There’s a perfect game genre for everyone. If you love solving mysteries and puzzles, you’ll enjoy puzzle games. These games include traditional brain teasers with numbers and riddles and some impressive first-person shooters with puzzles.
However, finding good puzzle games is becoming harder because most games these days are RPGs or adventure games. So, here’s a list of the best puzzle games on Steam that will keep you entertained for hours.
1. Portal 2
Anyone who hasn’t played a Portal game should try Portal 2. This sequel to the award-winning original puts you back under the control of GLaDOS, facing complex puzzles that need a good awareness of your surroundings to solve.
Using the portal gun, you move through the environment by creating round portals that let you pass through time and space. All the while, you follow an engaging sci-fi story about a funny yet evil AI that guides you.
2. Machinarium
Machinarium is a point-and-click puzzle game from 2009 that is still great today. The story is about a little robot named Josef who tries to save his girlfriend from a bad group called the Black Cap Brotherhood.
In the game, you explore a metal city with other robots where everything is rusty, dusty, and dirty. The beautiful art style and challenging puzzles make it a fun and engaging experience.
3. GNOG
GNOG is a 3D point-and-click puzzle game where you solve puzzle boxes that look like monster heads. Inspired by real toys, each box has colorful gadgets and gizmos you can play with to find the surprise inside.
After opening the toy, you need to solve the puzzle inside. The bright colors, beautiful music, and smooth animations make the game a treat for your eyes and ears, especially with VR support. The cozy feel of GNOG makes it perfect for relaxing before bed.
4. Dorfromantik
Dorfromantik started as a small game in early access and has become a beloved, simple puzzle game. It’s like the board game Carcassonne but in video game form. You place hexagonal tiles to create villages, forests, fields, and more.
If you enjoy cozy games, you’ll love Dorfromantik. It’s perfect to play with your morning coffee since there’s a natural stopping point; you’ll eventually run out of tiles unless you complete the quests on the map. The challenge is to keep going as long as possible and achieve a higher score.
5. Baba Is You
Instead of always following a game’s rules, Baba Is You lets you make the rules. Each level has words you can move to create sentences, which change how things in the game work.
This game can run on most PCs because of its simple pixel art style. However, Baba Is You is harder than it looks and needs you to think creatively and solve puzzles in unique ways.
6. The Room
If you can’t go to an escape room, The Room is a great alternative. It offers a well-designed and slightly creepy world where you solve complex puzzles. The game starts with a series of unsettling letters that lead you to an abandoned house with a strange safe in the attic, holding an ancient secret.
To open the safe, you need to explore your surroundings, pay close attention to details, and experiment with the house’s many alchemical machines. No other puzzle game has an atmosphere quite like this one.
7. The Talos Principle
Another fantastic sci-fi puzzle game, The Talos Principle, puts you in the shoes of an android exploring a world filled with ancient ruins and advanced technology. As you play, you’ll uncover the truth about yourself and humanity.
The game is packed with puzzles that involve manipulating time, controlling drones, and even using laser beams. Every decision you make has consequences, making the game exciting and unpredictable.
8. The Turing Test
Not all puzzle games have to be viewed from above, as shown by The Turing Test. It’s a stunning first-person shooter game that’s more about solving puzzles than surviving or going on adventures.
In this science fiction game, you play Ava Turing, an ISA astronaut who travels to Europe to find out what happened to its ground crew. When she arrives, Ava has to solve a puzzle that the crew left behind, with the help of the station’s AI, Tom.
9. Glass Masquerade
For a classic puzzle game, Glass Masquerade is an excellent choice. It features stunningly beautiful art deco-style clocks that you complete by solving jigsaw puzzles. The game adds a unique challenge with pieces that are oddly shaped and difficult to fit.
Glass Masquerade is straightforward to understand, but the complexity of the clock faces makes some puzzles quite challenging. It’s perfect for anyone who enjoys traditional and challenging puzzles.
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