The Witness

 Xbox One
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 81 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 81
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 81
  3. Negative: 15 out of 81

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  1. NabaDwA
    Sep 25, 2016
    10
    As many have said before, this game is absolutely brilliant. In essence it's a smartphone game about drawing a line from a starting point to the finish. But put that in a huge open world with beautiful colours and landscapes, intelligent puzzle design and challenging you every step of the way. Some puzzles can be frustrating if you don't understand them but when you do, that sense ofAs many have said before, this game is absolutely brilliant. In essence it's a smartphone game about drawing a line from a starting point to the finish. But put that in a huge open world with beautiful colours and landscapes, intelligent puzzle design and challenging you every step of the way. Some puzzles can be frustrating if you don't understand them but when you do, that sense of satisfaction keeps you playing on and on. Slightly pricey at first glance, but when you realize how much work and thought has gone into the game you will be astonished, it's definitely worth it.… Expand
  2. maybethatday
    Sep 25, 2016
    10
    It's unfortunate that many people might skip on this game because they think it is a mobile app in a pretty but unnecessary world. And from the trailer, it's understandable people may think that.

    Though this is not true and anybody who says so did not play for more than an hour. This game needs its 3d environment or else many of its puzzles would either be unsolvable or simply not    It's unfortunate that many people might skip on this game because they think it is a mobile app in a pretty but unnecessary world. And from the trailer, it's understandable people may think that.

    Though this is not true and anybody who says so did not play for more than an hour. This game needs its 3d environment or else many of its puzzles would either be unsolvable or simply not exist. So why don't the trailers try to explain this? Because unlike say Portal, many of the puzzles are easily spoiled and showing them gives away big answers that could be used to solve other puzzles.

    In The Witness, you are dropped in a open world surrounded by hundreds of puzzles with no instruction on how to solve any of them. This game doesn't want to make you feel smart because it believes that you are smart. The game gets hard, very hard, but solving everything is satisfying and I never felt cheated. As the game is all about rules, rules which aren't ever broken or changed. If you think the game is wrong, you didn't understand the rules that were given.

    Also, know that this game is puzzle after puzzle after puzzle. With very little story, The Witness is only for those who really like puzzles. Each of these puzzles managing to bring in an interesting new concept while building from others. Not a single puzzle out of the 600+ felt repetitive to me. It may sound like it may get old fast, but it doesn't. When I was 40 hours in, 50 hours in, 60 hours in, I was still discovering things that change the way I played and how I looked at its future puzzles. There is so much cool hidden stuff that continued to surprise me, because everything in the game has reasons behind why it exists and why it is where it is.    … Expand
  3. nickminus
    Dec 19, 2016
    10
    The Witness is not for everyone. It is a game that presumes you are a thorough, intelligent detective who wants to be challenged. If you don't like being stumped or getting stuck, then you'll quickly become frustrated. But if you are willing to think hard for several minutes, scratch your head, give up, move on, and then suddenly awaken to the epiphany that cracks a tough challenge,The Witness is not for everyone. It is a game that presumes you are a thorough, intelligent detective who wants to be challenged. If you don't like being stumped or getting stuck, then you'll quickly become frustrated. But if you are willing to think hard for several minutes, scratch your head, give up, move on, and then suddenly awaken to the epiphany that cracks a tough challenge, this game is for you.

    The puzzles in The Witness are delightful, and the game has this remarkable way of teaching you piece by piece how to solve challenges without stating any instructions. The challenges are also built into the environment in ways that are extremely clever. (Anyone who thinks this is a mobile game has not played it seriously.) And there's also an air of mystique that comes through, as if the mission of the game has a much deeper spiritual and philosophical meaning.

    I enjoy RPGs, shooters, and adventure games mainly. The Witness is unlike anything I've played before. And it is easily now among my all time favorite games. It made me feel like I did twenty 25 years ago playing The Legend of Zelda, uncovering a secret passage. It is a marvel of brilliant game design. It is full of experiences that touch profundity. It is a truly original work forged with passion and brains that deserves and repays the player's sustained efforts. Try as hard as you can to not look up cheats and spoilers. Sometimes the answers will come easily. Other times they will baffle you. Don't give up. Keep searching. The clues are there, waiting for you to find them, waiting for you to awaken to the mysterious logic and language built into the world of the game.    … Expand
  4. DKurac
    Jan 5, 2019
    10
    Really great game. I've enjoyed it so much. Also this game has really beautiful visuals I love that colours. Sometimes it took me longer to complete some puzzles but with patience I did it. The hardest part for me was The Challenge I played i so many times but finally did it.
  5. Droubek
    Jan 19, 2018
    9
    One of the best logical/puzzle games I've very played. Clever puzzles that increase in complexity. Despite the fact that they are all based on similar style, the developers managed to squeeze in enough variety so that it keeps one interested.
    The graphics along with the story told in small hints makes the game very enjoyable.
  6. wfsenior
    Jun 29, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Witness is one of the best games I have ever played, period.

    This puzzle game is so immersive that I began dreaming about it, and seeing puzzles in my everyday life. Calling it a game feels almost insulting...this feels like a movie...or simply an experience. The creator, Jonathan Blow, is a genius (a term that I don't use lightly). This is his second game following 'Braid' (a game which I haven't played).

    In terms of gameplay, you find yourself in a large tunnel, and as you exit you find yourself on an island. I had no idea quite how enormous the island was, so this is initially rather intimidating. You are told nothing... you have to figure out the secrets of the island that you find yourself on. There are numerous visual puzzles that require solving. The main point of focus is a large mountain, which is one of the first areas I explored...I then came to a realisation as I stared down at the water below...the whole island is a puzzle. By that I mean the puzzles are revealed based on your perspective (based on where you are standing)...It's difficult to explain. But it's so gorgeous. You explore an array of biomes, each with different personalities and an abundance of secrets. Solving a series of puzzles will often unlock a new area, and the final puzzle in an area will activate a laser... Activate enough lasers and you can enter the mountain.

    The attention to detail on the island is immaculate. You have to actually use your brain and dedicate time, which will turn away a lot of individuals. And I think that Jonathan Blow knew this. The island is also very creepy. It is littered with abandoned mobile phones containing religious and poetic voice recordings. And there are statues which look like people turned to stone which leave a pit in my stomach. They are terrifying. They are happy yet frozen. What happened here?

    The toughest moment of this experience is a timed challenge which requires you to solve a series of puzzles whilst 'In The Hall of the Mountain King' (the most tense song ever written) plays...if you pause the game it resets... If you're too slow it resets. The puzzles change each time. There is no possible way to cheat. Essentially, Blow knew that many people would cheat there way through each puzzle, so added this in at the end as a f*ck you to cheaters. You had to master every type of visual puzzle you had learned this far...this took me several days. But the feeling of finally solving this puzzle is so immense.

    The whole game features no soundtrack - only the sound of walking combined with silence... when the game ended I felt cleansed. (Spoiler alert) When I finally completed the final challenge, I was carried back through each biome in a floating box, revisiting each area I had spent so much of my time exploring and solving. Each puzzle resets itself as the lasers retract. The soundscape is so beautiful. This is so peaceful and calming. This ended with me back in the tunnel in which I started, encased in darkness, so that I could play again. It gives the illusion of everything being pointless. But it is very far from it. This is a game that allows you to grow as a person.

    Artistically, this is the best game I've ever played. Never before have I seen a game with so much creative control. Nothing that I say can truly prepare you for The Witness. What did I Witness? I feel as if there's so many secrets and eastereggs that I missed. Everybody will get something different out of this. I recommend this to anybody that is very patient, that is determined, that wants to get a better understanding of themselves and anybody who appreciates the artistry behind video games. I feel nostalgic despite only just completing it. This is very special. 10/10.    … Expand
  7. lordscythe
    Apr 25, 2023
    10
    Best puzzle game of all time. It is something that has to be experienced in order to fully appreciate the grandeur and brilliance of this game. It sounds very elitist to say, but others who have commented along these lines are absolutely correct: this is a game created by intelligent people for intelligent people. For those who appreciate art, philosophy and puzzles in equal measure and ifBest puzzle game of all time. It is something that has to be experienced in order to fully appreciate the grandeur and brilliance of this game. It sounds very elitist to say, but others who have commented along these lines are absolutely correct: this is a game created by intelligent people for intelligent people. For those who appreciate art, philosophy and puzzles in equal measure and if you do appreciate these things I can't think of anything that combines these elements in a more perfect form.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Best Xbox One Game of 2016
62
#62 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2016
57
#57 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
  1. ICXM
    Oct 14, 2016
    90
    Just a phenomenal title which stands up well on Xbox One. Despite its 30 FPS presentation which results in feeling like trudging through molasses, the game still features intelligent puzzles and rewards the player when they finally figure it out.
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  2. Gaming Age
    Oct 6, 2016
    100
    The Witness has an abundance of content, and even after 25+ hours I feel I have barely scratched the surface of the secrets the island holds for me.
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  3. MondoXbox
    Oct 5, 2016
    80
    An unique experience with mountains of puzzles to solve, a great look and an intangible mystery to discover, but lacking on the storytelling side and with a sometimes unbalanced difficulty progression.
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