The Swapper
I really, really like this game! In fact of all games I played this year I can hardly find one I enjoyed more than this one! The 97% positive reviews are absolutely justified in my opinion and I concur with them.
«The Swapper» is a 2D-puzzle-platformer embedded in a very elaborate, immersive and well narrated story. Actually it’s some kind of a combination of a SciFi-short-story and a tricky platformer game - with a strong and intelligent connection between these two aspects (see below).
– Real player with 28.7 hrs in game
Read More: Best Sci-fi Atmospheric Games.
The Swapper (Puzzle-Adventure)
You might have noticed that I did not add ‘Platformer’ to the genre of the game, despite having this listed as one. I just can’t think of this game as a platfomer. There are no death traps, no enemies to avoid, no coins or baubles to collect… it’s simply an adventure game that happens to have some platforms in it.
Let me get some of the technical stuff out of the way before I continue.
The game is configured to work with both PS and X-360 controllers, if you wish to use one. You can adjust the sensitivity of both the controller and the mouse, if you’re using the keyboard, through the Options menu. There you can also adjust the screen resolution – from 640x480 up to 1920x1080 – the volume, Windowed or Full-screen, etc. I highly recommend making sure the subtitles are ON whilst you’re there – There is an aspect of the story that I totally would have missed if I’d not had the subtitles on. If you want to adjust the keyboard settings, it’s on the bottom right of the Options screen.
– Real player with 24.8 hrs in game
The Turing Test
The Turing Test is a first person puzzle game. There are 7 chapters, each with 10 puzzles per level. In each chapter, there is also a bonus challenge puzzle. When a new room is entered, a snippet of dialogue will feed the player story in small increments. When the end of a chapter is reached, a non-puzzle room can be explored to get more of the game’s story. Puzzles will scale up in difficulty as the game progresses, and each new chapter will introduce a new mechanic. The character we control is a woman named Ava Turing. With the aide of an AI named T.O.M, we progress through the game and try to find our missing crew members.
– Real player with 14.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Sci-fi First-Person Games.
When I first heard of this game, knowing of the concept of The Turing Test, and having an interest in psychology I was really looking forward to where this game could lead. Reluctantly I have to say that I think this game was hyped up too much when it first came out, and when I played it a little while ago now, found it underwhelming. It’s a great game, but the hype created a high expectation. If you want to play this game, don’t expect too much and I feel like you will enjoy it more.
If you read the description for this game before you play, it creates intrigue, and already puts ideas in your head. It gets you thinking and conspiring even before you start the game.
– Real player with 10.3 hrs in game
Take Control
Welcome to the future! The golden age of genetic engineering!
After many years of human DNA research, the head of Change The Future Corporation offered the world transgenic implants that pushed the boundaries of human capabilities.
Telekinesis, pyrokinesis, X-ray vision from the comic book pages have become reality.
New abilities shook up the order of things. The army is expecting perfect soldiers. Companies are issuing an ultimatum for their employees to be modified.
Anyone with enough money can purchase an implant that will give them a “superpower” from the constantly expanding list.
Scientific progress leads to an increase in unemployment and the discontent of ordinary people who refuse the implants. Modified criminals are appearing all over the world.
The police cannot control all the “superheroes”. However, the research of genes and the expansion of the list of abilities do not stop.
Change The Future Corporation makes a statement about creating its own security unit that would protect the interests of the company from the most aggressive opponents of modification.
Soon after a new security detachment takes on the responsibility of detecting and neutralizing criminals with superpowers. Its name is DNM (Detachment for Neutralization of the Modified).
You are an operative of Change The Future Corporation, who received an experimental ability to control other people’s consciousness after voluntarily undergoing genetic modification.
You arrive at the corporation’s training ground to pass the obstacle course to fully master the new modification.
Take Control is a single-player action game with puzzle elements. You take on the role of a DNM operative with the ability to control the minds of others.
Features of the game:
Your mind is your main weapon! When the ability is activated, time will stop, and you will switch to the tactical mode.
Study the situation and the environment, come up with a solution for a specific problem, capture your enemy’s mind and force them to execute your plan.
After exiting the tactical mode, the clock will start again, and you will find out whether the actions you chose will let you achieve success.
Use your ability to neutralize enemies!
Or to solve various tasks.
The World of the Future! Over the course of your playthrough you will get to experience an amazing world where the boundaries of the human body have been erased.
Use the environment! Fire-extinguishers, switches, terminals. You are surrounded by objects that can help you win.
Improve yourself! You can’t change your ability but you can improve it!
Read More: Best Sci-fi Singleplayer Games.
The Subject
Playing The Subject is an intense, fun, and challenging experience. From the tutorial to the end game you have to think about the way to solve ever changing puzzles and discover useful patterns. Some of these puzzles do take time to understand and figure out. The key is to not get frustrated, and keep track of your health/battery life. If the puzzles in the game were not challenging enough, there is also a creature hunting you down in what appears to be a sci-fi labyrinth of art reminiscent of 1980’s science fiction.
– Real player with 17.3 hrs in game
The Subject is both a mind-boggling and heart-racing game. Its careful balance of puzzles and horror keeps you on your feet while not taking away from its problem-solving core. The Subject indeed does have a traditional Sci-Fi feel but manages to keep its unique atmosphere and aesthetic. Its story elements provide a contextual background of the main character’s (your) situation while leaving many aspects up for interpretation by the player. The Subject is not meant for the light of heart; completing the game takes dedication, attention to detail, and anger-management skills.
– Real player with 9.3 hrs in game
.T.E.S.T: Expected Behaviour — Sci-Fi 3D Puzzle Quest
It’s in beta right now, but I like it so far. The puzzles range from being extremely easy and sometimes almost an insult to the user’s intelligence, to requiring Garry’s Mod-like physics glitches to solve a single puzzle. It’s got a lot of talos principle in it, the rules are firm, all the puzzles are logic based, but at the same time there’s some room for creativity. It’s not as pretty as portal and the story isn’t as good (so far) as portal or talos, but its a good mix of both.
I don’t like how short some of the puzzles are, some are just “Grab a ball and go through a door” I’d really like some longer interconnected puzzles, which I am really looking forward to them including in the final version.
– Real player with 17.5 hrs in game
If you like first person puzzle games, I highly recommend this one. The puzzles are challenging, yet not overly complicated and I enjoyed figuring them out on my own (except for a handful of the advanced lift puzzles, see below). This game has some unique mechanics including time-manipulation that allows you to make a certain jump or throw very accurately or retry them without having to restart a level per se.
I also really enjoyed the plot if you want to call it that. Most levels start with you overhearing the mysterious testers talk about you and the puzzles, which functions as minor hints to solving the puzzle. If you like the way GLaDOS berates you in Portal you’ll like this aspect, too.
– Real player with 15.8 hrs in game
A Time Paradox
A Time Paradox is a puzzle game where you look for a way out that does not create a paradox. Each move matters, the goal is to reach each level exit without being seen by someone from the past (mostly yourself !). Be aware not to block a future your-self ! Anticipation and planning are key skills that will help you go through all the levels.
The game have a single player story mode of about 80 levels, a 2 players cooperative mode, and multiple multiplayer mini games to share good time with friends !
A Time Paradox already hooked hundreds of players on Android, but only the PC version will give you high level of comfort for multiplayer.
All about lines: Constellations
In each level, you must locate and synchronize a constellation, using the instruments and information offered by the software. Use the data and tools in your advantage, explore and gather information for the database.
resources
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Identify and synchronize more than 40 constellations;
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Atmospheric soundtrack and SFX to help you immerse in the game;
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Beautiful technological space art;
Cognition Method: Initiation
Cognition Method: Initiation is a game similar in nature to other cube-based puzzle games, so if you enjoy them, you will feel right at home here.
The premise of the game is that you are an astronaut investigating a cube-shaped object in space that is being overrun by an infestation of some kind, all the while searching for and being guided by your father, whom was lost in a prior expedition but managed to make contact again as you entered the object. He instructs you to solve puzzles and venture deeper into the facility. Make of that what you will.
– Real player with 1.9 hrs in game
Cognition Methot: Initiation is a demo of a story-driven puzzle game that will come out some time in 2022.
As of right now, you will get no more than 1 hour of gameplay with puzzles that will introduce the core mechanic of altering gravity. This isn’t a negative element since it raises that complex and interesting challenges can be made in its final launch.
The strongest part of the demo is the art direction, not for having hyper-realistic graphics, but for using the light in an inteligent way, having simplistic environments that combine elements of art déco with the style of Escher in contrast with organic shapes.
– Real player with 0.8 hrs in game
The Station: Escape Room
I don’t even know where to start, so let’s go with more technical stuff. Controls are bearable, definitely not enjoyable, but bearable. Glitches here and there, as a lot of people noted, the fastest way to escape is to fall through something, because falling into starry sky is more fun than this. You also can’t save your progress so you have to replay it all over again, but don’t worry, most of the time you spend will be on running the infinite corridors and not solving puzzles.
The worst part is that your partner won’t see things the way you do. And if you get to the last puzzle you won’t be able to finish it properly because of that since even if you do complete it, your partner doesn’t and vice versa. Oh well, the ending consists of “The End.” so either of you won’t be missing much.
– Real player with 2.9 hrs in game
Puzzles weren’t awful but the game is terrible. Multiplayer doesn’t work, and some of the functionality is too difficult for use. Don’t buy this game. Sorry.
– Real player with 2.2 hrs in game
A Forgetful Loop
Pros:
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Simple mechanics that form some surprisingly complex levels
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Writing is better than it has any right to be for a puzzle game
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Music is top notch and rather catchy
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Honestly peak gameflow
Cons:
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Lost track of time during play, which is ironic really
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Existential dread about the nature of quantum mechanics
Disclosure: Was a beta tester for this, but purchased my own copy on release
– Real player with 14.5 hrs in game
This is a great, fast-paced worker assignment puzzle. it’s a lot of fun! As someone who likes time management/cooking games where you have to frantically cook multiple meals at once, I took to A Forgetful Loop immediately. It has a few bugs, which can generally be solved by closing and reopening. The story sections (which are text only) are sad and stressful and sometimes kind of horrifying, but you can skip them if you want to. I reported a bug and the developers were very responsive and nice. I would definitely recommend this game if you like fast paced time-management worker assignment games.
– Real player with 10.3 hrs in game