The Talos Principle: Gold Edition

I don't like puzzle games, this one made me change my mind. Puzzles are really interesting, challenging but not too difficult. The background story, philosophy, music and dialogues are a true masterpiece.

The game provides dozens of well-designed puzzles, ranging from easy/tutorial ones to the very challenging DLC ones. And on top of that, there are a lot of secrets to discover, both in the form of stars (very hard-to-grab collectibles) and easter eggs all over the place. Despite being a puzzle game, there's so much more to see and discover for yourself that limiting yourself to experiencing the puzzles alone would be a disservice to the game. Even enjoying the scenery and the chill music that accompanies you throughout your journey. The story, narrated through the use of audiologs, datalogs and sometimes even chatting with a computer, is thought-provoking and compelling, thanks to the convincing work of the voice actors, but also melancholic, witty and deeply ironic at times. While not necessary to complete the game, it does contribute to its charm. It's become one of my favourite puzzle games of all times, to the point that I bought it two times! Highly recommended, even if you're not on a gaming rig. The game plays fine and it's very well optimized.

I love the puzzle mechanics of this game, which caught my attention because they function like a board game I have and enjoy, Khet, based on reflecting lasers around a board. This game adds in several new mechanics, and the way they are introduced is perfect. You have to earn them by mastering the basics and collecting enough "tetrominos" before getting access to new devices. By the end, you will be a master of using lasers, fans, platforms and hopefully the recorder. The story is compelling, and is what kept me going through some of the more frustrating parts. There is a lot of text to read, but it is all interesting and available in small snippets at a time. There are also branching dialog choices you can make which influence your experience of the game, but not the outcome. I had a bit of trouble wrapping my head around puzzles with the recorder, but the solutions all made sense once I solved them. I got an immense sense of satisfaction from trying something weird and having it work. There are multiple solutions to some of the trickier puzzles, which made it a lot of fun. Some of the solutions to get the bonus stars are obscure and a bit stupid, but hey, they're bonus stars. There are three different endings, you can experience them all on the same playthrough by using the "Restore a Backup" feature if you want. ***SPOILER*** There appears to be an in-world connection with the game "Soma," which is referenced several times in the texts you find in this game. I loved Soma as well, and the stories are similar. Conclusion: If you liked Portal and Soma, you will like this. Say hi to Milton for me!

I was initially drawn to this game because I found the picture (a robot holding a kitten) so intriguing. And because I like games with puzzles woven into a plot. This game did not disappoint. The puzzles are interesting and challenging, and the time-limited puzzles (which are not really my thing) are infrequent enough to not become annoying. The story and the philosophical element is interesting as well. And yes, there is in fact a cat in the game. My only gripe is that two of the puzzles require a smartphone to complete. You have to be able to scan a QR code. This was not mentioned in the system requirements, and not everyone chooses to own a smartphone. There is a workaround: you can save a screenshot of the QR code and upload it to a web site that will translate it for you.

The game lived up to its reputation. Great music, enviroment is really good looking, there actually is even a better story than i nmost games nowadays... Go for it :)