Puzzle games may not dominate the gaming charts, but they often leave an indelible mark on players. These titles challenge our intellect and creativity, making them unforgettable experiences. However, it is disappointing that many outstanding puzzle games never receive sequels, despite their potential for expanded storytelling and gameplay.
Crafting engaging puzzles is a complex task, particularly when paired with an evocative narrative. Nevertheless, numerous iconic puzzle games from past decades have certainly earned a chance to bridge new installments, allowing players to immerse themselves longer in some of gaming’s most enriching worlds.
10 Hypnospace Outlaw
Explore Later Iterations Of The Internet
Hypnospace Outlaw nostalgically dissects the evolution of the early internet, capturing the quirky subcultures and dynamics of that time. As the internet continues to evolve, there is ample room for development in a sequel that draws from early 2000s trends, including the rise of social media and video sharing platforms.
Imagine a sequel that allows players to engage in digital sleuthing, hunting down online scammers and troublemakers while catching up with Zane and his journey since achieving his dream game.
9 Papers, Please
Regimes Come And Go, Paperwork Is Eternal
Papers, Please brilliantly transformed mundane bureaucracy into captivating gameplay. The escalating complexity of rules, juxtaposed with the need for quick decision-making, creates an exhilarating tension and drive. Although many games have attempted to replicate its unique blend of drama and realism, a deeper exploration of the game’s mechanics and its world offers fertile ground for a sequel.
What if we could see the outer workings of the immigration process through the lens of a different nation, offering contrasting standards and experiences?
8 Outer Wilds
All Things End, But Something New Starts
Outer Wilds masterfully crafted a mystery within a time loop, requiring players to balance exploration with the urgency of fading time. A sequel could diverge from the time loop while presenting a fresh enigma across a new selection of celestial bodies.
This could introduce new challenges and narrative twists, maintaining the excitement of discovery and exploration in previously uncharted galaxies.
7 Return Of The Obra Dinn
More Death-Filled Mysteries To Unravel
Set on a ghostly trading ship from the 1800s, Return of the Obra Dinn invites players to piece together a compelling narrative through deduction. The expanse of unexplained deaths creates exciting puzzle scenarios and immersive storytelling. A sequel could explore various other mysterious fatal incidents in alternate settings, such as a deserted campsite or a downed aircraft, introducing supernatural elements into the equation.
6 Superliminal
Perception Continues To Be Reality
Superliminal brilliantly used the theme of dreams, presenting players with the concept that “perception is reality.”This innovative mechanic created a diverse range of gameplay experiences. A sequel could maintain this core concept while introducing new puzzles inspired by different dream interpretations, such as the perspective of a dream therapist navigating through patients’ subconscious worlds.
5 Grim Fandango
There Are Always More Souls Coming
Grim Fandango remains a cult classic among LucasArts titles, even receiving a remaster in 2015. The game’s underworld setting, however, is ripe for expansion, unearthing new narratives from the fresh souls arriving with distinctive problems. A sequel could forge a new protagonist exploring the evolving dynamics within the Underworld, delivering rich stories and intricate puzzles.
4 What a conundrum
Mo’ Dimensions, Mo’ Problems
After the popularity of the Portal series, games that focused on physics-based puzzles became widespread. Quantum Conundrum, crafted by Portal’s designer Kim Swift, approached physics puzzles through dimensional shifts. A sequel could introduce new dimensions, challenges, and mechanics, inventively expanding its unique gameplay just as Portal 2 did.
3 Baba Is You
Baba Is Two
Baba Is You challenges players to rethink and manipulate the rules of the game itself. A sequel could focus on adding an array of new puzzles featuring innovative mechanics, building on the original’s captivating simplicity without the need for an extensive narrative.
2 Little Inferno
More Fuel For The Fire
Initially perceived as more of a toy than a puzzle game, Little Inferno revolves around igniting various objects and discovering their interactions. A potential sequel could broaden this concept with an expanded range of items and increased emphasis on unique combinations and creative experimentation, enhancing the playful aspect of burning.
1 Catherine
New Relationships, New Towers
Catherine, one of Atlus’ most innovative titles, melded tower-climbing puzzles with themes of romance and intimacy. Although an enhanced version was released in 2019, the yearning for a full sequel with fresh characters and settings continues. By introducing a new protagonist grappling with complex relationships, a sequel could bring fresh puzzles and narrative depth to the fore.
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