Summary
Almost every big-budget title aspires to integrate an open world that lets players enjoy the simple act of exploration as they move the story at their own pace and find several side activities to mess around with on the way. In a bid to appeal to the masses, most of these games are loaded with gameplay loops designed to cater to a wide audience.
As a result, it’s easy to see why the vast majority of open-world games mess around with puzzles in some form or another. It’s a great way to give players a breather after being bombarded with action set-pieces, with some games enjoying bonus points if these puzzles integrate neatly into the environment to make their solutions as natural as possible.
Breath of the Wildwas a huge step forward for open-world gaming, and it was a given thatTears of the Kingdomwould build upon these systemseven more. This allows players to enjoy a bunch of ingenious powers in the sequel that can manipulate the environment with ease.
This makes puzzle-solving a blast because of the myriad of solutions players can enjoy, especially with the freedom afforded by the Ultrahand ability.Tears of the Kingdom’s puzzles are a great example of how natural video game design can elevate the enjoyment of players with a particular game.
After what felt like ages, fans finally got the opportunity tolive out their wildest fantasiesand become a student at Hogwarts. The open world ofHogwarts Legacyis full to the brim with secrets in and around the school that are a joy to uncover.
Players must unlock spells and use them to interact with the environment and complete certain puzzles. Field Guide pages and Merlin Trials (among other such activities) may be irritating to complete after a point, but the smart puzzle design across the open world more than makes up for it.
Mankind Divideddecided to build upon the formula of an open-world hub, and it does so with incredible results.The city of Prague may seem smallbut boasts impressive verticality, environmental storytelling, and so many secrets that players can get lost in their exploration.
Given the game’s origins as an immersive sim, almost every act of infiltration can turn into a mini-puzzle of sorts as players figure out a way of entry as they either connect the dots, find a good ol' vent, or uncover another path that isn’t obvious. With Prague changing as players go through the major missions, the open-world hub remains fresh and loaded with unique content.
One of the greatest open-world games ever made,Outer Wilds' mystery is a joy to uncoveras players try and figure out how to stop the universe from collapsing at the end of a time loop. Most of the puzzles in this game involve a fair bit of reading for players to discern points of interest in the environment.
It’s one of the few games that players would want to forget after completing just so they can enjoy this one-of-a-kind experience all over again. The puzzles are ingenious without being frustrating and the simple act of exploration is a reward in itself.
After the firstWatch Dogstired fans with an oppressively dark storyline, the sequel decided to lean into a goofier storyline where the hackers were actually trying to be cyber saviors instead of trying to get revenge. It helps that the hacking is improved tremendously and feels more naturally integrated with the open world.
This allows for more emergent gameplay scenarios where break-ins and hacks can turn into puzzles of sorts, with players using the gadgets and skills at their disposal to figure out unique solutions for every problem. It’s a huge achievement and something that fans wanted from the firstWatch Dogsgame.
A game that wowed players when it was announced,The Pathlessfeatures fun open-world traversal and a focus on puzzles that feel natural instead of tacked on. Some of these brain-teasers can be tough to figure out, but players who are invested in the core gameplay loop won’t mind giving this game a shot.
Locating landmarks in the open world and collecting lightstones is quite fun, with the game implementing stealth encounters from time to time too. Lighting up the obelisks after making slow and steady progress is a great reward for players who love whatThe Pathlesshas to offer.
After the success ofBreath of the Wild, Ubisoft decided to greenlight a project that would be inspired by Nintendo’s breakaway success. While the inspirations can be a bit too on the nose for some,Immortals Fenyx Risingboasts fun combatand a charming script to keep fans engaged for the long haul.
As one would expect from a game inspired by the newZeldagames,Fenyx Risinghas its fair share of environmental puzzles that can make for a fun change of pace. The puzzles can be a bit too abundant after a point, but fans ofBreath of the Wildand its sequel will be right at home with the ingenious nature of these brain-teasers.
