Puzzle games can range from calm and serene experiences to extremely hectic ones where completing a brain-teaser within a specific time limit is important to stand a chance of surviving. For what it's worth, great puzzle games have a mix of both and give players a valuable sense of accomplishment after they figure out a particularly challenging solution to a certain puzzle.
Of course, some of the more brilliant puzzle games do a great job of deconstructing the genre itself, with the following titles being a great example of the same. Forming engaging puzzles is already pretty hard enough as is, and wrapping up this package in a thought-provoking that isn't afraid to point out the oddities of the genre it's in is a great accomplishment in many ways.
8 Portal
Portal is one of the most popular puzzle titles ever made, with Valve going all out in the development of this masterpiece. What starts out as a simple puzzle game ends up turning into something truly hilarious, creepy, and memorable at the same time.
The relationship between Chell and Glados is a brilliant one that explores what it means to be a player character in the first place. The puzzles themselves are a joy to play through, with the Portal Gun cementing itself as one of the most iconic tools in gaming history.
7 The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable isn't really a puzzle game per se, with the player's actions governing the majority of their actions. However, there are certain endings in the game that do require their fair share of mental gymnastics.
Players are encouraged to make the extra effort for these endings since some of the best content in The Stanley Parable is locked behind some truly obtuse actions. The very idea of sticking around in a broom closet being an ending in itself proves just how creative this title really is.
6 McPixel
The point-and-click genre used to be extremely popular at one point, with its approach to puzzle design being baffling in certain cases. It's this exact trope of the genre that McPixel parodies and breaks down to great effect.
The end result is a brilliant game where players are encouraged to use objects on everything in the game! The puzzle solutions are downright ridiculous, and interactions in the game can be so odd that they completely defy any and all expectations.
5 Braid
Braid was one of the first critically-acclaimed games released during the early wave of indie titles when this categorization gained some steam. The rewind mechanic in this game was quite fun to use, but that was far from the biggest allure of this title.
As players went through the title, they quickly realized that something was horribly wrong with the protagonist. Tim. It turned out that the princess that players were trying to save was actually running away from Tim himself all along, with time moving forward in the final section to reveal the same to the player in one of the most ingenious yet simple plots in video game history.
4 Baba Is You
Baba is You is one of the most unique puzzle games ever made. The game makes it so that the player can change the very function of everything in the game... including the character they control!
This leads to Baba is You being a deceptively clever puzzle title where the solutions are almost always completely different from what the player would imagine. From changing the goal itself to manipulating other elements of the puzzle at hand — Baba is You is a great gem that fans of the puzzle genre should definitely check out.
3 The Talos Principle
The Talos Principle is a wonderful puzzle game that many people should definitely check out. The environments are vast and beautiful to behold, with the puzzles themselves ranging from simple yet clever to deceptively complex.
Given the graphical glitches and the various cryptic notes that are scattered throughout the game, it's revealed that the player is actually stuck in a simulation where they're pretty much compelled to solve puzzles and reveal the bigger picture. It's a minor reconstruction of the genre, but an engaging one regardless.
2 Gorogoa
There aren't many puzzle games that are as pretty or engaging as Gorogoa. The game takes the simple concept of an illustrated sequence of events, prompting the player to interact with each image and uncover details that can help them progress.
This unique approach to the puzzles themselves makes Gorogoa a charming title. The puzzles can require quite a bit of mental gymnastics, but the unique mechanics of the game more than make up for its challenging nature.
1 Inside
Inside is another game that questions a player's motives and why they're even trying to aid the protagonist in the first place. The title is cryptic and features a mind-boggling mystery that is a blast to uncover, especially once players reach the ending.
There's a secret ending as well that lets players presumably shut down everything that is being controlled in the main game, including themselves. This ending only adds to the mystery and makes it clear why so many people love Inside with a passion.