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

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  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. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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!
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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).
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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
  26. 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
  27. barca24
    Feb 2, 2016
    10
    Great game , graphic is amazing and so ispirated . Puzzle are awesome. One of best game i ever play . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. Filipes
    Apr 14, 2020
    10
    Beautiful island with many puzzles to find, solve and get yourself lost in...
prev
Page:

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.
    Read full review
  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]
See all critic reviews »