amazon The Witness reviews
Overview
You will play a character who wakes up in the tunnel, the first thing you do will be to move, by pressing the screen to the point of need, next you will encounter an electronic board and instructions: connect the beginning point and the end point to open the door, this is also the first puzzle and the most fundamental puzzle philosophy, throughout the hundreds of puzzles you will encounter during the game.
After a few more quizzes, you’ll find yourself exploring a beautiful, sunny island with countless mysteries that need solving. As such, the beginning of the game has no plot, no commentary line, players will enter the world of The Witness with the perception of the game is just a zero figure.
Gameplay, graphics and sound
Characters can be walked or run (On the iPhone or iPad, character movement will be slightly more difficult than on PC or PS4), zoom in and interact with The puzzles are found. These puzzles will become increasingly difficult, become more complicated, from connecting a point to a parallel connection, multi-point connection, color matching, etc. … like the multitude of puzzles are waiting for people answer.
In terms of graphics, The Witness is meticulously designed with simple but detailed 3D style. Each part of the island has its own characteristics with different environments. Most notably is the arrangement of objects and riddles, as well as the “circuit board” in the game are intentional and purpose.
The simple yet beautiful indie gameplay style has been used by Thekla, from tree branches, grass tops to blocks. However, the color on the iOS is somewhat “flashy” and dazzling. The sound of the game is carefully scrutinized, from birds singing to the sound of leaves, are reproduced quite authentic.
Looking at the game looks pretty simple and bland, so what makes The Witness so attractive?
Not everyone likes to play a puzzle game where they will have to reincarnate into a character with a first-person perspective, wandering alone on a sunny island, only traveling and connecting the beginning to the end point. For some new players, it will be boring because the gameplay is too monotonous.
But it is this that makes the game easy and difficult, making the puzzles always halfway, just solved, the secrets surrounding the puzzles that pull players into further to explain the other secrets. The game mechanics link point to the end-line is simple, but the simpler this becomes extremely complex and interesting, puzzles and stimulates players to explore themselves.
In particular, this is a game that will teach you a puzzle, not just asking questions, it’s one of the differences of The Witness for other games, making the player feel like ” enlightenment “when finding a mystery.
where can you get a The Witness online
The Witness – PS4 [Digital Code]: Buy it now
For the best description, The Witness will make you feel like learning a “celestial language”, but no one will be the teacher made you learn the language in one way or another, but Depending on each person, the reading of this language is not entirely the same. (The writer, in the first 2 hours to learn about the game, has tried the new start several times, but each has a different way of playing).
Game titles are not arranged in a certain order, so you can skip some puzzles, even encouraged to do so. When you go to another area and find the answers here, chances are that you will learn a new skill, so that when you return to those too difficult to ignore, you will have a viewing totally new to them.
As you play and move, you may not notice, but the surrounding things have their own meaning, which is also the way the developer makes the puzzles not only on the circuit board, but also Involves both the gaming environment around them. There is always a mystery somewhere, causing the player to go look for the finished game.
To solve the puzzle, the most important point is the angle and the alignment. The view of the puzzle will determine whether you can solve it or not, the linking of the end-point on the board, or higher is the idea through the end of the game will determine whether you have Find out the hidden deep inside the game or not.
The game takes about 40 hours to complete, however, according to talented developer Jonathan Blow is father of the game, it takes more than 80 hours for players to complete only 97% of the game, including nearly 700 sentences. There are some sentences that only about 1% of the players can solve.
Gameplay Mechanics
Core Gameplay
“The Witness” is a puzzle game where mysteries unfold on an empty island. The player, in the place of an anonymous protagonist, roams the desert island while solving dozens of puzzles intricately placed within the environment for disclosing. The major gameplay mechanics are generally solving line puzzles, where players connect endpoints on a grid, within certain rules.
Puzzles entirely integrate with the environment and means that the observation of the players makes them discover clues and hints. Indeed, in addition to enhancing immersion, this also makes players think critically about the relationships the puzzles have with the world around them. Problems become more broad and in-depth logical reasoning coupled with observation skills as players go forward.
Puzzle Design
The design of the puzzles in “The Witness” is a prime highlight of the game. Every puzzle made was specifically designed within the mental maneuvers as they relate spatially, pattern recognition, and logic reasoning in mind for the player. The puzzles are introduced into the game progressively from a simple concept to eventually form complex multi-layer puzzles.
A learning aspect of the puzzle design is through “learning by doing.” The early puzzles teach the basic mechanics and rules of the game to the players; then, as the players progress into the more difficult puzzles, they will somehow require knowledge from the earlier concepts and then add something new and variable. This will keep the players on their toes and will make the difficulty curve natural and gratifying.
The puzzles are located in several distinct areas on the island, each with its own theme and rule set. For example, some grids were purely grid-based, while others involve color, shapes, perspective, as well as environmental interaction. This keeps the gameplay fresh and ensures it does not become repetitive.
Exploration and Environment
Exploration is a large part of “The Witness.” The island is divided into particular biomes and regions where each of them has its exclusive visual and features, so each one encourages people to visit them and share puzzles, literally hidden with the scenery.
The open-world design allows anyone to tackle puzzles not according to a specific sequence. They can also take their time to visit places they want rather than opting for another puzzle. Replayability would definitely bring something interesting to the game, as players will find ways to experiment by living through the game in their ways.
Difficulty and Challenge
The Witness considers the level of its challenges so that they are always just on the edge of becoming frustrating. In that sense, the balance between guidance and allowing the player to pursue their solutions is maintained. The first few puzzles act as teaching tools, gradually building up the player’s knowledge of the game’s mechanics and logic.
More complex puzzles later require a deeper and sometimes more abstract understanding of the very same rules and ideas. The game does not feed the player any hints or solutions directly; instead, it encourages the player to be resourceful and consider alternatives. This design philosophy nurtures the gratification and empowering feeling that comes from manifesting a solution to the problem set by a difficult puzzle.
This game also includes optional puzzles and side areas to give people more rewarding challenges if they desire an intense experience. Unlocked rewards from these will improve players’ replay value for the game.
Narrative and Themes
Narrative Structure
“The Witness” is highly praised for its minimalist approach towards the narrative. There are no traditional stories or dialogues; everything is said through the themes and ideas conveyed by environmental storytelling and visual design. The island itself is the place where all the themes about philosophizing are introduced.
While interacting with the environment, audio recordings, and visual symbols are utilized to allude to deeper narrative thematic layers, all of them invite you to construct your own narrative and meanings from the game. It makes for a subjective, highly personal experience, which allows every player to gain insights from what he/she sees.
Philosophical Themes
Knowledge and awareness comprise the key theme of “The Witness.” In conjunction with the puzzles and environmental elements, all intentions are to invoke thought about perception, cognition, and the manner in which people learn. The very structure of the game invites players to question their assumptions and see things differently.
The island is metaphorically regarding the process of enlightenment and self-discovery. In solving puzzles and revealing hidden areas, the player deepens his or her understanding of the game’s world and, through self-reflection, has insight into his or her own patterns of thinking. This theme of self-discovery exists all the more firmly with the help of the game’s non-linear presentation and emphasis on individual interpretation.
Isolation and reflection are also themes traversed in this game. The loneliness of the protagonist’s journey, without any other character, creates a space for introspection and self-meditation. In its very design, the game promotes players to meditate upon their own thoughts and problem-solving approaches, thus furthering the theme of personal discovery.
Interpretative Analysis
The witness had spawned many interpretations and analyses from both players and critics alike. For some, the game is an experience in the human condition and the search for meaning; others see it as a comment on puzzles and problem-solving. Consequently, with a very open narrative, the game holds the possibility for a rich variety of interpretations, making it an ongoing, different subject of conversation and debate.
Despite its rewinding touch for finality and resolution, the end and the ultimate discovery are left open-ended with room for further meditation and interpretation; it encourages players to ruminate on the broader implications of their experience on this topic. Thus, the overall import of game experience is directed at thinking through its continuation as much as keeping it alive for interpretation.
Audio Visual Design
Visual Design
As it were, the visual design for “The Witness” goes beyond an outline of market-driven value, an art canvas that embraces this game; it is unique in art, alive in color, line-forms, and simplicity. Hands down, the island beyond this picture is breathtaking, from a verdant gem to a hot desert and intricately connected ruins.
The colors and lighting in “The Witness” are part of a visual experience and quality that is part and parcel of the atmosphere the game creates. A rainbow of bright and varied colors creates a sense of wonder and exploration, but the main loudspeakers take care to light environments and add depth and realism. The visual design was done carefully and purposefully.
Most importantly, the puzzles that are built into the environment are seamlessly incorporated into the visual design of the game. Many puzzles are integrated into landscapes and can be solved only by observing nature and interacting with it, defining themselves against the background of the game world’s spirit of play that also focuses on exploration and observation.
Audio Design
In such ways, audio design constitutes an enhancement of the overall gaming experience in “The Witness.” The game features a rather gentle and atmospheric score, which plays into immersion, but also into tilting the experience more towards exploration. Subtle, imperceptibly unobtrusive, it’s meant to really let one puzzle and explore.
In so many ways as a fair but efficient use of sound effects, feedback is provided for puzzle interactivity and changes to environmental sounds. One may associate the tapes one encounters in the game with the thematic tone of the game as well as the added context that they lend to the game’s narrative. The Follies are integrated into the gameplay and provide background insight but do not dominate the overall experience.
Influence and Heritage The Witness opened to much critical acclaim right from the start, praising its innovative puzzle designs and philosophical meanings, including a uniquely artistic presentation. The original and simple but complex internal gameplay mechanisms were the sole attributes for which it was loved being out of all other puzzle games.
Critics appreciated how the game intellectually stretched the player while still keeping a secure feeling of reward from and immersion in the game. Even the sparse narrative and environment storytelling were praised as effective in delivering the game themes and personalizing them for players.
Player Reception
Positive reception marks the stance of players too. Many applaud the game not only for its challenging puzzles but also for its thought-provoking themes. Its open-ended design, coupled with an orientation toward exploration, struck a positive note with players who appreciated the thrills of discovery.
There was a general complaint about the lack of clear hints or solutions, while others complained about the slow pace of the game for action-seekers. Frustrated were some players as to the game’s minimalistic approach toward both the narrative and guidance.
Heritage and Influence
The Witness has endured impact in the gaming industry and into other puzzle with exploration games. Its inventive puzzle design and environmental storytelling paradigm have enlightened game developers for further explorations of such themes with their own projects.
Success of the game clarified the ability of video game as a medium for being both philosophically and intellectually examined. Personal meanings and self-discovery within these games are contributing to increasing an appreciation of video games’ artistic and thematic possibilities.
Conclusion
Be ‘The Witness.’ Very rare yet most of the times puzzle games and interactive storytelling match. Coactive mechanics revolutionary in gameplay, philosophy themes, and artistic design build a compelling and alienating all-in experience.
It puts it very high on the list of those that base their games on exploring, observing, and interpreting, well beyond traditional ones, but it shall always remind how far video games can push the envelope on possible show business and intellectual discussion.
Minimalism with narrative and puzzles snippets is not for everyone, yet it promises something new and quite different for those who appreciate playing games with thoughtfulness and engagement; it would be hard to deny that “The Witness” stands as a testament to the creative possibilities of video games. In time, “The Witness” will be remembered as an iconic, significant, and influential title in the gaming landscape.
In short, the witness is a digital masterpiece straddling the two worlds of puzzle solving and exploration with a shot of philosophical inquiry. The influence it has had on the gaming big and prospects it holds to resonate within the industry is reason enough to put it firmly on the list of things to try for all puzzle enthusiasts and those similarly puzzled by the broader artistic future of video games.