GamesPuzzleI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesPuzzleI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Annapurna Interactive)
This year has been another great year for indie games. While no major blockbuster release has dominated both fan and critic game discussions in 2024, independent teams are once again coming into the spotlight. From years-long anticipated releases to break-out hits, one trend that has emerged in the best indie games of 2024is the number of absolutely stellar puzzle games.
Don’t get me wrong: for puzzle fans keeping up with the genre, every year is packed with great games. But, if you’re not an enthusiast, the genre generally gets overlooked and underestimated unless there’s a Return of the Obra Dinn or The Witness. However, this year is different. This year, puzzle games have not only dominated the indie space, but have been part of the wider gaming conversation too.
And it’s not just two or three games, either. There has been a bumper crop of indie puzzlers that encompass a wide range of subgenres – from layered Metroidvanias, arthouse puzzle adventures, to one of the best detective games of the decade getting a sequel. Puzzle games are having their moment in 2024 and I couldn’t be happier. I’m going to dive into a handful of the big ones, chuck a bunch more standout games at the end, and then reflect on why puzzle games are having their moment now.
Use your head
(Image credit: Color Gray Games, Playstack)
Let’s kick off with one of the most anticipated indie games of the year: The Rise of the Golden Idol. It’s quite the feat to have your debut game be called thebest successor to Obra Dinn, but to then make your sequel even better is some magic. The Rise Of The Golden Idol’s approach to evidence gathering and fill-the-blanks whodunnits continues to be intuitive and engrossing puzzle design. To put it simply, The Rise of the Golden Idol is the first game but better; with deeper mysteries, updated UI, and a bigger, more complex story. Color Gray Games has cracked the code, and with a handful of DLCs on the way, I’ll be following the idol’s bloody path into 2025.
Brain teaser(Image credit: Finji)For those unfamiliar with MetriodBranias, they are a subgenre of puzzle games where exploration and progression are achieved through knowledge and information rather than objects and keys. Just like you would use a particular weapon or key to progress in a Metriodvania, in games like The Outer Wilds and Tunic it’s your knowledge of the world that will let you explore further. Often these are presented as being hidden in plain sight - you just didn’t have the key information to understand it.
Brain teaser
(Image credit: Finji)For those unfamiliar with MetriodBranias, they are a subgenre of puzzle games where exploration and progression are achieved through knowledge and information rather than objects and keys. Just like you would use a particular weapon or key to progress in a Metriodvania, in games like The Outer Wilds and Tunic it’s your knowledge of the world that will let you explore further. Often these are presented as being hidden in plain sight - you just didn’t have the key information to understand it.
(Image credit: Finji)
For those unfamiliar with MetriodBranias, they are a subgenre of puzzle games where exploration and progression are achieved through knowledge and information rather than objects and keys. Just like you would use a particular weapon or key to progress in a Metriodvania, in games like The Outer Wilds and Tunic it’s your knowledge of the world that will let you explore further. Often these are presented as being hidden in plain sight - you just didn’t have the key information to understand it.
Obscure storytelling leads me right into Lorelei and The Laser Eyes, my personal pick for the best puzzle game of the year. A whole world away (an entirely different reality might be more accurate) from Simogo’s first game Sayonara Hearts, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a powerhouse of design. Not only does it incorporate many different styles of puzzle, but even its story is a riddle to be solved. What impressed me the most was how, in most of the genre’s games it’s difficult to connect the story and the puzzles in a way that feels natural. There’s often a disconnect between the two – Professor Layton finds something for Luke to solve on the bottom of a soup can and then it’s straight back to the story. This isn’t true for all games, but Lorelei is the best example of how to seamlessly intertwine the two together. This combination of logic-based puzzle-solving and dreamy, nebulous storytelling is totally spellbinding.
Speaking of spells, let’s chat Tactical Breach Wizards. Now, I’m not a huge turn-based strategy fan or someone who likes the fiddlyness of spellcasting (Barbarian over Wizard in D&D every time for me), but TBW might well turn me into a convert. Its excellent cop-drama story and interesting counter to modern military games aside, Tactical Breach Wizards is an excellent puzzle game. First and foremost, you’re encouraged to use your spellcasting squad’s abilities to maneuver enemies around the space in a way that you can then take them out as efficiently as possible. That’s not unusual in strategy games, but what really solidifies TBW’s puzzle potential is that you can also undo moves and use your Navy Seer’s ability to foresee the outcome of your turn’s decisions. This means you can try different solutions until you find a combination of moves you’re satisfied with – creative problem-solving at its finest.
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(Image credit: Suspicious Developments)
That’s four big puzzle hitters of the year, but there are still plenty more! This year’s break-out hit, Balatro is not strictly labeled as a puzzle game, but it’s certainly a game where you need to get your brain into gear, counting cards, crunching the numbers, and using math to work out what the best hand to play is. Other notable games include Arranger and its world-shifting puzzle design, Great God Grove’s focus on words and language, block-pushing adventure Isles of Sea and Sky, and the utterly authentic point-and-click callbacks in The Crimson Diamond.
Go on, scratch that itch for thinkin' with thesebest puzzle games
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
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2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1
Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”