Just because The Witness is finally getting released early next year doesn’t mean you’ll actually walk away from it with 100% completion.
An interview with the game’s mastermind, Jonathan Blow, revealed that one of the 600+ puzzles included in the title will stump the majority of players who attempt it.
“Usually if I cut things it’s just because I don’t think they’re very good, said Blow. “I’ve cut hundreds of things from the game. Usually I cut them early — I start experimenting with something and decide I don’t like it. But there’s at least one puzzle in the game right now that almost nobody — like 1% of players — will ever be able to figure out.”
The author of the article stated that after delving more than 50 hours into the game, he had completed just 338 of the game’s puzzles. The title has gained significant attention during its extended development due to these puzzles as well as its visual art style.
“The game, thematically, is about clarity,” Blow said about The Witness. “It’s about understanding the world clearly. Conservation of attention is part of the art style. If something grabs your attention, it had better be important. People aren’t used to thinking that way! I had to train the artists for the first couple years they were on the game: ‘That looks really cool, but it doesn’t do anything so it’s not allowed to look that cool. It’s not allowed to grab the stage and take over everyone’s attention; it has to sit back.'”
“Myst is definitely an inspiration in terms of the mood. There’s something a little intangible about it. Obviously the setting is very similar — there’s an island, you’re alone on it, and there are puzzles. From day one I was like ‘Okay, we’re doing Myst, but with modern design sensibilities.’ There have been lots of Myst-like games in the past, but I don’t think I’ve ever played an homage to Myst.
The Witness arrives January 26, 2016 for PS4, PC, and iOS.
