a screenshot from the video game Outer Wilds. Dark green water tornados loom above the player

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   Derek Caelin is writing a book (derek@social.coop)'s status on Tuesday, 17-Sep-2024 11:09:14 JST Derek Caelin is writing a book

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   I was "puzzled" (ha!) by the game world.

   In previous puzzle-driven games I have played, the game world provided a narrative and a context for the puzzle. Myst Island, #OuterWilds. Even Braid! Solving the puzzle allows the player to interact with the that world, and the narrative within it.

   On the opposite end of the spectrum is a #Sudoku puzzle book. Puzzles don't exist in a narrative context. Solving the puzzle simply means you've solved the puzzle and can progress to the next.