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. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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!
  14. 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
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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...
  22. 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).
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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.
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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.
    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 »