Forgotten Gems: The Witness

There are plenty of amazing games that live on in the cultural consciousness long after their release. Take games like Minecraft, Bioshock, Dark Souls and Portal as examples. These games often deservedly feature on lists of the greatest games of all time inside and outside of their genre. But there are many excellent games that are lost to time when it comes to these discussions despite initial popularity and critical success. Forgotten Gems is about taking a look back at these games and giving them some of the recognition they deserve. Today's topic: The Witness.

The Witness cover art

Inspired by the 1993 classic "Myst", The Witness is a first-person puzzle game where they player wanders around an island and solves a variety of themed line puzzles. On the surface this doesn't sound like a particularly interesting concept but the game combines stunning visuals, a calming atmosphere and intricately crafted puzzles to provide an experience like no other puzzle game. The basic mechanics involve exploring a deserted island that is split into multiple segments. Each of these segments has its own theme and completing each will light a beacon that shines towards the mountain in the center of the island. Once all the beacons are lit and the player ascends the mountain a final puzzle zone is revealed. An example of one of these segment "themes" is the first zone the player enters upon leaving the tutorial zone, the Orchard. This area is comprised of a series of tree themed puzzles such as several where a panel is placed in front of a tree which has multiple branches and an apple at the end of one of them. The panel will have a line puzzle that starts at the bottom and branches out upwards in the same way the tree next to it branches, and the player can draw a line from the base of the tree to the end of the branch where the apple is found on the real tree. The method of solving these puzzles is a matter of finding the correct perspective and memorising the branching path before copying it to the associated panel. From here, the player is free to traverse the island and do whichever puzzles they like in any order. By giving the player this level of freedom, the game helps create an enchanting atmosphere as they try to explore every inch of the island for more puzzles and secrets.

The first tree puzzle in the Orchard

The art style is another incredible aspect, using simplified shapes with vibrant colours to make every aspect of the environment stand out. Further lending itself to the gentle atmosphere created by the art style, the sound design is calm and minimalistic. Most of the audio in the game is background noise like the ambient sounds of trees rustling, wind blowing and metal creaking as well as a variety of background noises that are layered on top. There is very little music aside from a few cases so the player is free to immerse themselves in the experience and feel like they really are exploring the beautiful and strange land in which the game takes place. Similarly to the puzzles, each zone of the island has its own unique sounds and colour palette, making every one even more memorable and engrossing. The Quarry, for example, mainly consists of bright white stone with small brown roofed houses set into the sides of the rock face and small areas of grass and flowers. The colour contrasts between these provide an aesthetic of nature and industry side by side which is enhanced by the low hum of machinery and occasionally dripping water. Combining these elements makes the zone feel, for lack of a better term, "at rest" as if the abandoned quarry has ceased to be a man-made tool and has settled in to merge with the nature around it.

Part of the Quarry

The Witness is a game that can be enjoyed by anyone, especially those who enjoy puzzles, the freedom of exploration or even just some pretty scenery and calming sounds. It doesn't hold the player's hand, instead showing them the way and watching as they find their own path through its various puzzles and beautiful landscapes. The game feels like the perfect way to spend an evening after a long or stressful day as it gives the opportunity to be immersed in a rich atmosphere and thought provoking challenges. It is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and iOS for £30 and is often on sale, although it is certainly worth the full price. So if you're looking for a forgotten gem of a game, be sure to check out The Witness or follow Critical Win for future articles like this.