The PS5 has brought a new level of gaming experience with its cutting-edge technology and innovative features. Now is a great time to relax, unwind and challenge your brain with some of the best puzzle games available on the PS5.
Whether you’re a seasoned puzzle solver or a newcomer, we’ve got you covered. From the addictive and mesmerizing, to the thought-provoking and challenging, we’ve hand-picked the top puzzle games that will keep you entertained for hours on end.
So grab your controller and get ready to put your brain to the test with the best puzzle games on the PlayStation 5.
1. The Witness
The Witness is a unique and captivating puzzle-adventure game that is unlike anything else you have played before. Just like Disco Elysium, The Witness is clearly the best game ever made in the last decade in its genre, no puzzle game is better than the Witness, as there are no better RPGs than Disco Elysium.
Developed by Jonathan Blow, one of the stars of the documentary Indie Game: The Movie, The Witness is set in a colorful and thought-provoking world, and the gameplay revolves around solving a series of maze puzzles. The game starts with a short tutorial area that explains the gameplay mechanics, and then it opens up into an open island world where you can explore and solve puzzles at your own pace.
The puzzles in the game start off simple, but they quickly become more challenging as new symbols and rules are introduced. The puzzles are always challenging, and they require you to think outside the box to solve them. The game also features an open world that is full of secrets and mysteries to discover, and it is up to you to explore and uncover them.
The game also features a minimalist soundtrack, and the only sounds that you will hear are the sounds of nature. The game also features a sense of mystery and intrigue, and you will often find yourself wondering about the history of the island and the people who once lived there.
2. The Forgotten City
The Forgotten City is an incredible journey through the depths of history and the human psyche. The game is a first-person exploration-based adventure game that takes you on a journey through an ancient Roman city that has been lost to time. The story is a mystery that slowly unfolds as you explore the different areas of the city, uncovering clues, and piecing together the truth.
The gameplay is a mix of puzzle-solving and exploration, with a heavy emphasis on the latter. The city is a vast and open area, with a lot of different areas to explore and discover. Each area has its own unique puzzles and challenges to overcome.
3. Manifold Garden
Manifold Garden is a work of art that plays with the laws of gravity. It is similar to Gravity Rush but has little in common with Sony’s thrilling adventure. It is more of a monumental work of art that slowly twists your head and then makes it smoke. The artist and game designer William Chyr worked on Manifold Garden for eight years and his first concept already contained everything that the noble puzzles contain today.
The special aspect of this game is the reversal of gravity, which is not literally reversed, but only turned by ninety degrees by activating a surface that is perpendicular to the current ground.
Manifold Garden is not just about solving puzzles but also about discovering tasks and possibilities. The architecture of the game is fantastic and consists of only rectangular structures that resemble sketches and remind of the works of M.C. Escher. The game is not just about solving puzzles but also about discovering tasks and possibilities.
4. The Pedestrian
The Pedestrian is a unique and intriguing puzzle game that stands out from other titles in the genre. The game’s art style is visually striking, with its 2D graphics and detailed animations. The gameplay revolves around the player controlling a human-shaped sign traversing through different levels, each one representing a different public space like a street or park. The player must manipulate the environment and solve puzzles to progress through the levels.
One of the things that set The Pedestrian apart from other puzzle games is its level design. Each level is like a miniature diorama, with a distinct theme and layout. The levels are also incredibly detailed, with interactive objects and hidden secrets to discover. The puzzles are also well-designed, requiring a good mix of logic and problem-solving skills.
Compared to other puzzle games in this list like The Witness and Manifold Garden, The Pedestrian is more focused on the player’s ability to explore and interact with the environment. It lacks the mind-bending, gravity-defying mechanics of Manifold Garden and the complex maze-solving of The Witness. Instead, it offers a more relaxed and laid-back experience that’s easy to pick up and play.
5. LEGO Builder’s Journey
LEGO Builder’s Journey is a game that’s all about nostalgia. The game is a love letter to the brick-building toys that many of us grew up with, but with a twist. Instead of just letting you build whatever you want, the game gives you a set of increasingly complex puzzles to solve that involve building with the bricks you’re given. It’s a nice change of pace from more traditional puzzle games, and it’s a lot of fun to see what you can create with the bricks you’re given.
The game’s story is simple but effective. You play as a young boy who is just starting to learn how to build with LEGO bricks. As you progress through the levels, you learn new building techniques and unlock new types of bricks. The levels are designed to be easy enough for younger players to understand but challenging enough for older players to enjoy as well.
6. The Gardens Between
The Gardens Between is a beautifully crafted puzzle game that takes players on a journey through the memories of two childhood friends, Arina and Frendt. The game is set in a dreamlike world, where players navigate through a series of surreal gardens, each representing a different memory from the characters’ past.
The game’s puzzles revolve around manipulating time and using objects in the environment to progress through each garden. Players can control the flow of time, moving backward and forwards to solve puzzles and uncover hidden paths. The gameplay is intuitive and easy to pick up, making it accessible for players of all ages.
The game’s visuals are stunning, with a vibrant and colorful art style that perfectly captures the nostalgia and wonder of childhood memories. The game’s soundtrack is also noteworthy, with a soothing and atmospheric score that adds to the game’s dreamlike atmosphere.
Compared to other puzzle games we’ve talked about, The Gardens Between shares similarities with Manifold Garden in terms of its surreal and dreamlike setting, but it differs in terms of its gameplay and focus. While Manifold Garden focuses on manipulating gravity and solving complex puzzles, The Gardens Between is more focused on exploring memories and uncovering the story behind the characters’ friendship. Both games offer a unique and captivating puzzle experience, but The Gardens Between is more accessible and emotionally driven while Manifold Garden is more challenging and mind-bending.
7. Inside
Inside is a puzzle-platformer game that has been widely praised for its incredible storytelling and immersive gameplay. The game is set in a mysterious, dystopian world where the player takes on the role of a young boy trying to escape from a mysterious organization. The game’s puzzles are challenging and require careful thought and planning to solve, making it a true test of a player’s problem-solving skills.
One of the most striking things about Inside is its art style. The game’s visuals are incredibly detailed and atmospheric, creating a sense of unease and uncertainty that perfectly matches the game’s story. The game’s soundtrack is also noteworthy, with a haunting and evocative score that perfectly complements the game’s visuals.
When it comes to puzzle games, Inside can be compared positively to Limbo, which is another critically acclaimed game known for its storytelling and puzzle-solving. Both games feature a similar art style and atmosphere, with a focus on a dark and eerie world that keeps the player on edge. Both games also feature challenging puzzles that require careful thought and planning to solve, making them a true test of a player’s problem-solving skills.
8. Carto
Carto is a charming and unique puzzle game that combines elements of exploration and map-making. Players take on the role of Carto, a young girl on a journey to reunite with her grandmother. Along the way, players must solve puzzles by manipulating and rearranging the pieces of the game’s map in order to progress.
Carto has this beautiful art style, which evokes a sense of nostalgia and sense of wonder. The game’s world is filled with lush, hand-drawn environments that are a joy to explore. The music and sound design are also top-notch, adding to the game’s overall atmosphere and immersing players in the experience.
The puzzles in Carto are clever and well-designed, gradually increasing in difficulty as players progress through the game. Each puzzle requires players to think creatively and experiment with different map configurations in order to find the solution. The game’s non-linear structure also allows players to tackle puzzles in any order they choose, adding a level of replayability and flexibility.
In terms of gameplay, Carto is similar to the critically acclaimed game Limbo. Both games are puzzle platformers that rely on creative thinking and experimentation to solve challenges. However, Carto differentiates itself with its unique map-making mechanics and charming art style.
9. Hue
Hue is a unique puzzle game that stands out among its peers, thanks to its innovative color-based gameplay mechanics. Players take on the role of Hue, a young boy who discovers that he has the power to change the color of the world around him. This power allows him to reveal hidden platforms, solve puzzles, and overcome obstacles as he sets out to find his missing mother.
The game’s visuals are simply stunning, with a minimalist and clean art style that is both beautiful and functional. The game’s levels are designed to be easy on the eyes, and the use of color is masterful. The color puzzles are cleverly designed, and challenging but not impossible to solve.
Where Carto differs from Hue is that Carto is a more action-adventure game, whereas Hue is a pure puzzle game. In Carto, you have to explore and discover the world to solve puzzles and gather resources. In Hue, you only have to solve the puzzle to progress. Both games are great at what they do, but if you’re looking for a game with more of an adventure feel and a more open world, Carto is a great choice, whereas if you’re looking for a pure puzzle game, Hue is a great option.
10. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes (VR)
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a fantastic VR puzzle game that requires players to work together in order to defuse a ticking time bomb. The catch is that one person is the defuser, with the bomb in front of them in VR, while the other players are the experts, with the bomb defusal manual in front of them on a separate screen. Communication is key in this game as the defuser must relay information to the experts in order to defuse the bomb before time runs out. It’s a great game for parties and get-togethers as it promotes teamwork and communication in a fun and intense setting.
11. Statik (VR)
Statik is another great VR puzzle game that has players solving various puzzles using their hands in a mysterious laboratory. The gameplay is intuitive and the puzzles are challenging but not impossible to solve. The game’s art style and atmosphere are both top-notch, making for an immersive experience. Players are required to use their hands to solve puzzles, which makes for a more realistic and engaging experience.
12. Puzzling Places (VR)
Puzzling Places is another fantastic VR puzzle game that has players visiting various locations and solving various puzzles in order to progress. The game features a variety of different puzzles that range from simple to challenging, and the game’s visuals are absolutely stunning. The game’s art style and atmosphere are both top-notch, making for an immersive experience. It’s a great game for players who enjoy solving puzzles and exploring new places.
13. Maquette
It’s a first-person recursive puzzle game, meaning that it’s set in a world that has smaller versions of itself inside. By interacting with one of the dimensions, we also affect the others. A simple example is the use of objects: for example, if a huge cube blocks our way, we can use the smaller version of the world (which from our point of view is practically a model) to move that same cube that now appears small. Even in the world of our dimension, the huge cube will have moved and we can proceed. The core of the game is therefore the interaction between the dimensions. We will have to understand how to move an object from one place to another by exploiting the small or large versions, also bringing in and out of different dimensions a certain object to change its size and adapt it to our needs.
14. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a puzzle game that will keep you entertained for hours. With its unique blend of Tetris and Puyo Puyo gameplay, the game offers a refreshing twist on the classic puzzle genre.
15. Escape Academy
Escape Academy is a great puzzle game that immerses you in an escape room experience. Each challenge is unique and keeps you on your toes, testing your ability to think outside the box. The game also features an enjoyable narrative and co-op, making it even more enjoyable to play with a friend.
