Puzzle games that respect your brain

The worst thing a puzzle game can do is explain itself to death. The best ones hand you a mechanic and a quiet room, then step back. I've grown allergic to tutorials that solve the first three levels for me.

Hollow Lantern does this well, even though it's technically an adventure. It gives you a world and lets you connect the dots. The satisfaction of realising where a broken lens belongs is the whole point, and no popup should steal that moment.

When I review a puzzle game, I watch for difficulty pacing above all. A good curve introduces one idea, lets you master it, then combines it with the last one. Bad games just pile on complexity and call it a challenge.

If you're hunting for new puzzles, try playing the first world with no hints at all. If you're genuinely stuck in a fun way, it's a keeper. If you're stuck because the rules are unclear, delete it and move on.