When you’re confused or frustrated by something, you either scratch your head and try to figure out a solution right there and then, take a short break and return to the problem, or simply just walk away. When playing The Witness, you’ll always end up taking one of the first two routes and attempt to finish it to completion.
The Witness is a strange, open-world puzzle game, where you’re free to roam a mysterious, abandoned island solving unique line puzzles on panels scattered throughout game. It’s been in development for years and comes from Jonathan Blow, who kick-started the modern indie gaming revolution with his previous title Braid.
Is there anything else for me to say about the game’s premise and mechanics? Not really. You’re pretty much the only living being, moving back and forth across the different parts of the island, which includes an old town, a monastery, a small jungle of sorts, and many others.
Solving the puzzles in each of these areas activates a light beam, which points towards a “centre” in this colourful world, despite the fact one particular beam can be seen directing light away from the island.
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