Just finished. Such a beautiful game. Only one minor grumble:
Wasn't really expecting completing the game to reset the entire game. My pre end-sequence save game has me locked in the elevator so I can't backtrack and finish off realigning the desert laser to point to the mountain. It's not the end of the world, my save before then is just before I finished the desert ruins but before I even started the town
P.s.
Was there a cloud monolith to join up that needed the raincloud being lit up with the laser or did I blow my chance for the challenge room for no good reason?
[I came here with a question, ended up writing a mini-review. Whoops!]
I reached an ending yesterday, completing, I think, almost all of the non-secret stuff. I went into the game expecting to like it. In fact I think that I'm probably part of the exact target audience for a grid-based logic puzzle game; Simon Tatham's Puzzles has been my default time-waster app on my phone for the last few years. And sure enough I found it very satisfying to solve puzzles and progress through The Witness.
I liked having to use out-of-game aids to help me get through: pen and paper, Steam screenshots, but mainly
the Google Keep app, which lets you take photos and sketch directly on them
. I'm sure it's intended that the player use these kinds of things, but the infrequency with which it's required by the vast majority of games made it feel like I was outsmarting The Witness, and getting one over on puzzles that would be too difficult for me to solve purely in my head.
I was pleasantly surprised at how unique it felt. It stands out from other great puzzlers (Braid, the Portals, Gateways, The Swapper) by letting you do things in whatever order you choose, limited only by the knowledge you pick up along the way and your ability to leverage it. I love the concept of bounding the player mostly by their understanding and skill at a game, both of which are improved by playing it. Dark Souls does this to some extent with the player's combat prowess, though it has more arbitrary barriers and understanding of its systems is more easily gained externally to the game than within it. I would love for this sort of game structure to become a trend and to see it explored more.
There are only a couple of negatives to report from my experience, and funnily enough they're both a little contradictory to what I've already written. While I appreciated the gameplay variety provided by the more
gimmicky
mechanics, I thought some of them were a bit over-used. They became a bit tedious as their difficulty progression was less to do with logical challenge and more about a ramp up in the need for finicky
positioning
and a demand for more use of external aids. The latter I suppose I only enjoyed when it felt like a choice rather than a requirement.
The other thing I didn't enjoy relates to the freedom to explore. After completing the starting area I felt there was a clear path to follow leading me to more tutorials and a couple of areas which incrementally increased parts of my knowledge of the game. But then after working through them suddenly every adjacent area appeared far beyond my abilities and for a while I felt frustratingly lost. My desire for the first couple of hours was to go from one place to the next, solving everything as I went, which at first was possible and then jarringly it wasn't. Eventually, of course, I realised that I had been shown clear, albeit implicit, tutorials, and that to continue progressing I should go and find more, which I was able to do shortly. Actually now I think about it I don't know whether this was a bad thing about the game or my expectations or how the game set up my expectations, or if it was even a bad thing at all.
Lastly, the vague narrative/backstory didn't really do anything for me, positive or negative, but I'm curious to see what sense internet sleuths can make of it.
---
There were a couple of challenging puzzles along the way which didn't seem to do anything upon completion. I wondered if anyone can tell me if I missed some effect from them. They were:
1.
The second puzzle on the top of the keep tower.
---
Seems probable that this is just an alternative way to activate the laser, but having had to do the second half of the keep a lot later in the game than the first half, and with considerably more difficulty, I expected that something else would happen.
2.
The colour changing room in town, with two puzzles inside.
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I got the pattern on the wall flowers outside after changing the colour, but I didn't see any effect from completing the puzzles themselves. I solved them after doing every other puzzle in this area, but I don't think there were wires leading from this building to the tower, so I'm pretty sure it isn't an alternative way of opening doors on the way up to the laser.
The pillar puzzles are usually pretty easy, it's only the shape of them that makes them hard. Make sure to actually take the time to look at the puzzle in its entirety before trying to solve, walk around it properly a few times before starting. (I know it's hard to be calm at that stage though!).
Thanks for the advice, I think i'll give it another try tomorrow. My brain is fried from playing it so much today, I'm pretty burned out on playing the game already as it is. I dislike that they hide something behind a
Game definitely has the portal feel. Nicely done intuitive puzzles
It just lacks the "player friendly" feel of portal. Lots of paths lead to dead ends, lots of backtracking and physically traveling around without clear goals, no quick travel, etc. It's a hard game to just pick up and go sometimes because of how abstract some of the clues are and what the player should do next. I imagine that strikes the right chord for hardcore gamers though since you all are always complaining about being led by the hand, ha. and you ultimately can always figure out what to do without help which is definitely nice
I admittedly looked up the rules to one basic puzzle rule
Tetris blocks
. Wasn't finding it enjoyable to figure that one out through trial and error. And even knowing the rules those damn puzzles just destroy me every time. So hard to create abstract pieces in your head and place them. Thankfully haven't felt the need to look up puzzle solutions yet
Lot of people in here should check out Talos Principle after they beat this.
Still angry about playing a puzzle last night that required sound when I had it off and the color blind unfriendly bunker puzzles.
I got through it until the door by assuming it was based on color shades (on a scale from white to black) and then once I realized I wasn't seeing the colors correctly I got real pissed.
Lot of people in here should check out Talos Principle after they beat this.
Still angry about playing a puzzle last night that required sound when I had it off and the color blind unfriendly bunker puzzles.
I got through it until the door by assuming it was based on color shades (on a scale from white to black) and then once I realized I wasn't seeing the colors correctly I got real pissed.
Yup. Exactly the kind of thing I was referring to. Not player friendly with how to solve the puzzles and you can't always tell what you are missing (and that the puzzle might be impossible if you are playing the "wrong" way). Artificially inflates game time a bit
Best hint is probably that it's one of those that you'll kick yourself when you get it if it's one that has been proving problematic. Take a step back and repay attention to the information that is being given you. I assure you that you're one tiny eureka moment away from now eye-rolling at the solution.
The chained puzzles where you have to solve the previous one again if you enter a wrong solution just suck. What's the point? The previous puzzles still show the solution anyway, so you're just wasting time having to go back and re-drawing the solution.
Is this puzzle bugged on the PS4? I cant get past that thing in the middle, and it's the only solution I can find (banged my head against the wall for a day before looking it up)
The chained puzzles where you have to solve the previous one again if you enter a wrong solution just suck. What's the point? The previous puzzles still show the solution anyway, so you're just wasting time having to go back and re-drawing the solution.
Is this puzzle bugged on the PS4? I cant get past that thing in the middle, and it's the only solution I cant find (banged my head against the wall for a day before looking it up)
Is this puzzle bugged on the PS4? I cant get past that thing in the middle, and it's the only solution I can find (banged my head against the wall for a day before looking it up)
Does anyone have the total number for non+puzzles? I'd like to know if I possibly missed some. ( if you have the number, do reply with it in a SPOILER )
Regarding the Challenge :
Loved solving some simple puzzles to some nice music. At first I kept spending too much time in the maze as I thought it was random, but when I figured it out it was really satisfying. Amazing how the game can still make you have an 'aha!'-moment that far in.
Loved solving some simple puzzles to some nice music. At first I kept spending too much time in the maze as I thought it was random, but when I figured it out it was really satisfying. Amazing how the game can still make you have an 'aha!'-moment that far in.
Get fucked on Challenge, the platinum is mine. Get fucked on Hall of the Mountain King, I basically didn't even need you! I admit I got some crazy easy puzzles in the end there, but still it feels like I FLEW through this run. Small tip for those struggling with the maze, I started using a grid system to memorize locations, so for example in my run here the panel positions are A2, C6. The walls are still tricky but if you can keep the basic flow and positions in your head it helps a ton!
Can someone give me a hint about +1's in the Keep:
The 4 platform-activated puzzles all let me touch the starting point, but they clearly need different perspectives for me to solve them. I've gone to every viewpoint I can imagine. I can even get a spark from some of them by standing right on the puzzle but can't activate. I've also tried simply changing the "solution" but without the circle filled (solved puzzle) I can't activate either.
I'm in the same situation. Of all the puzzles I found, I solved all but one. And I can't solve that one without a tutorial, which is presumable located
either in the endgame area or one of the tunnels
. So now I have to climb the mountain and do whatever I can do up there?
Please keep your answers vague. I know literally nothing about the endgame and the endgame area and I intend to keep it that way until I play it myself.
Can someone give me a hint about +1's in the Keep:
The 4 platform-activated puzzles all let me touch the starting point, but they clearly need different perspectives for me to solve them. I've gone to every viewpoint I can imagine. I can even get a spark from some of them by standing right on the puzzle but can't activate. I've also tried simply changing the "solution" but without the circle filled (solved puzzle) I can't activate either.
There are valid solutions that also avoid the perspective issues.
The followup question (not for you, really, but potentially for others who've solved it!)
I've not done all of them, however. One I haven't done successfully is the top-right as viewed from the tower. I have noticed that that one is also viewable from the battlements over on that side of the castle. Is it two separate +1s here - one viewed from the tower, the other from the battlements - or is it only a +1 from the battlements, and the tower is a red herring?
Is this puzzle bugged on the PS4? I cant get past that thing in the middle, and it's the only solution I can find (banged my head against the wall for a day before looking it up)
I'm in the same situation. Of all the puzzles I found, I solved all but one. And I can't solve that one without a tutorial, which is presumable located
either in the endgame area or one of the tunnels
. So now I have to climb the mountain and do whatever I can do up there?
Please keep your answers vague. I know literally nothing about the endgame and the endgame area and I intend to keep it that way until I play it myself.
Double spoilered just in case: So, I know I need to
turn on the gate for its environmental puzzle, because nothing else works, - Really don't read this, if you haven't solved it and want to figure it out:
(it has a formation that's also on the obelisk, it also has that half sun symbol on it, wich makes me think this is the one that involves the sun as a starting point. Just today after a very good string of obelisk puzzles had the idea hit me that surely the sun is involved in these)
- however I tried everything and it won't shut down.
So, I'm thinking to just get an ending and then do it. But, after my first ending the game restarted with 0 puzzles solved. So, if do it after restarting and then reload a previous save, the solution won't be there on the obelisk....?
Seems probable that this is just an alternative way to activate the laser, but having had to do the second half of the keep a lot later in the game than the first half, and with considerably more difficulty, I expected that something else would happen.
I'm assuming you mean the one facing the light-up walking puzzles rather than the hedge maze puzzles? I actually completed that side first and yes, it lit up the laser. I did the hedge mazes later and was expecting something else to happen also.
I'm in the endgame part now and this is the first time I'm not having fun with the game. The
'fuck you' puzzles with the flashing lights and grids, and now this sequence puzzle where you have to combine elements from previous panels... It's a bit of a drag. Big contrast with The Town, an area I really loved. The puzzles there were pretty challenging but also fun, and combined everything you've learned throughout the game.
I'm hoping I'm near the end now tbh.
I'm at
405 panels
now, stayed guide-free.
There are some loose end puzzles that I can't finish though, like the
Town bunker puzzle. The 3 lights show different blocks, but there's still a fourth section that none of those cover, so it feels like I need a fourth light, I was even thinking there had to be a way to open that container up, like in the bunker level. Pretty confused by that one. Also by the 3rd walk-on maze puzzle with the tetris blocks. There's a blockage in the maze to keep you from making the long block.
I was pretty glad I could get through the jungle with my shitty tone recognition. The last ones weren't easy, but fortunately it was kind of a short area as well.
Double spoilered just in case: So, I know I need to
shut off the gate for its environmental puzzle, because nothing else works, - Really don't read this, if you haven't solved it and want to figure it out:
(it has a formation that's also on the obelisk, it also has that half sun symbol on it, wich makes me think this is the one that involves the sun as a starting point. Just today after a very good string of obelisk puzzles had the idea hit me that surely the sun is involved in these)
- however I tried everything and it won't shut down.
So, I'm thinking to just get an ending and then do it. But, after my first ending the game restarted with 0 puzzles solved. So, if do it after restarting and then reload a previous save, the solution won't be there on the obelisk....?
at the side of the mountain, about halfway up the spiral-shaped path. There's a small staircase leading to a door inside the mountain. The puzzle has dots at some intersections (= intersections you have to cross), but they are colored instead of black. Furthermore, the length of the path I can draw is limited.
I'm assuming that the endgame area contains the tutorial for this kind of puzzle, and the door leads to some underground network connected to the underground areas of the desert and the windmill. Is that correct?
Is this puzzle bugged on the PS4? I cant get past that thing in the middle, and it's the only solution I can find (banged my head against the wall for a day before looking it up)
at the side of the mountain, about halfway up the spiral-shaped path. There's a small staircase leading to a door inside the mountain. The puzzle has dots at some intersections (= intersections you have to cross), but they are colored instead of black. Furthermore, the length of the path I can draw is limited.
I'm assuming that the endgame area contains the tutorial for this kind of puzzle, and the door leads to some underground network connected to the underground areas of the desert and the windmill. Is that correct?
at the side of the mountain, about halfway up the spiral-shaped path. There's a small staircase leading to a door inside the mountain. The puzzle has dots at some intersections (= intersections you have to cross), but they are colored instead of black. Furthermore, the length of the path I can draw is limited.
I'm assuming that the endgame area contains the tutorial for this kind of puzzle, and the door leads to some underground network connected to the underground areas of the desert and the windmill. Is that correct?
at the side of the mountain, about halfway up the spiral-shaped path. There's a small staircase leading to a door inside the mountain. The puzzle has dots at some intersections (= intersections you have to cross), but they are colored instead of black. Furthermore, the length of the path I can draw is limited.
I'm assuming that the endgame area contains the tutorial for this kind of puzzle, and the door leads to some underground network connected to the underground areas of the desert and the windmill. Is that correct?
at the side of the mountain, about halfway up the spiral-shaped path. There's a small staircase leading to a door inside the mountain. The puzzle has dots at some intersections (= intersections you have to cross), but they are colored instead of black. Furthermore, the length of the path I can draw is limited.
I'm assuming that the endgame area contains the tutorial for this kind of puzzle, and the door leads to some underground network connected to the underground areas of the desert and the windmill. Is that correct?
The line is not being limited. A place that would serve as a tutorial for this would be the small peninsula with the red gate near the desert temple. And no, the door doesn't lead to that. This is its own thing.
Wait, really? Well that's surprising. I thought I searched the island so thoroughly. I have activated all lasers I'm aware of, but evidently I missed at least one. Thanks! No need for further hints, I'm just gonna scour the island yet another time.
Just beat the marsh. The mechanic introduced in that area was pretty fun! I found it much easier than it seems many others did based on a skim of the thread. The mechanics were complex, but introduced very gradually one at a time, so they weren't very hard to grasp in the end.
does this video go on for the entire length it takes this eclipse to play out? I'm guessing it does because the total eclipse should be the end of the solution to the environment puzzle, but I missed the start and now I'm like 10 minutes in.
does this video go on for the entire length it takes this eclipse to play out? I'm guessing it does because the total eclipse should be the end of the solution to the environment puzzle, but I missed the start and now I'm like 10 minutes in.
