The Hidden 90 OpenCritic games with mind-bending mechanics (that will make you rethink Portal)

Portal is still one of the biggest puzzle platformers of the 21st century. Not only was it revolutionary at the time, but it's still just as fun today. It has been almost 20 years Portal was released, and its mind-bending approach to puzzles and world exploration has been incredibly influential. Games like Portal are hard to come by, but titles like Antichamber, The Turing Test, Superliminaland The Stanley Parable all have a hint of the groundbreaking puzzle game in them.

As good as these games are, the best to take Portals general puzzle concept and make it your own is The Talos Principle. When it comes to environmental puzzles, The Talos Principle wears his Portal influence on its sleeve. However, the puzzles are almost secondary to the deep and philosophical story that unfolds The Talos Principle to a thought-provoking exercise focused on what it actually means to be human.

The Talos Principle asks players to question humanity and consciousness itself

I love a good puzzle platformer, but what originally drew me to it The Talos Principle were its philosophical questions and religious references. The game came out in 2014, but I played it a few years after it was first released. At the time, I was well into college and had finally settled on a major: Philosophy and Religious Studies. Therefore, The Talos Principle seemed like the perfect game to play at the time, and it turns out I was right. To this day, The Talos Principle is a game unlike any other that I am grateful to have picked up when I did. Not only is The Talos Principle one of the best puzzle games out there, it can completely change the way a player looks at life.

Balance the critics' averages

Light (6) Medium (8) Hard (10)

A thought exercise that develops into deep existentialism

Players start the game as a nameless android who wakes up in a Garden of Eden-like environment. A disembodied voice called Elohim acts as a guide throughout the game. Elohim has created a variety of worlds for the android to explore with only one rule: don't enter the big tower in the middle. The Talos Principles references to the Genesis story from the Abrahamic religions become immediately apparent. There is a powerful, omniscient creator, a new creation left to its own devices, and a forbidden area. There are some good games that deal with religion, though The Talos Principle is one of the most layered methods.

Every God needs his Satan

Elohim isn't the only character trying to guide The Talos Principles robot protagonist in a certain direction, however. Milton Library Assistant is a computer program that can hold conversations with players. It is quickly apparent that The Milton Library Assistant serves as “Satan” to Elohim's god-like role. The computer program encourages the android to always question Elohim. During the game, The Talos Principle deals with deep questions about free will, the potential existence of a soul, and the nature of humanity. To obey and trust authority or to break free and forge a new path is the central decision, and it can lead to different endings.

Even without its weighty philosophical questions, the Talos Principle puzzle is in a league of its own

Philosophical and religious issues are not everyone's cup of tea. thankfully, The Talo Principles puzzles stand out as some of the best in the genre. These puzzles are not only challenging. They are inventive, encourage experimentation, and are deeply rewarding once arrived at. Even if The Talos Principle very reminiscent of Portal with this feature, it doesn't feel like a copycat strategy.

At first, the puzzles can feel overwhelming Portal-which, mostly due to the use of lasers, but The Talos Principle taking these mechanics and making them their own. It's much easier said than done, but this philosophically charged puzzle game achieves this, creating a unique identity that not only makes it feel like a Portal clone. There are over 120 puzzles in the base game alone, and they can be approached however a player wants. Then The Talos Principle explores the concept of free will, it is a non-linear game that allows the player to decide which puzzle to approach next.

The Talos Principle has a DLC called The Road to Gehenna it is more difficult than the base game. Its sequel, The Talos Principle 2released in 2023 and also has a DLC; The Road to Elysium.

The Talos Principle is a brilliant reminder that video games are a great platform for telling deep stories

When it was first released, The Talos Principle just seemed like an interesting new puzzle game. However, the developers at Croteam saw this genre as an opportunity to confront players with some of life's biggest questions. It's a wild way to tackle topics like faith and free will, but that's also what makes it so endearing. In recent years, some of the most thought-provoking stories have been found in video games. Video games with deep stories help show that this medium is not just a fun pastime. It is an amazing art form that can teach people the complexities of life.

Games like Red Dead Redemption 2, The last of usand The God of War all deal with heavy themes. What is so impressive The Talos Principle is that it not only raises existential questions; it makes it fun and engaging. As much as I love philosophy, there are even times when my eyes glaze over when trying to learn new concepts. Balancing fun gameplay with heavy themes isn't easy, though The Talos Principle absolutely nails it. Yes, the puzzles are quite complex and often require significant brainpower, but it's not so difficult that the fun is sucked out of the experience. The Talos Principle makes existential questions somewhat participatory instead of feeling like a lecture. Portal is a cutting-edge puzzle game, but players looking for a higher difficulty, more logic-based title can find The Talos Principle to become a more worthwhile experience. Portal is an exciting fast-paced approach to puzzles, but The Talos Principles makes players sit and think about both the obstacles and what it means to be human.