Good, but not without caveats. Puzzle difficulty ramps up way too slowly, to the point where I'd say the first half of the game is essentially trivial to solve? Once it does get harder, the puzzles are excellent though, and never take up more time then they should thanks to the high move speed and speed up function.
Talos Principle keeps introducing new mechanics to puzzle around, the recording device being my favourite for how it warps your understanding of what is possible with every element, but some of the most enjoyable late game puzzles are just you, some jammers, and a dream.
One neat little thing I enjoyed is how often the game hides a little hint in the puzzle's name, a wonderfully subtle "thought starter" to help you find an angle to conquer some of the harder late game puzzles.
The game has a very sombre, quiet, peaceful vibe that I really appreciated. Narratively the game is very much "Intro to Philosophy 101", and I dont mean that in a negative sense. I enjoyed digging through the text messages and thought experiments a lot.
The Library AI, on the other hand, can go fuck itself, and any conversation with it misses flies right part sophisticated and straight into obnoxious. Milton's argument are often nonsensical or nitpicky, but we are not allowed dialogue options to call that out, we are not allowed to be right, but Milton's arguments are...not good. Frustrating, but fortunately a small part of the game

This one, I dismissed for years. In a serendipitous way, this may not have been a mistake. Its existentialist themes landed at a time in my life where I may have found them especially poignant. Talos is an incredible puzzle game, whose rooms ask thinking more lateral than Portal 2's hardest test chambers while never becoming completely opaque. Coming back to a puzzle that stumped me after putting the game down for a time and knocking it out right away was legitimately enriching, and the breadth and depth of the games mechanics lead to the best "Ah hah!" moments in recent memory. I am hard pressed to find many flaws. It's good. Go play it.

Maybe I'll return to this one if somebody gives me a compelling argument, but it's very plodding and I have run out of patience with it.

I'm at the point where i could get the bad end, and I know how to get the true end, and doing so is going to probably take another twenty hours to do so.

My feelings on the game at this point basically are "the witness is less coy about being masturbatory, and portal didn't overstay its welcome." It feels like it probably isn't going to stick the landing and the puzzles are very samey once you unlock all the tech.

Fantastic puzzle game that shoots itself in the foot by being too long. If this game was 5 hours shorter, it would have been one of the best games I have ever played, and I would have easily given it 10/10. But it isn't, it is a 14-hour game that runs out of new mechanics to give to you in the middle of the playthrough. Yes, the challenge increases and the narrative is really interesting but If I start to struggle and the game doesn't offer me anything, the whole experience will obviously start to sour pretty rapidly. I’m giving it 9/10, this game has fantastic presentation, incredible narrative, and insanely smart puzzles but it was just too long for me.

I was looking for a puzzle game and got a philosophy class.
The Talos Principle curious plot and storytelling drove me to the end by itself, and what a narrative this game delivers! Got me hooked up and intrigued till the end.
Most puzzles felt bland tho, feeling extremely easy and simple. Some of the puzzles that got me stuck was even because I was thinking it was more complicated than it actually is, so overall (besides some actually genius ones) the actual gameplay part of the game is not that good, which made me not interested in seeking the other endings myself.

Potentially interesting questions about personhood, but 3.5 hours into playing I had yet to find what was at stake. Was my character going to be deleted? Seems unlikely given the rewind effect after death. Are other entities coming after me? Maybe, but I only think that given the generally ominous atmosphere. Is my personhood as a gamer at stake? Maybe, but this question starts from the premise that personhood/humanity/etc. is some combination of desirable, necessary, and extant.

Let's say that I come to a conclusion about whether or not I'm a person. Okay cool. But who cares! I'm still playing the game. There are no consequences one way or another. Inside, Pathologic 2, The Beginner's Guide, and The Stanley Parable all at least reference the stakes of humanity. If this game does, I haven't made it there yet and, frankly, I'm not sure I want to get there.

The Talos Principle really surprised me. I knew a bit about what I was getting into - a stage based 3D puzzle game which I was actually excited to play from the offset, but what really impressed me was the story and philosophical themes. Yes, much of it is told through reading a console, but I kept finding myself drawn in reading the text files from those who came before, the historical, religious, and philosophical references, and of course having deep arguments with the archival system. While the game ends pretty soundly, I feel like I have so many more questions about existence and life itself. As for the gameplay, I actually thought the puzzles were a good balance. Easy to teach the mechanics, then challenging when they needed to be. I forced myself not to use any outside assistance and felt super gratified getting through every puzzle and climbing the tower on my own and I think that is a testament to just how good of a puzzle game this one is solely from that perspective. I understand this one isn't for everyone, but I think I ended up playing this at the perfect time.

Never has a game held me by the throat and called me a dumb b'tch quite as much as The Talos Principle did.

So many times did I end up starting a new puzzle, staring at it for 3 hours and still come away with absolutely no clue how to solve it - only for the solution to just be right there, sat in front of me almost with an arrow saying "do it like this you absolute dumb'ss".

What makes that more frustrating is that it strokes your ego with plenty of simpler puzzles then it'll just smack you with a "tough" one.

The overall "story" touching philosophical themes of humanity was enjoyable, being able to actually choose responses to these questions posed to you and them affecting the response you get / game itself (ending wise, I think?) is a nice touch.

*potential ending spoiler ***

The final part being an unexpected timed section that I had to restart a few times before I realised was annoying as hell. It took me genuinely 4 attempts before it became obvious to me that I had to do it all fast otherwise I'd end up dying and having to do it all over again.

You awaken as a robot in a garden of puzzles, as a God tries to lead you to eternal life, while you think about some philospohical shit.
This is probably one of my favourite games with a puzzle tag but as a puzzle game it leaves some to be desired.

So like 2/3s of the puzzles are great, some even phenomenal. But the other 1/3, just, jesus. They struggle a lot with a good balance of noise(noise as in the puzzle, not audio). Sometimes there's so little noise I accidentally solve it, other times I'm having a meltdown just trying to work out what is going on. Some puzzles are just not sightreadable at all, you have no idea what you are supposed to do just placing shit and hoping it works. Some puzzles were more like Where's Waldo Puzzles, where instead of trying to figure out what to do with your items, you have to look into every nook and cranny just to find a connector behind some random ass wall(and thus waste a bunch of time, trying to solve the puzzle without one of the components), and just generally fucking with the environment just to line something up.
But keep in mind this is only like 1/3s of the puzzles, the others are great.

But the story, oh man. I rarely get invested in a story so much as to actually read every piece of text I come across, and collect everything. The story focuses a lot on identity, understanding of the world, free will, all of the good philosophy shit while you solve puzzles and learn the story of a scientist doing sciency stuff and changing the world.
The music and voice acting complemented everything perfectly imo.

LOADING LIBRARY SESSION....

Any seasoned player of video games will agree that new experiences just keep getting harder to find and developers understand this. This game, released in 2014, is a breath of fresh air in an era where developers often tap into our constant need for stimulation. While some games keep players hooked with battle passes and quick 20 min XP boosts, “The Talos Principle” dangles a different carrot: our innate curiosity and the human drive to make sense of the unknown.

If this sounds somewhat esoteric, don’t be worried. “The Talos Principle” is a straightforward first-person puzzle-adventure akin to 2007’s “Portal”. You play as an android entering the “Garden” of a god-like voice, handed a few tools and a series of puzzles to solve for the ultimate prize—eternal life. The
structure is simple; enter puzzle rooms, unlock the coveted “sigil” prize, repeat.

The game skillfully introduces its puzzle-solving tools and methodology, preventing prolonged frustration for players of all skill levels. Think of the initial stages, World A, as an easy New York Times “Monday” crossword, progressing to the later stages, World C, with a moderate “Wednesday” challenge where each challenge builds upon established foundations. Despite its accessibility, the exceptional puzzle design consistently leaves players feeling one step short, like they are missing one item, creating immense satisfaction when conquering challenges without that elusive item.

For those unfamiliar, let’s delve into a simple example. Each puzzle has a title, often self-referential or hinting. Take “Don’t Cross The Streams,” for instance. Armed with two lasers (think of keys, red and blue) and two receptacles (think of keyholes, red and blue), you quickly learn you can’t cross the (laser) streams. Move them around so the lasers don’t cross—solved! In mere seconds, you gain knowledge to carry with you throughout
the game.

--

“Every human society in recorded history has had games! We don’t just solve problems out of necessity; we do it for fun, even as adults! Leave a human being alone with a knotted rope, and they will unravel it. Leave a human being alone with blocks, and they will build something. Games are part of what makes us human. We see the world as a mystery, a puzzle. We’ve always been a species of problem solvers.”

- Alexandra Drennan, The Talos Principle

--

HUMAN CURIOSITY

As you navigate through worlds, solving fun puzzles and collecting sigils, you might be wondering how this mechanic of human curiosity and our attraction to the unknown fits into everything. Amid three hub worlds also stands a giant monstrosity of a tower, tempting you with its open door and hazy apex. The god-like voice warns against ascending it, claiming it’ll kill you. Meanwhile, a rogue AI pops up, challenging your beliefs and making that tower suddenly the most enticing place to be.

The game thrives on our skepticism and our inclination to question orders. Despite the god-like voice’s guidance, we have the free will to bend rules and indulge our curiosity. It’s this rule-bending that propels both the story and gameplay forward.

At some point, you’ll sport a self-satisfied grin, having discovered how to bend the rules, sneak objects out of puzzle rooms, or send lasers unbelievable distances you didn’t think were possible. Did you just break the game’s boundaries? Absolutely! Did other players discover this? The game drip-feeds new twists, making each discovery feel special.

You’re not just a lab rat solving puzzles; you’re an android with human sensibilities realizing anything goes in this world. If routing a laser from one puzzle room to another eases your journey, go for it! Bend the rules whenever you can! Perhaps other players weren’t as inquisitive but this game makes it important to feel special with everything you do.

As the game unfolds, you’ll find yourself questioning whether your discoveries were serendipitous or carefully planned by the developers. Your encounters with various audio logs, where a scientist contemplates the essence of humanity, adds an extra layer to the narrative making you question the God-voice’s motives. Why would a God allow this android to digest both broad philosophical ponderings and his own strict creationist guidelines within the same world of his creation? “The Talos Principle” excels in nudging you to formulate your own perspective on these profound matters. This harmonious flow between philosophical ponderings and tranquil puzzle gameplay (helped by a fantastic musical composition) deepens the immersive experience, leaving you pondering not just the puzzles but the very fabric of the game’s reality.

--

PLAYFUL

While the structure of this story is a clear and overt nod to the Garden of Eden, “The Talos Principle” acknowledges our awareness and constantly challenges us to form our own perspective on the truth of our creation
and purpose. Your answers to questions and the order in which you complete the game influence the endings. There may be concerns about an ambiguous finale in such a theological and philosophical game, but rest
assured; the main ending is definitive, clear, and extremely satisfying.


Although “The Talos Principle” could stand on its own with fun and challenging puzzles, it’s the classic story and the pursuit of truth that keeps you engaged in the long run. On a personal level, it has left me with a really warm and calming feeling on the inside. As corny as it sounds to say, this game made me proud to be a human with all of our complications, contradictions, playfulness and stubbornness. It’s a unique and fascinating gameplay experience that will change your perspective on games while touching you on a human level and it deserves to be acknowledged among the greats.

I love this game! The puzzles aren't necessarily the most original, there isn't any kind of central gimmick to base them around like in something like Portal or Swapper, but the setting and tone absolutely carry this one for me.

From the title, you'd be forgiven for thinking this game is going to be pretentious nonsense, but... well, it is pretentious. Undeniably so. But it frontloads its intentions and tones (you literally wake up in a Roman ruin at the start of the game with an Abrahamic god-like figure issuing commandments), and even the loftiest philosophical discussions feel perfectly at home here. Talos Principle also still finds ways to come off as softer and more human in places. For every text log with a quote from some ancient Greek philosopher, you'll find an email from someone facing some problem and it gives great emotional insight on characters you will never meet (can't elaborate much more here without spoilers...). There even manages to be humour at times in the text and audio logs. One slight tonal misstep imo was the decision to fill the world with memey easter eggs; it always took me out of the moment when I was exploring this incredibly heavy-hearted game and found a silly Serious Sam reference in some dark corner of the map. But in general, the game pulls off an incredibly powerful elegiac tone throughout, and I don't know of any other game that evokes that kind of atmosphere so strongly.

This tone is also in no small part helped along by the minimalist but honestly perfect music and the beautiful setting. The game is set in a series of deliberately grandiose ancient ruins, and the stark contrast between these and the techno-futurist elements that make up each puzzle really help give the world a unique feel. One minor nitpick on the aesthetics would be the sound design for some of the puzzle elements; everything makes a distinct and obvious sound, meaning you can get some idea of what's happening without even looking, but the constant rattles and clunks can get pretty annoying when playing puzzles that involve things happening in a loop.

In terms of gameplay the puzzles are /generally/ aimed perfectly in terms of difficulty. There is a nice gentle difficulty curve with the game unlocking more features as you go and gradually exploring every way they interact, but the puzzles towards the end really do get bloody tricky. There are a couple of late game puzzles I have issues with; there's one where you have to find a way to smuggle items into it from outside (which feels strange as most puzzles in the game are very self-contained), and one of the endgame puzzles is set in an area so large that I got stuck for a while simply because I couldn't see the things I needed to interact with. The bonus stars you can unlock are more of a mixed bag; an awful lot of them involve either glitching your way out of bounds or trying to find one specific thing somewhere in a massive visually noisy level, so I felt no shame in using hints for a lot of these...

Overall though, I had a fantastic (albeit somewhat existential) time with this one, and it absolutely still stands up 9 years after it came out.

The Talos Principle is a brilliant puzzle game. It obviously caters to a specific subset of players who maybe like slower, chill games that require you to actually use your brain a bit. Many puzzles demand you to have a good understanding of the layout of the map and the tools at your disposal. The game does a great job at slowly introducing new puzzle-solving techniques you add to your collection that you continue to use all throughout. It's virtually impossible to some up with solutions to most puzzles by accident, which is something that other games suffer with sometimes.

As you build intricate web-like structures out of lasers, or deal with wonky time mechanics, and even have puzzles interact with each other to find secrets, the game never feels too hard. You may struggle at a puzzle now and then but there is usually a good flow that has you swapping from thinking and solving on a regular basis. The way puzzles slowly unravel themselves as you get deeper into them is absolute genius.

The world is also scattered with lore in the form of computer archives, occasional audio logs, and a computer character that give you a big dose of existentialism and philosophy that's slightly terrifying but also uplifting in its own way. The game doesn't pull any punches in delivering these heavy themes and I absolutely commend how they're approached. The themes of the game slowly build in the background to an ending that depends on how the player chooses to approach the subject matter.

What a "Man..." game.

Great puzzles all around. Not sure of the difficulty curve, it either was really good so I didn't notice getting better at solving puzzles, or they got easier in the long run. Nevertheless, they were all very enjoyable and I personally played this game in back to back sessions until I completed it.
For some stars and a handful of puzzles, I had to resort to hints to figure things out, and only Unreachable Garden I had to look up the solution for... how man can conquer such a puzzle, is very PUZZLING hehe.

The plot wasn't anything incredible, getting very predictable with how much you're flooded with hints on it, but it was enjoyable to have it on the side, as the puzzles are the main attraction.

I definitely endorse this game to people who enjoy puzzle games and some weirdo dialogues as a side dish.