Islands of Insight review

Some puzzling decisions undermine the joys of logic spread out across an open world. 

As much as I love puzzle games, enjoyment is often short-lived. Generally, that’s a consequence of the genre, where each new challenge is a variation on the previous one.  Sure, falling blocks might fall faster and picross boards might grow larger, but the main objectives remain the same over time.

Islands of Insight sidesteps stagnation in a rather ingenious way. Instead of solving one type of puzzle, the game transports players to an open world that’s filled with different kinds of conundrums. Tire of one type of brainteaser and there is always another kind nearby- ready to stimulate another part of your cerebellum.

Variety Give Insight Longevity

Yes, one moment you might tackle board-based logic puzzles, where you’ll place black or white squares on a board. To clear each one, you’ll have to obey an ever-shifting shortlist of rules. These might not allow two-by-two blocks of a certain color or require all the white square to be connected. Fortunately, when analytic fatigue sets in, Insight offers 23 other kinds of puzzles. Pleasingly, it doesn’t throw them at you all at once, with new kinds of puzzles appearing at regular intervals.

When I had my fill of match-three and logic boards, Insight grabbed me with perspective puzzles. One of my favorites were the floating clusters of interlocked rings. Here, you will position yourself so you can point through the intersection of every sphere. Other tests have you trying to figure out where to stand on a board where you can clearly see every figurine or finding invisible objects. The switch from analytical to spatial reasoning (and back) is one of Islands of Insight’s best qualities.

Puzzle Planet

The game’s other cool feature is the freedom that you’re given. Instead of the narrative-driven succession of puzzles of Portal 2 or The Talos Principal, Islands lets you loose in a dense open world. Climb to one of the game’s many hilltops and you might be able to see more than a dozen different puzzles waiting to be cracked.  Developer Lunarch Studios claims there are over 10,000 different challenges in the game. And given how there always seems to be multiple puzzles beckoning you from anywhere on the map, that figure seems accurate.

It’s evident that the developers wanted to sidestep the feeling of isolation in Islands’ organic-looking world. You’ll see other players sprinting across the game’s five biomes and you’ll get prodded into action every time an on-screen message announces another player’s success. But oddly, Insight eschews any type of actual co-operative play, ensuring that every single puzzle can be solved by soloists.

Solving ‘Till the Servers Go Down

Given that all the conundrums are meant for individual players makes the game’s always-online requirement unjustified. Sure, it’s nice to see the occasional fellow players wandering around the world and you can hop around together, taking turns at puzzles if you’d like. But the presence of allies isn’t enough to justify constant internet connectivity. Similarly, the developers require mouse and keyboard control, which could alienate players who prefer game controllers.

But if that constraint doesn’t bother you, Islands of Insight can provide long-term gratification. As you solve puzzles, you’ll earn a steady drip feed of rewards. Beyond the obligatory cosmetics, you’ll earn physical abilities that make it easier to navigate and provide access to new areas. This cycle of bouncing between puzzles and earning dividends for each solution is undoubtedly compelling. Whether it’s enough to overpower the game online requirement might be one of the title’s toughest dilemmas.

Islands of Insight was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.