108 PCWorld DECEMBER 2020FEATURE BEST GAMES OF THIS GENERATION
For instance, given “ROCK IS PUSH” you
might remove the “IS,” and thus render the
rock insubstantial, opening the passage it
previously blocked. Or you might change
“BABA IS YOU” to “ROCK IS YOU,” and take
control of the rock directly. The catch is that
most of the rules are generally tucked into the
corners, impervious to your manipulations.
Figuring out what can and can’t be
changed is key to solving each puzzle, and I’ve
rarely had as many “Eureka!” moments as I did
with Baba Is You. I probably spent more time
just staring at puzzles than I did interacting with
them, trying to break down the chains of cause
and effect in my head. It’s immensely
satisfying—and if I’m honest, smarter than me.
Nearly two years after release, I’m still plugging
away at the last few puzzles.- THE TALOS PRINCIPLE
Who would’ve guessed the team behind
Serious Sam would put out one of the
generation’s best puzzle games (go.pcworld.
com/tprv)? Quite a departure, and yet
Croteam’s take on Portal-style puzzling
remains an incredible accomplishment.
The Talos Principle (go.pcworld.com/tprn)
is admittedly less focused than Portal, with
puzzles spanning a dozen-odd different
mechanics. You’ll redirect lasers to their
proper receptacles, rewind time, place crates,
use fans to boost into the air, and so on. It’s an
everything-and-the-kitchen-sink approach, and
both quality and difficulty vary wildly. The Talos
Principle makes good on most of these
mechanics though, especially in the bonus
“Star Puzzles,” which usually require breaking
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