Puzzle games are all about problem-solving. You hit a new obstacle, get lost at first, go through an individually unique process, and then come up with the right solution for the problem. The real trick is to make me work on the actual dilemma in the background, using the earthbound trials as puzzle pieces, going out of bounds of those simple steps (which is true for the gameplay as well!), and building up to the bigger picture.
I simply adore the way The Talos Principle directed my attention to the grand philosophical theme of humanity and its nature, started an infernal, internal struggle within me, and later on, made me accept it instead of solving it. It might sound corny, but it's just what happened because of the excellently thought-out message.
I felt like I was opening my eyes for once, finally seeing the new possibilities, which is exactly what I'm looking for in such a game. It's a literal room to think that everyone needs.

It's hella fun being a little stealing asshole goblin.
I just wish mine wouldn't spew out Marvel-esque quips and meta pop culture references as the monologue all the time. I did not care for Styx (quite the opposite actually), nor the story, or any characters since none were developed.
I also had no incentive to explore its environment, which in my eyes, is a cardinal crime in the genre of stealth games. It's extremely objective-based with annoying side challenge popups, often appearing on the screen, telling me how I should play the game. After a while, my inventory was packed with crafting ingredients, so I couldn't pick up most of the items. I was either skipping every building or going through every single one, looking for one of the twenty randomly placed tokens on every level. It's boring and feels robotic. Disappointing!