Recommend me some puzzle games like Braid or Portal.

[J T]

I'm interested in finding some more puzzle games like Braid or Portal. I've been trying to pin down what I like about these games. I think the critical element is that the puzzles require both experimentation and logical deduction. You have to do a little trial and error to begin with, but after you mess up a few times, you begin to understand what the rules of the game world are. Once you understand the rules, you can then think your way through the puzzles and you begin to solve puzzles with more than just trial an error.

The other thing I like about Braid and Portal is that are structured to slowly teach the rules of the game. Each new test in Portal forces you to think about ways you can play around with the Portal technology to maneuvre yourself around the rooms. Likewise, Braid adds some new element to time bending in each new world to make the puzzles increasingly complex.

The kind of puzzles I don't like as much are ones where the answer is obvious like in a Resident Evil or Devil May Cry game where you see an open space at the base of a statue in the shape of a dagger. You then know you just have to find the dagger and put it into the groove and voila, the secret door opens. There's no mental challenge in that. The "puzzle" just feels like filler to get you to run around in the game world.

One final thing about Braid and Portal that I like is that they look like they belong in another genre. This isn't as important to me as experimentation/deduction, but I do like the fact that Braid appears to be a 2D platformer and Portal appears to be a first person shooter, but they are both primarily puzzle solving games. It helps bring the puzzles to life to have them exist within an explorable world.

[J T]

Also, feel free to use this thread to just discuss your thoughts on what makes a puzzle entertaining. This is a topic I'm interested in, which is why I want to play some more puzzle games.

[sevin0seven]

the current puzzle game that's entertaining me right now is LIT. It's a horror puzzle game for the WiiWare. I highly recommend it if you have a Wii.

[Luke]

It's kind of difficult to make suggestions on puzzle games when you just listed, arguably, the two best puzzle games available.

There are hundreds of puzzle games out there, but Braid and Portal are more "adventure puzzle" games, if that even exists.

Of course it exists! But the puzzle element is a little more blatant than in ICO and its ilk.

Now I'm all interested about the classification of a true "puzzle game".

[noiseredux]

as an avid handheld fan, it might go without saying that I enjoy puzzle games. I was 8 years old when Game Boy and Tetris found their way under my Christmas tree, so there's certainly a history with the genre and me. However, I must say that I'm almost positive that Super Puzzle Fighter II is my favorite puzzle game ever. I don't even quite know why, but I just find it so addicting. I never tire of it. It's something I play very very often.

I think the sort of puzzle games you would mention would include Shadow of the Colossus, if you don't have that?

[sevin0seven]

....Tetris Attack for the SNES is my favorite puzzle game of ALL TIME!

[CRTGAMER]

Red Faction has a limited Portal aspect in respect to creating a new pathway.

As far as Puzzle Exploring games still love ICO. I am now at the last save couch of the Pal version.

Here is page 4 of Team ICO review with lastest info.
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 75#p226475

JT there is a link there to an ICO ANNOTATION ARTICLE a great read you might enjoy. The link is right above the Penny Arcade comic.

[J T]

Now I'm all interested about the classification of a true "puzzle game".

Me too. It seems that different puzzle games appeal for different reasons. Braid and Portal appeal to the scientifically minded- you experiment, you hypothesize, and make logical deductions.

Tetris, on the other hand, is all about ordering things, so are most match three games like Columns or Bejeweled. Puzzle Quest brilliantly combines that with the need to think several steps ahead so that you can also build up mana to cast the spells you need to win battles.

Some games are mix of logic and chance, like Minesweeper. You can always accidentally hit a mine, but the rules are clear and you can vastly improve your chances if you think things through.

[REPO Man]

If you have an iPhone (or iPod touch), then check out the Alice in Wonderland game. It's based on the new film from Disney. It's got rave reviews and I really love it.

I'm only mentioning that cuz the title said "puzzle games like Braid and Portal".

For "other" puzzle games for the iPhone OS, here's some suggestions:

* Dungeon Solitaire, which is an addictive card game.
* Flood-It, where you gotta flood the board with a single color.
* Sword and Poker, a poker-based RPG of sorts, where you attack by making poker hands on a 5x5 grid.
* Dark Harvest, a physics-based Puzzle Bobble/Bust A Move clone with a grim theme.
* DropZap
* BlocksOfLight, a Lumines clone (though Lumines is also available)
* Gelex, a physics game where you use falling blocks to match three like blocks
* PolyCubes and Dropoly, both gr8 BlockOut clones
* Circletris, which is kinda like a Klax clone set in a circular enviroment
* BoXiKoN, where you use odd-shaped blocks to form lines on a grid

They've also got ports of great games from PopCap and the like, as well as plenty of clones, some good and some bad.

[CRTGAMER]

Puzzle Exploration the term?

There are always the old Tomb Raider series too. After I finish ICO I think I'll still have that Puzzle Exploration urge. May have to go back and explore PS2 Tomb Raider Anniversary all the way through.

Another Puzzle Exploration game. Has anyone played through Indiana Jones Staff of Kings? I have the Indiana Jones Emperors Tomb was okay, Kings slipped by me.