Recent reviews by psarrett

The Witness is a brilliant game and a master class in level design. It is a rare gift, a game that offers the player moment upon moment of triumphant discovery and insight, of the kind that makes you feel delighted and satisfied.

On the surface, the game is about solving line-drawing puzzles on panels you find throughout a beautiful island. By solving them, the game teaches you a language without ever uttering a word. It's the most amazing feat of tutorialization I've ever encountered in a game. You learn by trying, failing, and succeeding. Unfamiliar concepts are introduced and combined, and you find yourself applying what you've already learned to approach and understand new unknowns. It's organic and masterful.

But that's just the surface, that's not the real game. At some point-- and it's different for each player-- you'll discover something. I won't spoil that moment for you. But when it happens, your mind expands. And the island-- which is rather small-- suddenly seems much, much bigger than you thought. That's when the genius of the game truly reveals itself, and you realize just how meticulously the island has been crafted. Virtually everything has a purpose. If there's a promontory you can climb or a spit you can walk out on, chances are good there's a reason.

I also found the game to be visually stunning. Its vibrant palette, carefully-designed architecture, and soothing aural landscape made it a pleasure to wander and explore.

I cannot recommend this game highly enough. However, there are some things you should know.

1. There are puzzles that you probably cannot solve if you're color blind.
2. There are puzzles that you cannot solve if you're deaf, or playing without sound.
3. The game doesn't give you a score or other external carrot to encourage you to continue playing and solve things. It does have some tracking mechanisms in-game, and one of them cannot be completed without finishing The Challenge. You won't encounter The Challenge until very late in your game experience. The Challenge is highly controversial because it is timed, where almost nothing else in the game requires speed. This upsets some people.
4. There is no story. There are provocative aspects of the island that hint at a story-- statues, recordings, and videos-- but the game never really delivers one. This upsets some people.

None of these things should stop you from playing this singular, astounding game. My greatest regret about The Witness is that I have already made all its discoveries. I envy you, for whom that magnificent experience is still to come.

Enjoyed this far more than I hoped. Fantastic environments, great action sequences, and even an interesting backstory lurking in the journals and notes you discover. I liked and rooted for Lara, a testament to the voice actress' performance and the character's grit. Be warned that Lara gets pummeled mercilessly, and the island hides rivers of blood and mounds of rotting corpses. If that's not a problem for you, and you like games of exploration with some combat mixed in, enjoy!