solving, you'll find it very difficult To enjoy. But one can learn patience. And it's worth taking the time to learn to enjoy this game, even if one is not naturally inclined to.… Expand
  32. haptix
    Jan 30, 2016
    10
    If you are a thinking person, someone who is interested in ideas, concepts, and symbols, this game is right up your alley. The puzzles are very difficult, but patience and insight are rewarded. New puzzle mechanics are introduced at the proper pace - you always have enough information to solve something else on the island, but the challenge is maintained. The environment of the islandIf you are a thinking person, someone who is interested in ideas, concepts, and symbols, this game is right up your alley. The puzzles are very difficult, but patience and insight are rewarded. New puzzle mechanics are introduced at the proper pace - you always have enough information to solve something else on the island, but the challenge is maintained. The environment of the island is brimming with meaning; the world is riddled with hidden things. Some of them are interactive and "advance" the game, others just cause one to marvel at the cleverness and creativity of the developer. Quite simply the best game I have played in years.… Expand
  33. bloodrizer
    Jan 27, 2016
    10
    Pros: this game is an absolute paragon, the masterpiece, a modern Myst that I waited for so many year.
    Con: it is completely killing my faith in people (just read the negative reviews or steam forum).
  34. ColonialG11
    Feb 4, 2016
    9
    TLDR: Dear Ester with puzzles, not for everyone, but will be long remembered by those who enjoy it.

    Pros: - Somehow makes maze puzzles enticing, teaching new elements seamlessly that feel like personal discoveries - Challenging but not brutal - Beautiful art Cons: - No musical score, this game is way different than Braid (featuring spoken word as opposed to written) and while    TLDR: Dear Ester with puzzles, not for everyone, but will be long remembered by those who enjoy it.

    Pros:
    - Somehow makes maze puzzles enticing, teaching new elements seamlessly that feel like personal discoveries
    - Challenging but not brutal
    - Beautiful art

    Cons:
    - No musical score, this game is way different than Braid (featuring spoken word as opposed to written) and while there is the possibility that a score could subtract from the immersion/experience, I still missed it.
    Review:

    Let me just start by saying that this game should be rated M, there's no blood, no violence or nudity to speak of, but it is one of the most "Mature" games I have ever played.

    This game isn't for everyone, and isn't Braid.

    Braid was rightfully universally acclaimed by anyone with an I.Q. greater than 95, if you didn't like Braid, you were in the company of a very high "Soulja Boy" in that "The game aint got no point"

    The Witness however is a little more assailable, most of what both its critics and supporters say is true, On the one hand its immersive, thoughtful, and designed extremely meticulously (hence 8 years dev time); on the other, roughly 80% of the puzzles in this game could be placed onto a mobile app.

    I found myself wondering whether the "plot" elements were absolutely genius, or the incoherent ramblings of a madman... I settled on both.    … Expand
  35. WR3ND
    Feb 5, 2016
    9
    LOL WTF?!

    No... seriously. I just had one of those moments, bursting out in loud laughter from pure joy while playing this game, figuring out and finding something I could do that I previously had no idea was even possible, that I didn't even think should be possible, but yet it all still makes some kind of weird sense. It was freaking amazing. To tell you anything more about it would    LOL WTF?!

    No... seriously. I just had one of those moments, bursting out in loud laughter from pure joy while playing this game, figuring out and finding something I could do that I previously had no idea was even possible, that I didn't even think should be possible, but yet it all still makes some kind of weird sense. It was freaking amazing. To tell you anything more about it would be to give too much away.

    This game is beautiful, intriguing , and compelling, weird, abstract, and logical. It makes you think outside of the box, sometimes literally, but in a way which still makes sense once you change your perspective.

    This game is NOT just about mazes on a panel, though there is a lot of that and it is a main game mechanic. It's about what you do with them and how you learn from them to interact with and better understand your environment, your world that has been masterfully and meticulously crafted for your enjoyment.

    If you like challenging, involved, and sometimes frustrating puzzles that occasionally blow your mind (no pun intended), you have to get this game, and shame on you if you don't.

    That being said, I have to somewhat begrudgingly acknowledge that this game isn't for everyone. Some may even hate it, perhaps even for some of the same reasons I love it. This seems destined to be one of those games that many either love or hate. I'd say that it's a safe bet that you'll at least be quite fond of it if you're into logical, challenging puzzle games.

    Well worth the full asking price and then some, in my opinion.

    Enjoy.

    ...

    9/10

    Minus one for the current lack of some menu settings and extensive graphics options that should be including in a PC release, though the game is quite functional as is.    … Expand
  36. Beatboxio
    Mar 13, 2016
    10
    I am blown away by the artistry, not only in the visuals, but in the gradual buildup and beauty of the puzzles. This is not a fast game. Don't use a walk-through or hints. Prepare to be stumped and maybe even angry just before you solve a puzzle and yell out in triumph that you love the game.
    I never once wished I had used a hint after solving the puzzle. I always had to admit the    I am blown away by the artistry, not only in the visuals, but in the gradual buildup and beauty of the puzzles. This is not a fast game. Don't use a walk-through or hints. Prepare to be stumped and maybe even angry just before you solve a puzzle and yell out in triumph that you love the game.
    I never once wished I had used a hint after solving the puzzle. I always had to admit the beautiful, logical progression and smile.
    I haven't felt this way about a game in a long time.    … Expand
  37. bedsidetrash111
    Mar 16, 2016
    10
    This game isn't for everyone. Almost all you do is solve these puzzles on 2d (some are on 3-d) panels. A lot of the puzzles are hard.

    But as I struggled to figure them I started to appreciate them. Moreover, the puzzles get better as you go farther, and more and more involve noticing clues in the 3-d world, which is beautiful. Many of the later puzzles are really good - almost on the    This game isn't for everyone. Almost all you do is solve these puzzles on 2d (some are on 3-d) panels. A lot of the puzzles are hard.

    But as I struggled to figure them I started to appreciate them. Moreover, the puzzles get better as you go farther, and more and more involve noticing clues in the 3-d world, which is beautiful. Many of the later puzzles are really good - almost on the level of Portal. In my opinion, its too bad that towards the very end they mixed in puzzles that seem almost intentionally cruel, but I suppose finishing them gives you more satisfactions. The game has a really satisfying way of showing you your progress too, as you make your way across the beautiful island.

    Just buy this game and make yourself play at least half it. I think you'll start to enjoy the challenge. I felt more and more compelled to finish it, and actually got addicted to it, despite the fact that the puzzles seem tedious at first.

    I also recommend ignoring the story, which is very easy to do.    … Expand
  38. mega_coffee
    Feb 19, 2016
    9
    One of the most memorable gaming experiences I have ever had. The Witness is NOT a collection of maze puzzles thrown into a pretty 3D world; both puzzles and the world are masterfully intertwined (wish I could tell you more, but it would spoil all the fun), and will often lead you to gasp at the designer's cleverness, as well as your own. There was obvious care to avoid increasingOne of the most memorable gaming experiences I have ever had. The Witness is NOT a collection of maze puzzles thrown into a pretty 3D world; both puzzles and the world are masterfully intertwined (wish I could tell you more, but it would spoil all the fun), and will often lead you to gasp at the designer's cleverness, as well as your own. There was obvious care to avoid increasing difficulty by throwing laborious behemoths at the player; instead, the more difficult puzzles are often the ones that require the most lateral thinking. Most puzzles are actually quite small and could be solved in your head, if you wanted to (it would just take longer to solve them).

    The Witness takes a "show, don't tell" approach to story-telling. In a way, the story is in itself a puzzle, and this won't sit well with gamers who need a dangling carrot to drive them forward. This is the source of much criticism, but I think the real culprit is that the truly mind-blowing puzzles take a while to arrive as the puzzles work with a rather large set of rules which must be learned slowly and progressively. This means that the starting areas are a little dull. Also, new rules are very often introduced (never explained; you must deduce them) in consecutive panels of increasing complexity, in a specific part of the island (the island is split into several areas, each with their own theme). If you miss these panels and come across a more complex panel which makes use of these rules, it will be impossible to solve. Usually you can tell when this happens: if the panel has symbols you have not seen before, and it's not very simple, you probably missed the 'tutorial' panels. It doesn't help that an area with a lot of advanced puzzles is fairly close to the start. This is probably the source of the "it's too hard!" complaints. I think anyone of average intelligence is capable of beating The Witness comfortably, but you need to be a specific type of gamer to truly enjoy it (inquisitive nature, easily immersed, enjoys a fair challenge).

    I would rate the game a perfect score, but there are a few technical issues I have a problem with: non-rebindable keys (sorry, lefties), very limited graphical options, and stutter.    … Expand
  39. barca24
    Feb 2, 2016
    10
    Great game , graphic is amazing and so ispirated . Puzzle are awesome. One of best game i ever play . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  40. Poppyspy
    Feb 3, 2016
    9
    I did 75% of the game's puzzles, This game is basically quiet time in elementary school with a puzzle book. The book has maze, shape & where's waldo like puzzles with a small amount of audio. If there is one thing you learn from this game, is that you are very blessed to have the senses necessary to progress through it.

    -1 point because there are audio based recordings of famous    I did 75% of the game's puzzles, This game is basically quiet time in elementary school with a puzzle book. The book has maze, shape & where's waldo like puzzles with a small amount of audio. If there is one thing you learn from this game, is that you are very blessed to have the senses necessary to progress through it.

    -1 point because there are audio based recordings of famous quotes in the game that often seem disconnected from what you are actually doing. These recordings are interesting to find, but then often result in distraction.    … Expand
  41. LetMeInPlease
    Feb 29, 2016
    8
    The Talos Principle meets Antichamber. simply beautiful. Game is a bit challenging cause it doesn't tell you what to do, you should figure out everything by yourself but once you realized what your goal is and how this whole "world" works, game starts to become pretty friendly. There are several sections and in each of them game introduces you to different kind of puzzles. In rare case theThe Talos Principle meets Antichamber. simply beautiful. Game is a bit challenging cause it doesn't tell you what to do, you should figure out everything by yourself but once you realized what your goal is and how this whole "world" works, game starts to become pretty friendly. There are several sections and in each of them game introduces you to different kind of puzzles. In rare case the challenge itself is to figure out how the puzzle works and after that it is just a matter of time for section to be completed. Cause the puzzles of hardest difficulty take 10-15 mins to complete at worst. My the only complain: sometimes you will find audiorecords which are supposed to tie all game elements together: to give you an insight into the "world" and its visual and your purpose in this world, but that works poorly (Talos Principle did a better job with this). Hence, gameplay feels like an arcade puzzle game or an IQ-test. It's not too bad though, cause puzzles most of the time are good and very fair but in order for The Witness to be a masterpiece those elements should've been tied a lot harder.… Expand
  42. Kluge
    Apr 23, 2017
    4
    Suggest watching ~30m of a LP to determine if for you (if your eyes glaze over, then probably not). Received this in a humble bundle.

    The restaurant kids' menu maze puzzles start out easy, quickly becoming more complex until you have to invest significant thought and time into every puzzle (the world quickly sprawls out into many different directions, so difficulty/obscurity bounces all    Suggest watching ~30m of a LP to determine if for you (if your eyes glaze over, then probably not). Received this in a humble bundle.

    The restaurant kids' menu maze puzzles start out easy, quickly becoming more complex until you have to invest significant thought and time into every puzzle (the world quickly sprawls out into many different directions, so difficulty/obscurity bounces all over the place). You're never given much motivation to solve the puzzles outside the opportunity to unlock more areas with more pretentious, disconnected audio blurbs, and of course, more puzzles.

    The game's aesthetics are lost on me. It's a minimalist, high-saturation rendition of random human junk (art) in a variety of environments, mostly forest. I'm not willing to say it's an objectively bad game (and don't really like having to put a number on this one), but I personally didn't get anything out of it.    … Expand
  43. Filipes
    Apr 14, 2020
    10
    Beautiful island with many puzzles to find, solve and get yourself lost in...
  44. Neng-
    Mar 27, 2017
    8
    This game is one of the best at what it does, making someone like me be willing to solve puzzles is something rather unusual, but this game gets me going and it just like never really ends.
    I have still plenty of puzzles to do and some of them are likely to be unsolved for a long time, but i eventually come back to try them out and fill my notebook with sketches trying to figure things    This game is one of the best at what it does, making someone like me be willing to solve puzzles is something rather unusual, but this game gets me going and it just like never really ends.
    I have still plenty of puzzles to do and some of them are likely to be unsolved for a long time, but i eventually come back to try them out and fill my notebook with sketches trying to figure things out.
    It's really fun and has one of the most intelligent level designs i've seen so far, really really recommended.    … Expand
  45. farzher
    Jun 2, 2020
    10
    a masterpiece. one of the most perfect games ever made. i'm not necessarily recommending you play it though, lol.
  46. strangebrew123
    Dec 12, 2020
    10
    Top quality game, great gameplay and movement, lots of thinking. Superb variety of challenges. Took me 36 hours to complete. Excellent purchase.
  47. logss
    Oct 20, 2022
    10
    If there's only one game that we're going to send to aliens, I would choose The Witness.
  48. kazannova
    Jan 27, 2016
    10
    this is a great game, if you like to relax and enjoy good graphics and solve puzzles with no HP or map or anything in your screen. just that beatifull landscape and many puzzles to solve
  49. Bortx
    Jan 31, 2016
    9
    Beautiful exploration game with very witty puzzles. Stays fresh throughout. This is a patient man's game. But if you take the time and are observant it can be very rewarding. A lot of care went into this game and it shows. A more compelling story would have been nice but still very well done.
  50. l3reak
    Jan 31, 2016
    10
    The gorgeous visuals & atmosphere would be enough to make this a wonderful experience, but the deep dive into an exploration of knowledge and discovery makes it a masterpiece. That said, it IS a puzzle game, so if you don't like puzzles you're not gonna enjoy it.
  51. ThappersBean
    Feb 3, 2016
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. It is also divisive, as the comments here demonstrate. I would like to provide a different perspective on some these criticisms.

    "The game is just maze puzzles." Yes, OR maze puzzles are simply the language we use to interact with the game environment and teach us some of what the game has to say for itself. "The game has no story." The game has tons of    This game is a masterpiece. It is also divisive, as the comments here demonstrate. I would like to provide a different perspective on some these criticisms.

    "The game is just maze puzzles." Yes, OR maze puzzles are simply the language we use to interact with the game environment and teach us some of what the game has to say for itself.

    "The game has no story." The game has tons of story content, way more than almost any other game I can think of. It does not, however, present the story as a coherent narrative. Other art forms have explored disjointed narrative for decades but in video games players expect a simple story that goes from A to B. You don't get that here, but to say there is no story is absurd.

    "The island is beautiful but superficial." No, the island is integral to the game. Every inch has been carefully designed in a way that is mind-blowing as you gradually unravel its secrets. You can tell the attention to detail and just the sheer quality of design here if you are prepared to invest some effort in actually looking closely (or very widely) at things. No other game comes close to this level of design imho.

    "The game is not about anything, you could play the puzzles on a mobile." The game is 'about' many things. The Buddhist idea of contemplation and patience. The way in which human knowledge advances. The distinctions or otherwise between art and science, the macro and the molecular. The spirit of adventure and exploration. And perhaps most significantly, the idea that perspective can change meaning. But the game's true genius is that it embodies many of these ideas rather than just talking about them. The more you think about it the more you understand what an achievement this game is, doing something with the medium that no other computer game has ever attempted to this degree. If you are close-minded and too wedded to your own expectations about what a computer game "should" be then you will not appreciate this game. If you think that there should be a tutorial, or you are annoyed that you cannot 'progress' as fast as you want to, or you think it's just boring maze puzzles then you really, really haven't "got it." Yeah, I hear you saying that it's pretentious and that there's nothing to "get." But you are wrong. So wrong. From a different perspective, however, you are completely correct.    … Expand
  52. Weedus
    Mar 12, 2016
    3
    I dont get what People like about this Game...you are in some Walled Area,have to basicaly connect "Start Tube to End Tube" like a Pipeline in a Little Box,and then a new Walled Area opens and you start the same over again.I realy dont get what People like at this Game..perhaps you need to force yourself trough the Boredom for some hours and then it suddenly gets good? I dont think so...
  53. Gravitom
    Mar 28, 2016
    10
    IMO the perfect puzzle game. So simple but so complex. I've been absolutely hooked and will be sad when it's finished.

    The island is beautiful and mysterious. There are a variety of areas. Some you can get to right away and others you see in the distance and need to figure out how to get to. The game teaches you slowly and without telling you outright. Sometimes you see it right    IMO the perfect puzzle game. So simple but so complex. I've been absolutely hooked and will be sad when it's finished.

    The island is beautiful and mysterious. There are a variety of areas. Some you can get to right away and others you see in the distance and need to figure out how to get to. The game teaches you slowly and without telling you outright. Sometimes you see it right away, other times you really have to sit back and think.

    However you really need to enjoy puzzle games to appreciate the Witness. I'm sure most will get bored with it's minimal approach. But this game is the pinnacle of the genre.    … Expand
  54. loeloe
    Feb 28, 2016
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My son and I got this game because we loved playing all the Myst games (except the last one, but that's another story). We enjoyed solving the puzzles and looking for "fooshes" (environmental puzzles), and I kept wondering if we were going to help bring all the petrified people back to life at the end. The level of detail and the hidden puzzles, the different cues and ways to solve puzzles were fascinating. So far so good.

    We just finished and went through two endings (don't know or care if there are more) and I feel deflated, no, stomped on. All the anticipation and build-up only to find out I was a party to some pretentious mental masturbation. There is no payoff, no resolution at the end, only a flying tour of the island and, later, of Mr. Blow's house. Who the eff cares? I gave it two points because solving the puzzles made me feel like I was on to something and because the art was pretty.

    The game became monotonous and I kept on going because I thought I was going to discover a big secret and after all, I had spent $40. Can I get my money back?

    The game lacked a story or a goal, there was no interaction with anyone, none of the little recordings really had a point nor were relevant, and I was quite disturbed to see Mr. Blow coming out of a (drug induced?) coma, still hooked up to his Foley. He can stay a god in his little imaginary world, and I will retreat to mine.

    This game sucks, bites, and blows. Pun intended.    … Expand
  55. Vans1493
    Feb 11, 2016
    2
    A 2 for simply being a game. This is frustrating pseudo-intellectual garbage. The puzzles are a guessing game with overly cyptic logic and attempting to learn them involves more luck than brain. The open world implementation is daunting and creates the constant feeling that you might have missed something. Often times there is no reward for solving a section of puzzles or unlocking anA 2 for simply being a game. This is frustrating pseudo-intellectual garbage. The puzzles are a guessing game with overly cyptic logic and attempting to learn them involves more luck than brain. The open world implementation is daunting and creates the constant feeling that you might have missed something. Often times there is no reward for solving a section of puzzles or unlocking an area. Things just feel meaningless and there is little motivation to drive you. Graphics are not impressive, with stationary clouds and the same shade of blue making up the entire sky. The cartoonish art style is not original and is no acheivement. Interaction with the world is punishingly minimal. Settings menu is much the same. Without the option to change camera sensitivity you are stuck with what you got, and it isn't fast. This game is pretty much just several hours of wishing you were playing the talos principle instead.… Expand
  56. eys
    Feb 13, 2016
    10
    Currently 38 hours in with about 430 puzzles completed so far, so still have much to do, but I absolutely love The Witness. Some people may be turned off by the "line puzzles," wondering the need for the world itself around them. But for many, there are reasons. Big reasons. Here the environment is the puzzle, the panel is where you put your answer. Explaining any further would spoil them.Currently 38 hours in with about 430 puzzles completed so far, so still have much to do, but I absolutely love The Witness. Some people may be turned off by the "line puzzles," wondering the need for the world itself around them. But for many, there are reasons. Big reasons. Here the environment is the puzzle, the panel is where you put your answer. Explaining any further would spoil them.

    There are also puzzles that don't use the environment, teaching you many of the rules of this game that will be used and built upon in the future. It won't tell you how to do them though, this game is as much about learning the puzzle as it is about solving the puzzle. But the answers are there. It can be a very hard game when it wants to, but it's never unfair. If you're stuck, the open world is great to look around and solve other puzzles.

    And the art direction is just incredible, sometimes I'll just stare at how pretty everything is. You'll quickly notice the amount of detail put into it and how much thought was put into where and how everything was placed. I mean, look at this small blog post:

    http://the-witness.net/news/2015/06/polishing-the-architecture/

    Don't expect much story, though you can piece some together. This game is pure puzzle. No hand holding and no "Good jobs." A game about observation, epiphany and logic that wants you to learn instead of being told. If you like puzzles, especially difficult ones, play it.    … Expand
  57. nightmancomes
    Jan 29, 2016
    10
    The amount of work went into this is astonishing. People need to realize that it's not a game that you are supposed to rush through, finish as fast as you can. You should play it from time to time, you can finish it in 6 months if you want to, playing it whenever you feel like giving your mind a challange, giving yourself something to think on. Stop crying because it's too hard, becauseThe amount of work went into this is astonishing. People need to realize that it's not a game that you are supposed to rush through, finish as fast as you can. You should play it from time to time, you can finish it in 6 months if you want to, playing it whenever you feel like giving your mind a challange, giving yourself something to think on. Stop crying because it's too hard, because you can't finish the game in 2 days. This game is not made to be rushed through in 2 days, or a week, you just take your time and enjoy the admiring work went into making these beatiful puzzles. I also think it would make a great game to play with your friends, everyone putting some input and solving puzzles together sounds like it would be fun.… Expand
  58. FatherCreamy
    Feb 5, 2016
    6
    This is not a challenging puzzle game, and I wouldn't recommend it for puzzle enthusiasts. If you're looking for something similar puzzle-wise that is much more challenging, I would recommend trying out the demo for Parcel. The real challenge in The Witness for the most part is figuring out what the rules of the puzzles are, which after figuring out, usually become a breeze to solve. ItThis is not a challenging puzzle game, and I wouldn't recommend it for puzzle enthusiasts. If you're looking for something similar puzzle-wise that is much more challenging, I would recommend trying out the demo for Parcel. The real challenge in The Witness for the most part is figuring out what the rules of the puzzles are, which after figuring out, usually become a breeze to solve. It does become mildly/moderately challenging towards the end, but by then the game is pretty much over. The hardest puzzles are the bonus ones which seemingly have no satisfying affect on the world, which is disappointing when you're used to receiving acknowledgment for your work.

    Overall, I have mixed feelings about this game. The art was nice and seems to be a bigger part of this game than its puzzles, but the puzzles weren't much fun to play through due to lack of challenge & reward (it would've been nice if the puzzles revealed something artistic upon completion). I felt like I had to complete all the puzzles to see if I was missing a secret ending, but nothing grand happens as far as the community knows, only dull subtleties.    … Expand
  59. zenandshiny
    Mar 31, 2016
    4
    Beautiful visuals, challenging puzzles, thoughtful but "borrowed" philosophical content, and the ultimately false promise of deep mystery to be uncovered. The game had been hyped for years, and ended up so depressingly disappointing to me that In the end I could barely bring myself to finish it. It is a glut of repetitive, meaningless, storyless puzzle-solving in an otherwise visuallyBeautiful visuals, challenging puzzles, thoughtful but "borrowed" philosophical content, and the ultimately false promise of deep mystery to be uncovered. The game had been hyped for years, and ended up so depressingly disappointing to me that In the end I could barely bring myself to finish it. It is a glut of repetitive, meaningless, storyless puzzle-solving in an otherwise visually compelling environment that would’ve had the exact same impact on me had it been on the iPhone with pixellated 8-bit graphics. It wasn’t a game; it was a task. And it wasn’t one I felt any satisfaction from completing.… Expand
  60. Germashko
    Jan 29, 2016
    7
    It's a game that could only been made by great mind, but not a great game. You can see how it's incredibly complex at one thing, but also how it's so primitive in other things. It's a unique game - for sure, but it was made with a tunnel vision.
  61. MarcosMcc
    Feb 6, 2016
    9
    This is a great game. And its huge... solving panels isn't half of it. That, I think, is the reason the reviews are so different. Many people don't get far enough to see everything the game has to offer and get bored with the panels.
  62. Obe
    Jan 27, 2016
    10
    this game it's not something like, mini game dispatch on kawaii map!
    The game-play and game-design work to open our eyes on one special univers. Usually I do not have patience for the series of puzzles in a world without life but in this game all arouses curiosity thanks to a holistic approach.
  63. TheDisliker
    Apr 3, 2016
    0
    This is not a thinking man's game. The puzzles are easy to solve and repetitive (very very repetitive), and there is no storyline. A few quotes from famous people are thrown in as flashy garbage, but have no coherence and add no context, as much as you might wish they did. The game itself is beautiful, but ripped off of Myst and totally devoid of any originality, unless you countThis is not a thinking man's game. The puzzles are easy to solve and repetitive (very very repetitive), and there is no storyline. A few quotes from famous people are thrown in as flashy garbage, but have no coherence and add no context, as much as you might wish they did. The game itself is beautiful, but ripped off of Myst and totally devoid of any originality, unless you count sacking the storyline something original.

    I really hate this game because famous quotes/clips don't make something "smart". It's just an easy shortcut to sounding smart, so that you don't actually have to do anything smart yourself. Like coming up with an original game idea, instead of just attempting to crudely copy a known success like Myst.

    Save your $40 for 40 sudoku books, because that's all this game is.

    0/10 for all of the 10/10s saying this game is clever. Also, the ending is god awful.    … Expand
  64. timeherald
    Jan 29, 2016
    3
    I think this game is receiving way too much hype from media outlets. There are clever puzzles and good visuals, but it's a poor game overall. I prefer games like Stanley Parable, Quantum conundrum, and Portal.
  65. TwoEars
    Jan 30, 2016
    7
    A gorgeous puzzle game in need of a good story and background music.

    This game is going to appeal to a very specific type of player, it's a game for puzzle lovers who have no problem finding their own motivation or incentive to move through the game world. So if puzzles alone are enough motivation for you to keep playing and solving them by all means give it a try. But the puzzles    A gorgeous puzzle game in need of a good story and background music.

    This game is going to appeal to a very specific type of player, it's a game for puzzle lovers who have no problem finding their own motivation or incentive to move through the game world. So if puzzles alone are enough motivation for you to keep playing and solving them by all means give it a try.

    But the puzzles themselves are not perfect either though since they feel very disconnected to the game world. If you compare to Myst or Riven there were very different types of puzzles in those games which you had to solve in varying ways. But here in The Witness it's all different variations of the same "on the screen line puzzle", it honestly gets pretty repetitive after a while.

    I'm sure some puzzle lovers will like this game, but I keep wondering how much better the game had been had there been a story in there for us as well. And background music, a little background music would have gone a long way.

    Overall this game feels half baked, gorgeous graphics, some nice and clever puzzles... but where is the story, the connection between the puzzles and the game world, the puzzle variation and music? What The Witness does it does really well, but overall it just feels lacking and shy of modern standards.

    Overall I think The Talos Principle is a much better puzzle game with an inspiring mix of puzzles AND story.    … Expand
  66. praisethesun11
    Apr 1, 2016
    2
    This game does a horrible job of explaining what is being asked of you. I felt like it was wasting my time and it ended up feeling like a chore. The puzzles are trivial once you know what the each of the novel symbols mean but it takes you hours of trial and error to figure that out.
    Would not recommend.
  67. CipherSeed
    Feb 4, 2016
    6
    The environment is seemingly wasted on the type of puzzles you solve in this game. All of the puzzles seem to be a variation of start at this dot, follow these vague rules, and draw a line to the end point. It feels like a "puzzle gallery simulator". I think this game could have been much more interesting with environmental puzzles.

    If I wanted challenging 2D puzzles I would be playing    The environment is seemingly wasted on the type of puzzles you solve in this game. All of the puzzles seem to be a variation of start at this dot, follow these vague rules, and draw a line to the end point. It feels like a "puzzle gallery simulator". I think this game could have been much more interesting with environmental puzzles.

    If I wanted challenging 2D puzzles I would be playing SpaceChem.    … Expand
  68. GameplayExpert
    Mar 10, 2016
    5
    Прошёл я эту "игру" и понял кое-что главное, её автор умалишённый сектант. Ну это просто жесть, что там раскрывается в ней, когда начинаешь все эти диктофоны слушать и видео смотреть (здесь я говорю об общей теме, отражённой в них). Если же отбросить всю эту бредятину в сторону и проигнорировать заложенный в игру недосюжет, а оценивать всё с точки зрения геймдизайна, тоПрошёл я эту "игру" и понял кое-что главное, её автор умалишённый сектант. Ну это просто жесть, что там раскрывается в ней, когда начинаешь все эти диктофоны слушать и видео смотреть (здесь я говорю об общей теме, отражённой в них). Если же отбросить всю эту бредятину в сторону и проигнорировать заложенный в игру недосюжет, а оценивать всё с точки зрения геймдизайна, то выкристаллизовывается следующее:

    Техническая сторона:
    Движок написан кретинами от программирования. В игре нет ни физики, ни сотен NPC, ни каких-то сложных анимаций, а есть лишь неподвижный ландшафт, с водоёмами и яркими красками и вот я смотрю на всё это и у меня лишь недоумение, как эта игра может пожирать оперативку гигабайтами??? Даже третий крузис не хавал её такими порциями! Это же позор! Если в современных компах 8 гигабайт ОЗУ довольно частое явление, то это совсем не значит, что игра должна забирать для себя почти всё. И здесь даже регулятора громкости звука нет! А он очень нужен, особенно в местах, где головоломки нужно решать на слух. А ещё здесь нельзя изменить управление. Похоже, что разработчики думают, будто всем игрокам очень удобно использовать для бега именно Shift.

    Геймдизайн:
    Вся игра основана на однообразных головоломках с возрастающей сложностью и ничем другим здесь нельзя заняться. Только то и делаешь, что ходишь от экрана к экрану и ведёшь эту идиотскую линию из точки в точку. Ах да, тут ещё и пиксель хантинг есть, но на кой чёрт он здесь в такой дебильной реализации??? Все эти линии не только в головоломках нужно проводить, но ещё и на ландшафте и даже в облаках! Вашу мать...

    Арт дизайн:
    Единственная отдушина в этой игре. Хоть что-то сделано на хорошем уровне, но не картинка должна делать игру, а геймплей. Так что данный плюс не способен вытянуть всё остальное.

    Звук:
    Здесь нет музыки и это непростительно.

    (Недо)сюжет:
    Религиозно-сектантская ахинея, придуманная человеком с крайне ограниченным мировоззрением. Людям думающим и знающим о вселенной немного больше авторов игры будет очень некомфортно находиться в данной атмосфере.

    Человечность (в дополнение):
    Эта игра во многом поиздевается над вами. Чем? Отсутствием карты, отсутствием адекватного представления статистики прогресса, отсутствием быстрого перемещения между разными зонами острова и главное – отсутствием ровной прогрессии в решении головоломок. Здесь всё хаотично, часто вообще не понятно, что от тебя требуется, пока ты не посетишь все зоны острова и не научишься новым правилам решения. Это порождает лишь фрустрацию и раздражение. Очевидно, что разработчики не думали о том, чтобы игроки получали удовольствие от их игры, для них важным было лишь влить свою фаллософию в мозг игрока, совершенно не ожидающего от них этого.

    В общем, вот именно такие игры и называются инди-говном и у меня данная игра после полного её прохождения (включая испытательный этап, который сам по себе форменное издевательство) вызвала лишь рвотные позывы.

    Пять ставлю лишь только потому, что в игре всё красиво выглядит, но если бы этого не было, то была бы максимум двойка.    … Expand
  69. Falcon4242
    Feb 1, 2016
    4
    This game does not deserve 0/10. But I believe most people that do give that score are to counteract the amount of 10/10s that this game is getting, and also doesn't deserve.

    This is a $40 Connect The Dots adventure. That's it. The game looks beautiful, but the actual gameplay is a boring, repetitive slog. There is absolutely no variation in this game at all. It's just 500 different    This game does not deserve 0/10. But I believe most people that do give that score are to counteract the amount of 10/10s that this game is getting, and also doesn't deserve.

    This is a $40 Connect The Dots adventure. That's it. The game looks beautiful, but the actual gameplay is a boring, repetitive slog. There is absolutely no variation in this game at all. It's just 500 different maze puzzles that I could get from Flow on my phone for free.

    It's no wonder this game is the most pirated game at the moment. Nobody in their right mind would want to spend that kind of money on a game with no story, no characters, boring gameplay, and nonexistent atmosphere. This should cost between $10-15, at most.

    There's really nothing else to say. It's an overpriced, uninspired, boring maze puzzle game. Buy Portal if you want to know what a true modern puzzle game should feel like.    … Expand
  70. bellerophon
    Jan 28, 2016
    3
    Extremely boring and sometimes frustrating, would be far better for most people to buy a puzzle games magazine and spend your afternoon on it rather than spending almost 40$ on this dull game.
    Very disappointed...
  71. flatsounds
    Feb 9, 2016
    5
    This could very well have been developed for mobile devices - no soundtrack, no plot, no reason or drive provided to feel the desire to complete the puzzles other than for the sake of completing them. The world is beautiful and fairly big - it lets you choose which order you complete the puzzles in - but other than that it feels lifeless and very uninteresting to walk around despite theThis could very well have been developed for mobile devices - no soundtrack, no plot, no reason or drive provided to feel the desire to complete the puzzles other than for the sake of completing them. The world is beautiful and fairly big - it lets you choose which order you complete the puzzles in - but other than that it feels lifeless and very uninteresting to walk around despite the large disparities between areas. Some of the mechanics are excellent, and others downright awful. One section has you using environmental cues to think outside of the maze format that every puzzle takes on. Another makes you draw around tetris blocks and segregate black blocks from whites, whilst controlling an invisible line that mimics your moves backwards. Others use environmental cues where parts are just broken off or hidden somewhere, and without giving into a guide and not feeling the satisfaction of completing the puzzle for yourself, it feels as if Blow wants you to know exactly what he was thinking when he made the puzzle. Most other puzzle games have at least an interesting plot development or a nice OST to go with them, but this one just feels like an empty unfinished island that someone has gone to the trouble of littering with recordings of random philosophy. Hell, maybe it's all a part of making the player feel intellectual as they complete the hundreds of IOS mazes. The price is absolutely not worth the game itself and I'd advise anyone thinking of buying the game to wait for a heavy discount first.… Expand
  72. everin
    Feb 6, 2017
    9
    TIER 1

    + Hands down one of the most beautiful games or even simply 3D visual experiences ever created. + Insane attention to detail in integrating unique puzzle mechanics into the environmental design. + Overall strong puzzle design, teaching the player over time in unique ways -- as many have said, it is a game about "learning," and it works successfully to achieve that description.    TIER 1

    + Hands down one of the most beautiful games or even simply 3D visual experiences ever created.
    + Insane attention to detail in integrating unique puzzle mechanics into the environmental design.
    + Overall strong puzzle design, teaching the player over time in unique ways -- as many have said, it is a game about "learning," and it works successfully to achieve that description.
    ? A fair amount of the puzzles are going to be rough, everyone finds difficulty in different places depending on how they think about things, but some of the puzzles are simply tedious.
    ? The "story" of the world is controversially delivered in a manner that some would describe as "pretentious" -- the quotes and other bits are absolutely related to the content of the game regardless of anyone's opinions on it, but some of it can certainly be argued to come across stilted.
    - Purposefully avoids "progression" or "reward" mechanics due to a philosophical point the game is trying to make, but no matter how smart the delivery is, that doesn't change the fact that the user experience starts to feel stale by the end.    … Expand
  73. GuapoGrande
    Nov 15, 2017
    0
    Easily one of the most overhyped games I've ever seen, and I'm giving it 0/10 on that basis just to counteract all the ridiculous 10/10's.

    Look, it's just a glorified smartphone time-waster. There is exactly 1 game mechanic: line puzzles. That's it, hundreds and hundreds of line puzzles. Complete one set, and it opens the way to the next set. Complete those, and a passageway opens up to    Easily one of the most overhyped games I've ever seen, and I'm giving it 0/10 on that basis just to counteract all the ridiculous 10/10's.

    Look, it's just a glorified smartphone time-waster. There is exactly 1 game mechanic: line puzzles. That's it, hundreds and hundreds of line puzzles. Complete one set, and it opens the way to the next set. Complete those, and a passageway opens up to a roomful of more... you guessed it! line puzzles!

    The creators apparently didn't comprehend that giving us a reasonably pretty environment to explore (which is nice, but not particularly noteworthy by modern game standards) only helps a game when the environment is full of things to do and find. But here there is only one thing to do and find: LINE PUZZLES. They work overtime to add a little variety to how you solve these puzzles, but that doesn't change the fact that you will be sick of the damn line puzzles before you're 30% done, with hundreds of them still to go. Meanwhile there is no plot, no characters, nothing surprising or interesting or unexpected.

    However, if you cannot get enough #$^&@#*$ line puzzles, this is the game for you.    … Expand
  74. faircritic
    Feb 2, 2016
    5
    The obnoxius Talos principle attacks again, with less interesting visuals and less annnoying phylosophical religion/moral debatible crap coming from the classy stubborn educated fool type,but still there,unfortunately.
    Dang! the Talos principle was annoying after a while with the frustrating puzzles and the lecturing phylosophyical rubish. What about so nerdy puzzles that you need a qr    The obnoxius Talos principle attacks again, with less interesting visuals and less annnoying phylosophical religion/moral debatible crap coming from the classy stubborn educated fool type,but still there,unfortunately.
    Dang! the Talos principle was annoying after a while with the frustrating puzzles and the lecturing phylosophyical rubish. What about so nerdy puzzles that you need a qr scanner to solve one of them?(you know whr's that in first place? I didn't)
    NEEEERDS!!!!
    The whatever religion parody crap:I'm your god, good to you to know,behave worm, know this,bla,blah,blah,the moonlanding hoax promoted in the ridiculous cryptic impossible puzzle, etc. makes it the most obnoxious absurd puzzle game ever made.
    Now the witness (jeohva's witness? whatever religion propaganda crap) returns for more of the same,witth less interesting puzzles,less variety, puzzles with little dots,less visuals,same crap difficulty and same: I know more than you stupid sinner attitud.******!!!!
    What's most incredible is the overhype over it.This game is not worthy of your time and money unless you are a very religious person like nerdy puzzles and believe these biggots with all their selfish I know all attitude and discourse.Shut up! For your god's sake already.    … Expand
  75. Potus
    Feb 1, 2016
    3
    The game has complicated and well designed puzzles, that's true. But it has absolutely no story and the ending is really disappointing. The audio files/tapes/whatever could've been used to tell some sort of story and give the player a reason to look for them and keep on solving puzzles. Instead, they simply contained quotes you could find on f***ing facebook.
    The only reason to play this    The game has complicated and well designed puzzles, that's true. But it has absolutely no story and the ending is really disappointing. The audio files/tapes/whatever could've been used to tell some sort of story and give the player a reason to look for them and keep on solving puzzles. Instead, they simply contained quotes you could find on f***ing facebook.
    The only reason to play this game is to kill time. Last but not least, 40 BUCKS??    … Expand
  76. dafrak
    Feb 9, 2016
    2
    Extremely pretentious and boring game about solving one type of puzzle over and over again. Graphics are nice but very demanding and poorly optimized.
  77. Zer0TheHer0
    Feb 1, 2016
    0
    keyboard controls aren't redefinable.If you don't use wasd you're screwed.Don't buy this.Developers should learn to add such a simple,basic and absolutely necessary feature,in 2016
  78. BananaAzul
    Jan 29, 2016
    0
    Incredibly overhyped pretentious crap that got more attention that what it deserves.
    There are better first person puzzled based games in the market that are actually well executed and aren't surfing on the hype machine just to sell some copies.
  79. toronto_puzzler
    Apr 3, 2016
    5
    This is a beautiful game, but vastly disappointing. I came to it looking for something in the vein of the Myst series. Unfortunately, this lacks Myst's humor, drama, inspiration, and variety. In particular, all of the puzzles take the same shape, that of a maze. More importantly, there's no payoff for solving any puzzle - just more puzzles to slog through. There's no story, no interactionThis is a beautiful game, but vastly disappointing. I came to it looking for something in the vein of the Myst series. Unfortunately, this lacks Myst's humor, drama, inspiration, and variety. In particular, all of the puzzles take the same shape, that of a maze. More importantly, there's no payoff for solving any puzzle - just more puzzles to slog through. There's no story, no interaction with characters, no sudden reveals, no notes - in general, no pleasure. The world is strikingly beautiful, which provides some time for appreciation. But there's no long-term enjoyment in such a static environment. I stopped playing after 8-12 hours.… Expand
  80. mageprince2011
    Jan 29, 2016
    0
    Honestly, The game is horrid absolutely horrid. No game mechanics besides badly designed puzzles. No atmosphere just nice graphics. No story whatso-ever. And the game itself can be completed in 4 hours. That's 10 dollars an hour that's insane. for 40 bucks you might as well save that money and buy battlefleet gothic or GTA. this game is horridly overpriced and the creator is a whiny asshatHonestly, The game is horrid absolutely horrid. No game mechanics besides badly designed puzzles. No atmosphere just nice graphics. No story whatso-ever. And the game itself can be completed in 4 hours. That's 10 dollars an hour that's insane. for 40 bucks you might as well save that money and buy battlefleet gothic or GTA. this game is horridly overpriced and the creator is a whiny asshat who is a ginormous snob. Half of these 10/10 reviews are just making a Last Name Pun to Johnathon Blow, people literally have no taste in anything these days and will do anything for the least bit of attention from devs.… Expand
  81. NickNardashian
    Jan 27, 2016
    3
    Extremely frustrating and a lacking a huge need of rewards. Boring at times and looks like a N64 game. I thought there was more to it than that, but there really isn't all hyped up to be, but there really isn't. You journey through okay looking but ultimately bland and ugly areas looking for the next maze puzzle to complete. The maze puzzles get somewhat more complex as the game goes onExtremely frustrating and a lacking a huge need of rewards. Boring at times and looks like a N64 game. I thought there was more to it than that, but there really isn't all hyped up to be, but there really isn't. You journey through okay looking but ultimately bland and ugly areas looking for the next maze puzzle to complete. The maze puzzles get somewhat more complex as the game goes on and seems like a drag. No answers and the ending was a complete let down for what I expected after playing braid. Mr. Blow's attitude outlook doesn't help either. Didn't even mention a price point for something that could have been put on to an IPad. Thanks for nothing Blow!… Expand
  82. Kaux
    Mar 6, 2016
    7
    Clearly The Witness is an incredible looking game, as to be expected when 7-8 years are spent mainly on the visuals. I agree that the game was excessively over-hyped and that there are several very extreme reviews (such as IGNs) which prompted me to purchase the game and see what the hype was about. The WItness is, overall, a disappointment; it was much too expensive at £30 at launch, andClearly The Witness is an incredible looking game, as to be expected when 7-8 years are spent mainly on the visuals. I agree that the game was excessively over-hyped and that there are several very extreme reviews (such as IGNs) which prompted me to purchase the game and see what the hype was about. The WItness is, overall, a disappointment; it was much too expensive at £30 at launch, and does not provide enough for the price tag. The puzzles, whilst fun for a while, become very boring and repetitive, and the fact that there is essentially no story throughout the game makes continuing seem pointless.

    It's a beautiful game, but simply disappointing for the price and hype centered around it.    … Expand
  83. Sbeeer
    Nov 24, 2021
    10
    Absolutely the best puzzle game I've played, and one of my all time favourite videogames ever!
    The Witness doesn't teach you anything, it guides you through the learning process of figuring out puzzle rules by yourself. Kept me occupied for a month!
    10/10 - but only if you're not afraid of a challenge.
  84. Matchet
    Aug 12, 2017
    9
    It's a lovely game, great graphics, nice ambience, challenging puzzles. It may grow a little bit repetitive, but there are so many hours of entertainment.
  85. lexblow
    Dec 11, 2016
    6
    The game starts in a very nice, colorful place, and it feels nice to solve the puzzles, at least initially. After a while, it become very boring very fast, nothing but puzzle after puzzle, after puzzle, no story at all, no mystery to be solved, although tha game has plenty of room to do so, but no, they chose to focus only on puzzle solving for no reason besides the sake of solvingThe game starts in a very nice, colorful place, and it feels nice to solve the puzzles, at least initially. After a while, it become very boring very fast, nothing but puzzle after puzzle, after puzzle, no story at all, no mystery to be solved, although tha game has plenty of room to do so, but no, they chose to focus only on puzzle solving for no reason besides the sake of solving puzzles.
    Definitely not for me.    … Expand
  86. nunocordeiro
    Jul 3, 2020
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played. It's especially good to play with a friend or with your girlfriend. It's challenging, beautiful, and engaging.
  87. Cech
    May 16, 2017
    0
    Cute and funny
    Repetative, but sometimes immersive
    Amazing gameplay and awesome effect of mistery
    Puzzles are the best i've ever seen in games, would recoomend this game to everyone, it is 10 points

    10/1000
  88. lhmtgame
    Jul 11, 2016
    4
    The game's graphics similar to Borderland.
    Pros: The game is almost playable for any new or old PC. The graphics are good looking! It's been made for "brain exercise".
    Cons: No any music or song in game. No "tutorials" or any "explanation" to play. No Keyboard Mapping for knowing the action. No "jump ability", have to go around the walls or bushes. No any reward or something to make    The game's graphics similar to Borderland.
    Pros: The game is almost playable for any new or old PC. The graphics are good looking! It's been made for "brain exercise".
    Cons: No any music or song in game. No "tutorials" or any "explanation" to play. No Keyboard Mapping for knowing the action. No "jump ability", have to go around the walls or bushes. No any reward or something to make interesting. Some puzzle give nothing after solving.

    =>Too much "Cons" => Delete the game.    … Expand
  89. GTmAster
    Jun 3, 2017
    10
    The Witness can hardly be called a "game" and can not be observed from the usual "player" positions. The Witness is not a game, it is the author's philosophical reasoning about the cognitive process, the scientific path and the relation of science and faith. It's an epistemological work presented in an amazingly beautiful interactive form. The mind of the player here is not just an outsideThe Witness can hardly be called a "game" and can not be observed from the usual "player" positions. The Witness is not a game, it is the author's philosophical reasoning about the cognitive process, the scientific path and the relation of science and faith. It's an epistemological work presented in an amazingly beautiful interactive form. The mind of the player here is not just an outside observer or a participant in the process, it is the subject of research. Like any philosophical work, The Witness does not give answers, but asks many questions.
    The Witness is a perfect example of how interactive entertainment can be a real piece of modern art.    … Expand
  90. ExpertPL
    Nov 11, 2016
    9
    It's one of the best games I played this year. But first thing you need to know is that it's not for everyone. Everything you find here involves puzzles and creative thinking, if it's not what you like in games, than this game propably is not for you. For the fans of puzzle games, it's certainly a must-have game. With this being said, I never liked puzzle games, but this one changed myIt's one of the best games I played this year. But first thing you need to know is that it's not for everyone. Everything you find here involves puzzles and creative thinking, if it's not what you like in games, than this game propably is not for you. For the fans of puzzle games, it's certainly a must-have game. With this being said, I never liked puzzle games, but this one changed my mind. Also, I definitely recommend finishing this game with 100%.… Expand
  91. hanelik
    May 10, 2017
    9
    Stunning level design. Puzzles may seem to be repetitive, but they are repetitive on purpose. The key to solve some of them is very tricky! The way the scenery of island is included into the puzzles is also amazing. The variability of "one puzzle type" was mind blowing. One point down for not strong (or not understood) story. Great job!
  92. DKurac
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    I completed this game 2 years ago on Xbox and now on PC. It is still the most beautiful game i have ever played. I love every single thing on this game it is pure perfection.
  93. SpecterLight
    Aug 18, 2017
    3
    Do you like to have fun in your games? If you answered 'yes', then avoid this game. It is simply not fun. My biggest gripe is how arbitrary the rules of the puzzles are. You need to find the rules through a lot of trial and error, and even then it's not perfect.

    If you want to feel aggravated while playing, then pick this up,
  94. jgmj921
    Mar 27, 2021
    8
    The world and puzzles are masterfully designed and appropriately challenging, despite being a bit repetitive. Instructions are not placed in apparent places or orderly enough that they can be easily missed, resulting in some of the harder puzzles in early game. The story, whether there is one is up for debate, isn't clear for a player to the end, while some of the pieces of audio or videoThe world and puzzles are masterfully designed and appropriately challenging, despite being a bit repetitive. Instructions are not placed in apparent places or orderly enough that they can be easily missed, resulting in some of the harder puzzles in early game. The story, whether there is one is up for debate, isn't clear for a player to the end, while some of the pieces of audio or video are quite interesting. Overall a rewarding experience.… Expand
  95. Gillfinnfish
    Apr 11, 2020
    10
    It's a game driven by the joy of discovery, in that there are many things to discover and every new thing learned brings profound satisfaction. Beautiful and brilliantly designed, this is the most engaging experience I've ever had with a video game.
  96. hoanns
    Jun 14, 2020
    9
    Great puzzler, beautiful scenery, great atmosphere. Interesting puzzles, although most of them are just 2d puzzles where you look at a plate. I wish there were more real world puzzles
  97. ShermanSays
    Jun 12, 2020
    10
    The Witness is not a game for everyone, it has an unhealthy obsession for player discovery, but that makes it the best puzzle game I have ever played.

    Pros: Best puzzle game I have ever played Cons: High barrier to entry, sound based puzzles The laser focused design of this game is admirable. There was such detail put into every aspect of the world. It was stated that there were    The Witness is not a game for everyone, it has an unhealthy obsession for player discovery, but that makes it the best puzzle game I have ever played.

    Pros: Best puzzle game I have ever played
    Cons: High barrier to entry, sound based puzzles

    The laser focused design of this game is admirable. There was such detail put into every aspect of the world. It was stated that there were three distinct groups of puzzles in the world, by the developer. First is the base puzzles, the panels that unlock the first ending, the second are spoilers for the best discovery this game has to offer, and the third are the visual perspective puzzles around the world of the witness. These are the only types that do not show completion. Solving each of these types of puzzles are rewarding and difficult, but each time there is an addictive dopamine rush with the discovery that comes with completing a panel.

    The puzzles in this game are among the hardest in any game I have played. Completing all of them is a task of epic proportion, which most players won't complete. The few who do are in for a treat as only then does the narrative rear it's head. The narrative has some surprisingly deep philosophical and theological roots, and works more as an exploration of themes through player action more than any of the audio logs do in the world. The main theme is human discovery as stated earlier, and where the narrative lands on that large topic is poignant.

    This game is not meant to be played by most people. It's design is so focused that it excludes players, the same way that a technically demanding game would.Because of this the players that do engage with it do so on a deeper level. I had to play this game three separate times before being able to finish it. I think that there is nothing that this game could have improved on.    … Expand
  98. NfeKteD
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    The Witness is an exploration and puzzle game without a specific story, which makes its highest point, you walk, solve some puzzles here and there, see some constructions and strange things in the meantime and in no time, the game says something.

    This is his point because, you decide what is happening there, why you are doing everything, and try to understand what may be happening at    The Witness is an exploration and puzzle game without a specific story, which makes its highest point, you walk, solve some puzzles here and there, see some constructions and strange things in the meantime and in no time, the game says something.

    This is his point because, you decide what is happening there, why you are doing everything, and try to understand what may be happening at the game site.

    Another highlight is its setting, the game is beautiful, with different areas and full of mysteries. Its gameplay is based on puzzles to take one point of the panel to another point, following specific rules, the game has more than 500 unique puzzles, but you do not need to complete them all to finish the game, leaving your choice of how to play and even When.

    I recommend it for those who really like puzzles, and want a different game, but chances are you will get sick of it, or even find it meaningless, I recommend watching some videos about it before making the purchase. However I personally do not regret the purchase.    … Expand
  99. GVB
    Oct 30, 2020
    9
    An almost perfect story about obsession and intelligence. Its hard, painfully obscure sometimes... but finish this game without guides or walkthrough its one of the most rewarding experience since finish bloodborne. And its simply beautiful.
  100. The27thSlot
    Jun 29, 2021
    10
    I feel sorry for those who look up answers to puzzles or the puzzle mechanics and then call the game repetitive. The whole point is you have to solve puzzles without actually knowing the mechanics, just knowing that your idea of how they work has allowed you to solve all the previous puzzles. The more you know about this game before you go in, the worse your experience will be.
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best PC Game of 2016
37
#37 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
63
#63 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. High-Def Digest
    Apr 10, 2016
    60
    Video games are unequivocally a form of art. But like all art, the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. With 'The Witness' I feel like I’m in an art gallery watching a gaggle of admirers who are looking at a piece together, commenting on its style and how it makes them feel. I’m the guy standing off to the side, not with them but looking at the same painting. I can admit that it’s pretty, but it doesn’t really evoke a significant response, and so I shrug and move on to the next.
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  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Mar 31, 2016
    92
    The Witness is a “just” puzzle game as much as orgasm is just a feeling. [March 2016]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Mar 22, 2016
    100
    The most beautiful IQ test under the sun? The Witness is much more than that. Celebration of human intelligence and lament to the fate that results from it. [Issue # 261]
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