pangyan
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So I've been playing Drod (JtRH and TCB and the SmS), but sometimes even the most ardent Drod player needs to step back and play something else. I went on a quest to find puzzle games with the following qualities:

1) Reasonably hard - Note the word reasonably, this means that the puzzles must be hard but ultimately doable.
2) There must be some semblence of a story, characters or a unique world. In other words there has to be some atmosphere. This immediately throws out reasonably hard puzzles played on a top down board for instance.
3) No match 3, tetris, bejewelled type games (casual games) unless there is something really unique in the game mechanics that leads to reasonably hard puzzles.
4) The puzzles should NOT rely on reflexes to succeed. IT's okay if there is some speed required, but puzzles should be solved primarily by thinking.
5) High quality production values. This immediately throws out some freeware games. But I'm looking for polished games for the most part.
6) You must be able to buy it currently. Sure there are a lot of great abandonware games, but by highlighting some unique puzzle games out there, I hope to encourage puzzle makers and hopefully boost the "interesting" puzzle game market.

Here are my top tier selections
1) Drod - Drod fits all the above criteria and is just one of the best examples of what I am looking for. I actually love the graphics and think they are perfect and theres just tons of atmosphere.

2) Professor Fizzwizzle and the Molten Mystery - There are a 100 regular levels with most of them requiring about 5 minutes of thinking before you go "aha" as well as 100 advanced levels which I think will really test even the most seasoned puzzle player. It's got great production values and some atmosphere.

3) Eets: Hunger, it's emotional - Loads and loads of atmosphere, the puzzles start easy but get harder fast.

4) Blast Miner - Good atmosphere. Reviews talk about the GREAT puzzle mode, but tell you to stay away from the arcade and versus modes. Perfect for all of us Drod players.

5) Hyperspace Delivery Boy - Silly story that gives it atmosphere that will be hit or miss. Be careful the site seems to be hijacked with a few links leading to porn sites. However reviews have called this a game with the innovative sokoban style puzzles. The puzzles are really easy and get harder only later though.

I'm looking for any other games that fit the bill.

calamarain
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pangyan wrote:
3) Eets: Hunger, it's emotional - Loads and loads of atmosphere, the puzzles start easy but get harder fast.

You've played Eets?

Can you give me more information about it - I saw it listed on the Steam games when I was downloading Portal (yes, we all know the cake is a lie), and I was curious. What can you tell me?

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Syntax
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calamarain wrote:
]You've played Eets?

Can you give me more information about it - I saw it listed on the Steam games when I was downloading Portal (yes, we all know the cake is a lie), and I was curious. What can you tell me?

Personally, I've played most of it. The creator made some specific DROD-dedicated levels so I purchased it then.

The game has quite a few excellent puzzles, but I felt the aracde style puzzle solving to not really be to my taste. I'm comparing it in this case to Wonderland Adventures for example, where the arcade element is just part of it. I felt a lot of Eets levels to be a case of placing things at the right time, as opposed to simply putting them in the right place. I guess a comparaison to Prof Fizzwizzle would be closer to the game-play "feel". In a similar way, this was a also game I never got hooked on.

Another arcade element I didn't like was things that could be placed, and then also activated later. Things like "gun-type" elements where placement was less important than when you actually clicked the gun to make it fire. I prefer more logic placement games.

Having said all this, I have had fun with this game and it's worth trying the demo. It's just not a game I got passionate about.

pangyan
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Agree with everything just said in the above post. However puzzle games with atmosphere and good production values are slim pickings and we have to get what we can.

mrimer
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I've purchased Eets and Seth and I have played through most of the included levels. If you like TIM (The Incredible Machine)type games, this will probably be fun for you too.

Syntax wrote:

calamarain wrote:
You've played Eets?

Can you give me more information about it - I saw it listed on the Steam games when I was downloading Portal (yes, we all know the cake is a lie), and I was curious. What can you tell me?

Personally, I've played most of it. The creator made some specific DROD-dedicated levels so I purchased it then.

EH? Where can you get DROD-dedicated levels?

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Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

Syntax
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mrimer wrote:
EH? Where can you get DROD-dedicated levels?

I'll PM you the link if I can find it. Otherwise, mail you the level set.

It was about a year or more ago, and was a case of "prove you're a DROD player when you buy Eets and you get a free level set".

Let me have a look.

Briareos
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FWIW - the current issue of the German "c't Magazin" includes the full version of Eets on it's cover DVD (for about a whopping 3 and a half Euros) so I guess I have no excuse for NOT trying it anymore...

np: Pole - Stadt (2)

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zex20913
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I keep mentioning this one in various threads, but Pathstorm is one of the best puzzle games I've come across. I'd say 2nd to DROD. It meets all criteria, except (maybe) #2--but I think the gameplay overrides the lack of a story.

The only "unpolished" bit is when you restart a level-set (with new layouts every time!), a minor glitch occurs. But that's really a non-issue, as it doesn't effect gameplay or game management in any sort of significant way.

But it is a beautiful game.

More discussion on the game can be found here.

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Syntax
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zex20913 wrote:
But it is a beautiful game.

I second that.

Utterly.

calamarain
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Repton 3. Best puzzle game ever I've said it before and I'll say it again. Repton 3.

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Maurog
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Why aren't Fish Fillets and Fish Fillets 2 mentioned yet? The game is easily number 2 after DROD according to the requirements listed.

For shame!

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Mattcrampy
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I am rather a fan of The Fool's Errand and 3 In Three. They're somewhat old games, but they're still pretty clever. I'd like to see what he's doing with The Fool And His Money if he ever finishes it.

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Syntax
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Mattcrampy wrote:
I am rather a fan of The Fool's Errand and 3 In Three. They're somewhat old games, but they're still pretty clever. I'd like to see what he's doing with The Fool And His Money if he ever finishes it.

Yeah I enjoyed too. There were a few more like that. "At the Carnival" was one, but not as good.

As for "The Fool and His Money", I still reckon it's a scam. Especially since he asks people to part with their money to preorder.

Mattcrampy
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Well, yes, that is the point of preordering.

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Briareos
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Mattcrampy wrote:
Well, yes, that is the point of preordering.

Maybe it's just me, but over here pre-ordering usually includes only charging your credit card/bank account/whatever when the product actually ships...

np: Duo505 - Just An Illusion (Another Illusion)

____________________________
"I'm not anti-anything, I'm anti-everything, it fits better." - Sole
R.I.P. Robert Feldhoff (1962-2009)

slimm tom
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Briareos wrote:

Mattcrampy wrote:
Well, yes, that is the point of preordering.

Maybe it's just me, but over here pre-ordering usually includes only charging your credit card/bank account/whatever when the product actually ships...

Not always, World of Goo pre-ordering charges your credit card right away, and that's surely NOT a scam.

John259
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A couple of suggestions for you.

Kiki The Nanobot
http://kiki.sourceforge.net/
Not much story, some realtime element, very nice puzzles. Freeware (download).

PuzzleBeast
http://www.puzzlebeast.com/
Various excellent assorted puzzle games, a little background story for each, no realtime element. Freeware (online).

In theory your criteria might include adventure games such as Myst and Samorost but I get the impression that's not really what you're looking for - or is it?

John

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Sillyman
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slimm tom wrote:

Briareos wrote:

Mattcrampy wrote:
Well, yes, that is the point of preordering.

Maybe it's just me, but over here pre-ordering usually includes only charging your credit card/bank account/whatever when the product actually ships...

Not always, World of Goo pre-ordering charges your credit card right away, and that's surely NOT a scam.

Yeah, pre-ordering of online products actually tends to charge money when you order, not when it ships. And pre-ordering of in-store products tends to charge a small deposit when you reserve the copy, then the rest of the money when you pick it up.
Anyways, A Fool and His Money is not a scam, you're just biased because of the name, and clearly are NOT a True Believer. In fact, he's almost done fixing a nasty, nasty bug, then he will be able to ship it out to everybody. Besides, even if he never finished the game, people still get their name on a list, and "Jokes delivered to their doorstep" for as long as it takes for him to finish it.

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Maurog
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I just preordered A Fool and His Money. If it's a scam, I'll be the first to laugh at the whole situation. In any case, the only way to support indie games is buying them. How is that DROD:TCB boxes project coming along?

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Sillyman
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I don't know. But Cliff Johnson is down to the last 11 puzzles that need to be fixed, so if it's a scam, you'll know very soon.

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Syntax
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Mattcrampy wrote:
Well, yes, that is the point of preordering.

I was going with the saying:
"A fool and his money are soon parted"

With that in mind, it would be funny if a game called Fool's Gold had a scammy pre-ordering system.

pangyan
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I just bought Fish Fillets 2 and World of Goo. Those games fit the bill and everyone should check them out.

mrimer
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pangyan wrote:
I just bought Fish Fillets 2 and World of Goo. Those games fit the bill and everyone should check them out.

Oooh, is World of Goo out? Where can one buy it?

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Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

slimm tom
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mrimer wrote:

pangyan wrote:
I just bought Fish Fillets 2 and World of Goo. Those games fit the bill and everyone should check them out.

Oooh, is World of Goo out? Where can one buy it?

One can buy it at www.2dboy.com/games.php . And it isn´t out yet, but it´s seriously worth pre-ordering. You´ll get chapter one (out of 5) right away, and you´ll get a complementary profanity pack. I pre-ordered and I´m also a beta-tester on the game, but unfortunately all beta-testing spots are filled.

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[Last edited by slimm tom at 03-16-2008 12:24 PM]

slimm tom
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Update: World of Goo is due to be released the 13th of October. More info at the the 2DBoy Blog.

(Pre-orders rejoice! Goo will flood your house next Monday.)

BeefontheBone
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Sweet - was wondering where that got to. Now all I need is a Steam release of Peggle Nights and I'm set

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Maurog
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I just got a very personal email from my friend, 2D Boy Automated Download Buddy.

It appears that those who preordered World of Goo (like yours truly) are able to download it early... and by early, I mean right now! Woo hoo!

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Paint the sky in crimson red!

---

[Last edited by Maurog at 10-07-2008 08:34 PM]

slimm tom
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Indeed. Got my copy up and loaded on my harddisk.

BeefontheBone
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... and my preorder email arrives. Woot!

____________________________
Braindead's Mordor Site - Dungeon crawling having nothing whatsoever to do with LotR. Plus a freeware remake in-progress, featuring descriptive text written by yours truly!

Beef Row wrote: Actually, it doesn't really matter because the soap is a lye.

mrimer
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Hey, that's cool! I've been waiting for this one too.

So...if we pre-order now, does that mean it's not actually a preorder any more?

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.