Best Games That Make You Think Outside The Box

Summary

Games reward creativity: titles like Zelda, Hitman, and MGSV let players solve problems in countless ways.
Nonlinear play grows thinking: puzzles and open missions encourage outside-the-box solutions.
Across genres — from Scribblenauts to Death Stranding 2 — games give varied tools and freedom to experiment.

Linear video games offer an engaging experience as long as the storylines remain thrilling. For instance, the campaigns of Call of Duty are highly praised within the industry, and some enthusiasts find these stories more appealing than multiplayer modes. They typically include diverse locations with high-octane action sequences, and there are other games in this category available as well.

Some individuals have a preference for games featuring non-traditional designs and multiple problem-solving paths. These games may encourage cognitive growth by challenging players to think creatively and outside the box. It’s worth noting that such games aren’t limited to traditional puzzle genres, as even action games can stimulate critical thinking skills. Here are some notable examples to explore further:

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – This action role-playing game offers various choices and consequences that impact the player’s experience, promoting critical thinking and decision making.
2. Life is Strange – A narrative-driven adventure game where players make decisions that influence the story’s outcome, encouraging thoughtful problem solving and empathy.
3. Firewatch – An exploration game set in a vast wilderness where choices and dialogue shape the narrative, requiring careful consideration and decision making.
4. The Stanley Parable – A first-person narrative game where players are presented with multiple paths and outcomes, inviting reflection on the nature of choice and control in video games.
5. Undertale – A role-playing game that defies traditional RPG conventions by offering a variety of choices, consequences, and humor, promoting critical thinking and creativity.
6. Observer – A psychological horror game with complex decision-making mechanics, requiring players to solve puzzles while navigating a dark and unsettling world.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom

Thinking Outside The Box… By Creating It

In “Breath of the Wild” and its sequel, “Tears of the Kingdom”, you’ll find structures called Shrines. Here, players can utilize the physics to solve puzzles in various creative ways. These games offer adaptable adventures, but “Echoes of Wisdom”, although it may seem simpler, offers more freedom for the player to make choices.

In the game of Zelda, players have the ability to replicate enemies and items by cloning them. This allows players to achieve various objectives such as stacking boxes to reach a platform or bouncing on trampolines for example. The possibilities are virtually limitless due to the user-friendly mechanics and boundless creativity that this game offers.

Hitman: World of Assassination

A Kill Is A Kill

Engaging in the meticulous setup of kills within any of the latest Hitman series, now collectively titled Hitman: Trilogy, can be quite captivating. Unlike many other stealth game characters, Agent 47 boasts a broad range of options when it comes to eliminating his targets.

Occasionally, he may contaminate the victims’ meals or catch them unawares with a swift strike as he passes by. He’ll even resort to impersonating a rock star to gain proximity to his objective, despite lacking any real musical talent himself. Each operation presents itself like an assortment of toys, and it’s on players to decide which tools to use to achieve their final objective.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain

Venom Snake Has It Covered

In “Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain,” the series has never been more expansive. As Venom Snake (previously known as Big Boss), you’ll traverse various landscapes filled with missions. Similar to other games in the Metal Gear series, players have the choice to eliminate soldiers either lethally or non-lethally. This non-lethal approach is especially strategic in this installment.

In this game, players have the option to redeploy officers to Mother Base and utilize them for assignments, motivating them to hand over soldiers. How you interact with them in combat situations is under your control, as there’s a vast array of tools at your disposal, ranging from deceptive items like boxes resembling women to traditional tranquilizer darts.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

Package Delivery!

In the gameplay of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, the mechanics are relatively straightforward compared to its intricate narrative. Players assume the role of Sam, a post-apocalyptic courier tasked with delivering packages. The job can be effortless under certain circumstances, such as when players acquire vehicles and there are existing road networks. However, the task can become quite demanding, for instance, when Sam must trek up mountains.

Players need to carry necessary equipment and take into account the terrain, such as using a ladder to navigate swift-flowing rivers or finding a path through mountain passes. The more ground they cover, the more gear they unlock to assist in their deliveries. There’s no single correct approach, but those who devise effective strategies tend to receive larger rewards from clients.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Pick Your Way

In the game titled “Deus Ex: Human Revolution“, players take on the role of a character named Adam in a cyberpunk setting, which is a blend of science fiction and role-playing genres. Throughout the game, you have the liberty to shape Adam’s abilities in various ways. You can transform him into a formidable cyborg capable of silent elimination of obstacles, or you can arm him with conventional weapons. Additionally, you can develop his verbal skills or hacking capabilities. Regardless of your preferred strategy, there are usually multiple methods to tackle situations. This versatility gives players a sense of freedom and motivates them to explore different playthroughs.

Scribblenauts

If You Can Type It, They Will Come

A significant number of children from the 80s and 90s spent their childhood engaged in educational video games such as “The Oregon Trail” and “Number Munchers”. These games provided an enjoyable alternative to traditional classroom lectures, although they didn’t quite match up to the fun factor of something like “Super Mario World”.

The game titled Scribblenauts, originally designed to enhance educational typing games, transformed into an engaging puzzle game on the DS. In this innovative title, players were presented with various challenges, such as saving a cat stuck in a tree or extinguishing a fire. The game had the ability to recognize hundreds of words, and it was the player’s responsibility to devise creative solutions, not limited by predefined options. As the series progressed, the wordplay became even more captivating.

Tunic

Think Outside The Game

As a savvy gamer, I’ve dived into a captivating adventure where at first glance, it appears to be reminiscent of the beloved Zelda series. But

Exploring this world from a top-down perspective, I found myself engaging in familiar activities like wielding a sword and shield against adversaries, and solving riddles to progress. However, what initially seemed like a clone soon revealed itself to be a game of far greater depth. It’s not just another Zelda-inspired title; it’s a fresh take on the genre that keeps you hooked with its unique charm!

In this game, players are tasked with unraveling an old mystery surrounding its language and instructions manual. These pieces must be meticulously gathered for reconstruction. The journey requires patience as one must think beyond the game’s confines, deciphering contextual hints to solve puzzles that lead to advancement towards a higher level of understanding.

Fez

A Mind-Bending Puzzle

In the game Fez, the adventure commences in a straightforward 2D environment, initially presenting itself as a platformer. The protagonist later discovers the mysterious artifact known as the fez, which grants players the ability to rotate the world, uncovering concealed viewpoints. For instance, what appears to be a broken ladder from one angle, might actually be intact from another. The majority of puzzles in this game have a linear progression, implying that solutions follow a straight path rather than allowing for much creative problem-solving. However, as the game advances, particularly in its latter stages, it becomes increasingly surreal and intricate, requiring a sharp mind to decipher the subtleties.

2025-09-05 14:38