Games featuring a central evolving puzzle mechanism - an IFDB Poll
by Lance Campbell
RSS FeedLooking for any games that feature a core puzzle mechanism that the player masters and expands upon throughout the game. The puzzle mechanism should start out simple, and evolve and expand in an organic way, supporting the game and story as the player progresses (I am adding a few to get things started).
| Counterfeit Monkey, by Emily Short 6 votes (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Zape... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Lance Campbell... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --IFforL2... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --E.K.... "All puzzles..." [+]"All puzzles solved with use of a spelling/wordplay mechanic" --Next_Stop_Willoughby... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( - Full review) --Lance Cirone...  Vote for this game | |
| The Wand, by Arthur DiBianca 3 votes "Well...the wand is the central puzzle to The Wand." [+]"Well...the wand is the central puzzle to The Wand." ( ) --Lance Campbell... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( - Full review) --Denk... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Pinstripe... Vote for this game | |
| Junior Arithmancer, by Mike Spivey 3 votes "The entire game is a centralized, evolving puzzle." [+]"The entire game is a centralized, evolving puzzle." --Lance Campbell... "Get more skills and optimize your scores" [+]"Get more skills and optimize your scores" ( - Full review) --Lance Cirone... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( - Full review) --Denk... Vote for this game | |
| Suveh Nux, by David Fisher 3 votes "The magical language the player has to learn." [+]"The magical language the player has to learn." --Lance Campbell... (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Felix Pleșoianu... (No comment) [+](No comment) --IFforL2... Vote for this game | |
| Spider and Web, by Andrew Plotkin 2 votes "The central..." [+]"The central conceit that you have to figure out to finish the game" --patrick.brian.mooney... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Lance Campbell... Vote for this game | |
| The Impossible Bottle, by Linus Åkesson 2 votes "I don't want to spoil it. " [+]"I don't want to spoil it. " ( - Full review) --Denk... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Lance Campbell... Vote for this game | |
| Metamorphoses, by Emily Short 2 votes "Learning how to use the different machines." [+]"Learning how to use the different machines." ( ) --Lance Campbell... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --IFforL2... Vote for this game | |
| Vain Empires, by Thomas Mack and Xavid 2 votes (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Zape... (No comment) [+](No comment) --Lance Campbell... Vote for this game | |
| Enchanter, by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling 2 votes (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Zape... (No comment) [+](No comment) () --Lance Campbell... Vote for this game | |
| Basilica de Sangre, by Bitter Karella 1 vote (No comment) [+](No comment) ( ) --Denk... Vote for this game | |
| Fifteen Minutes, by Ade McT 1 vote "Very complicated time travel system" [+]"Very complicated time travel system" ( - Full review) --MathBrush... Vote for this game | |
| First Things First, by J. Robinson Wheeler 1 vote "Not sure if time travel qualifies? " [+]"Not sure if time travel qualifies? " ( ) --Denk... Vote for this game | |
| Hadean Lands, by Andrew Plotkin 1 vote "Learn Alchemy" [+]"Learn Alchemy: By the end of the game, you will have learned how to perform alchemy, and the rules of alchemy are so well developed, that you will be convinced that you are actually learning it." --Mikalye... Vote for this game | |