The Witness?

I've looked around this site for any chatter on the upcoming game. Could not find any. Does anyone know its status for release?

According to Gamespot, the game now has a release date of January 26, 2016.

Thanks. Is there only this and no chatter about it? I did not go for his BRAIN game because I don't like arcade (jumping, shooting, timed stuff, etc). But I do love puzzles, and it sounds like Brain was really good for that.

I'm still not sure it's an adventure. At least not in the usual sense.

You can read an in depth article here.

Ana never fails.

I read it all. It sounds like, if you enjoy this particular game's puzzle style, you have a lot of playing time ahead. I wonder if it will be possible to play a Demo before buying.

The Witness info

I imagine it would take me a lot longer than this to finish the game!

There are some really glowing reviews just out for this game. Seems like there are lots of puzzles and lots of hours of gameplay. I didn't read anything too thoroughly since I didn't want spoilers. I'm hoping that the puzzles don't all rely on game physics like Braid.

Sounds like they are all the same kind of "puzzles" in the form of a maze. The review states it's just getting through one maze after another. The Witness review.

Ana

Oh. well that is kind of boring. But, I guess when we explore a virtual place, in some ways it is like doing a maze. I always like to draw a map anyhow. As long as they are not all dungeony and dark, I might give this a go.

thanks for the link to the review. oh dear, a maze now and then is bad enough, but who needs a whole string of them. thanks! so glad i asked here.

My thoughts exactly, Reenie! Mazes are my least favorite type of "puzzle"! It's like putting me in gaming hell.

Ana

It's got a high price tag too $39.99.

Definitely higher than the majority of adventure games being released.

Ana

Well that pretty much says it all.


In other words, all puzzles are the same type of puzzle, unlike adventure games that feature different puzzles. You don't get to investigate machinery and figure out how it works the way you do in Myst, Riven, RHEM, etc. Instead you wander around a cartoony 3D environment and find these "panels" with this puzzle on them. If you don't enjoy this particular puzzle game that he invented, you're out of luck.

You can watch a gameplay video here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZbRBen7rCc
and see what the puzzles are like around 8:40 into the video.

The puzzle itself looks kind of simple, though I'm sure it would be more challenging if they have it in 100x100 size with the dots scattered all around instead of in a group.

Thanks Jenny100. Reminds me of what I've seen of The Talos Principle.

The Talos Principle had much more "realistic"-looking graphics than this. I don't know if I'd have liked it or not because attempting to watch a YouTube of part of it produced instant motion-sickness.

wow. another reason for me to skip it. i am prone to motion sickness already. don't need help with that!

I bought this game yesterday, and I am already hooked. So, you start off in a ruined castle of sorts and as usual, need to get some power going. The grid puzzles are pretty straight forward here. Once you get out, the environment is huge. It is 3D roaming which you can do totally with a programmable mouse (middle button for 'W"). The grid type puzzles show up on doors, gateways, and power sources but they are all different. There are multiple panel puzzles as well that act as mini tutorials for some of the grids. But the best part is the exploration! It is like Rhem - there are upper walkways that you can see and look to access, paths, beaches, even windows into bunkers.
When people talked about maze puzzles, they couldn't be more misrepresented. The grid puzzles I came across so far have been varied and challenging, even with the baby step practice puzzles. Some hook up to others and allow access to new areas. Just like in Rhem, you need to pay attention to how spaces are interconnected. There is so much to see and do, I'm having a hard time leaving the game. I highly recommend this game for the puzzle lovers and the explorers, if you can take the 3D movement.

Glad you are enjoying it, colpet!

An update, and yes, I'm still playing this game. That is how massive it is. I did take a break for about 2 months over the holidays, but I am back at it when I get some time. For the record, I've completed about 400 of the 600 or so available puzzles, and there is still a chunk of real estate I haven't cracked yet. What is amazing about this game is the way it changes your perception as you work through the different sections. I went back to areas I had 'completed' and found details that I just would not have noticed before. I think this is what everyone who experiences the game talks about when they say the developer wants the game process to change you. Maybe I am being too philosophical, but I can't praise this game enough. The puzzles are the smallest part of it. The story is rather ominous, and is hinted at by what you find on your travels. There is nothing to read, and no music. There are video and audio clips available that add to the experience, and support your exploration and curiosity. I originally thought the game was a bit expensive, but the amount of playing time I've had has made this a bargain.

What an interesting update, colpet. It sounds like a fascinating game.

Most of my reason for writing this, is that I think that people have some concerns that this is not an adventure game. I guess it is not a traditional adventure, but many of the members know me and my tastes. I like my first person puzzle adventures, and this is basically what this is, but it is also so much more. In a good way. I just want to get the message out to gamers that share my tastes (and can stand 3D movement) to give this game a try. Don't be put off by the 'it only has maze puzzles'. That part of it is only the mechanic. It is like saying that all puzzles using numbers are the same.

You sure are getting your money's worth!

Ana

Couldn't agree more colpet! It's a great game.

Without being too spoilery, this is the best way I came up with to explain it–don't consider it a bunch of mazes, instead think of the panels that show the mazes as a very unusual way of entering answers for the puzzles that are all around you in the environment. You sleuth for clues by investigating every square inch of the world, then use the panel and enter your answer to see if it's correct.