Finding rewarding online puzzle games free of charge is hard work. Some meet the mark for visuals and soundtracks, but miss it for challenges and usability (and vice versa). So, it can be tempting to settle for what’s available and download not-so-great games.
However, some researchers have made it their mission to introduce gamers to thrilling puzzle games. Like any other art, gaming is full of gems hiding in plain sight. We’re talking about everything from soft-horror strategy games to the most rewarding rush hour puzzle game online.
Luckily, I’m one of those researchers and I’ve gathered eight free online puzzle games that will knock your socks off. Being a gamer, I compared each choice with competitors before deciding on the finest. Dig in:
8 Exciting Online Puzzle Games Free of Charge
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 combines all the best puzzle game elements with some horror and a good story. Your character is James Sunderland, who is grieving his wife, Mary’s, death from a strange illness three years ago. Suddenly, he receives a letter from Mary calling him to Silent Hill, the site of her death.
Sure enough, he goes to find the town desolate and filled with monsters. Silent Hill 2 is particularly awesome because of the story’s depth and how you see through James’ depressed eyes. It is perfect if you enjoy hyper-realistic monsters and challenging puzzles sprinkled with unanswered questions.
Yabatanien
Yabatanien is an excellent mix of point & click and puzzle elements. It uses an old-fashioned pixelated art form coupled with eerily minimalist soundtracks to deliver a fun horror game. Yabatanien isn’t scary, but it is filled with gory anime deaths, deepening the overall story.
You will use items scattered inside a mansion to rescue eight girls from death traps, and they will face grim consequences if you fail the puzzle. Yabatanien is a short burst of cartoony gore that is perfect if you enjoy soft-horror adventure games.
Bubble Shooter
Bubble Shooter is the best rush hour puzzle game online if you love challenging your logic and strategy skills. Your task is simple: clear the bubble arena by shooting clusters with same-colored balls. However, achieving this is more tricky than it sounds.
Ball arrangements are randomly generated with each level, so your previously learned tactics constantly need tweaking. Unlike Yabatanien, Bubble Shooter consists of several hundred levels. However, both mental puzzle games steadily increase in complexity as you progress.
Subway Surfers
One of the best puzzle games Android offers, Subway Surfers is a free, fast-paced game. Your character is a graffiti artist on the run from a security guard and his dog. So, you will be dodging and jumping over (and under) obstacles with a cop in hot pursuit.
Like many endless runner games, the game speeds up as you play, intensifying the challenges. However, Subway Surfers is a simple game that will have you creating tactics on a whim.
Slayaway Camp
Slayaway Camp is an iconic killer puzzle with adorably old-fashioned graphics. You play SkullFace, a masked voxel villain dressed in utility clothes and determined to slay all the counselors at the title campground. Too easy, right?
Except it’s not. You must use logic to maneuver SkullFace around hundreds of isometric puzzle levels, allowing him to flay and squash his hapless victims. If you haven’t guessed, Slayaway Camp is a pleasant challenge with the best 80s horror game elements.
The Roottrees are Dead
The Roottrees are Dead is a genealogical puzzle centered around correctly assembling a family tree. You play a detective, tasked with investigating the mysterious past of the wealthy Roottree family.
With minimal handholding, this free in-browser game balances difficulty and encourages you to brainstorm clues without getting stuck. The game also gives you plenty of evidence like family photos and album covers to help you form a mental picture of the characters through their actions. The Roottrees are Dead is a brilliant pick if you love deduction gameplay
Cats are Liquid
Cats are Liquid is a minimalistic and colorful game about Lumi, a glowy cat that can turn liquid. Her owner traps Lumi in a set of rooms, and it is your job to break her out. So, you will help her transform into different states of matter to exit the level.
Cats are Liquid has a good variety of obstacles to navigate as each world ushers a new experience. If you have ever played Thomas Was Alone, you will love this.
Cyadonia
Cyadonia is a browser puzzle game that tasks you with moving your Cyad to the exit of each level. However, you can’t change the direction once you have started moving, so you must analyze your environment and plan moves ahead.
Cyadonia provides 300 levels of sliding block puzzle fun, subdivided into 20 smaller sections and perfect for a pastime. Plus, like Bubble Shooter, previously learned tactics will be reintroduced in future, more complicated levels. So, Cyadonia is a mammoth puzzle game with impressive variety.
Unlocking The Fun in Online Puzzle Games
Puzzle games don’t have to be traditional to be fun, even though we love retro games. Thanks to digitization, we have immersive and colorful online puzzle games free of charge.
If you love games that blend adventure, unpredictability, and puzzle elements, the above recommendations will surely scratch the itch!
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