The Eyes of Ara medieval castle screenshot

With Obduction, Myst's true spiritual successor, delayed from its July release all the way to August 24th due to the need for further bug fixing, there is currently a bit of a vacuum when it comes to puzzle-adventures.

This is where The Eyes of Ara, a newly released adventure with some truly devious puzzles, comes in to play as it offers almost exactly the same type of experience as Myst, and this includes the frequent moments of bewilderment when you encounter some of the more... obscure puzzles. If you're wondering what all of this looks like in terms of gameplay, here's an extended trailer showcasing just that:

 

Much like Myst, it all begins with you being dropped into a strange and unfamiliar location. In order to figure out what in the world is happening you're going to have to explore the various medieval vistas, fumble around with a variety of puzzles and somehow retain your sense of self worth after you fail to beat some of the earliest challenges, not that I would know anything about that.

While it might sound like I'm exaggerating things in order to make a joke, the puzzles in The Eyes of Ara are genuinely a tough nut to crack and you are most likely going to spend a fair few hours scratching your head as you progress through it. That's not a bad thing at all, don't get me wrong, but its well worth giving you a warning that The Eyes of Ara is designed with puzzle enthusiasts in mind and as such it won't hold your hand or ensure that you know what to do next. The process of discovery and problem solving is entirely on your shoulders, and that is something I've come to greatly appreciate seeing these days.

If you are of a similar mind and would like to give The Eyes of Ara a try, its currently $15/€15 on Steam.

The Eyes of Ara - screenshot of a high-tech puzzle