The best puzzle games for PS4 and PS5

By Dan Fauzi

Published: Wednesday, 19 October 2022 at 12:00 am

Thanks to all of the creative and technological advancements in the gaming world, we’re seeing some of the most dynamic and innovative puzzle games hit our screens. New concepts are constantly being developed and executed in a way that we can effortlessly enjoy.

The catalogue of puzzle games available on PlayStation consoles is an exciting one, and we’ve picked out the most imaginative and well-thought-out titles out there.

All of the games listed are available on PS4 and PS5, except for Deathloop which is a PS5 exclusive. The games listed below that are only available on the PlayStation store are digital-only – if you’re gifting one of these games, you can buy a PS Gift Card!

Best PS4 and PS5 puzzle games in 2022

Unbound: Worlds Apart

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Unbound: Worlds Apart is a uniquely-designed puzzle-platformer game, where the worlds are connected by portals and each world has its own unique properties. The hand-drawn and visually-stunning worlds that you explore offer challenging game mechanics and a deep, mysterious narrative.

You play as Soli, a mage who is able to open portals between worlds. This allows the player to control the properties of each world, such as time manipulation or inverse gravity, to solve puzzles and progress through the game. The portals can effect other elements of the game however, like how dangerous the enemies are or the shape of the terrain, creating an immersive mental challenge that’ll surely test you.

It Takes Two

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It Takes Two is the winner of an impressive number of video game awards from Best Design to Game of the Year, celebrating its original approach to gameplay. The critically-acclaimed platformer is a two-person game only, where the challenges are designed to test your ability to work together.

Each level reveals new ways for the two characters to interact, whether it’s bobsleighing through a magical snow globe or DJing at a nightclub. The story revolves around the playable couple Cody and May – two humans who were transformed into dolls by a spell.

Hoa

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Described by the developers as ‘a painting that lives,’ Hoa is a puzzle-platformer featuring beautiful landscapes of hand-painted art. The game is made to be a relaxing experience – it has a peaceful atmosphere and an original soundtrack that was composed and recorded live.

The game uses subtle storytelling and exploration-based puzzles to provide the player with a gentle but compelling gameplay flow. It invites the player to follow their curiosity and discover the little details within the game, from an array of magical creatures to the stories of other characters.

Maquette

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Maquette has found an interesting way to play with perspective, where every object in your environment is both tiny and huge. Depending on where you are, these objects can become the ground that you walk on, or can be as small as a key.

It may sound confusing, but the Maquette gameplay walkthrough video shows you just how fascinating this game can be.

Looking to gift a digital-only game from the PlayStation store? A PlayStation Gift Card is the way to go – you can set your chosen amount at GAME.co.uk.

Deathloop

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It’s rare to find a puzzle game that utilises the format of a first-person shooter, but Deathloop combines the two in an exciting and dynamic way. The concept revolves around two rival assassins that are trapped in a timeloop repeating the same day over and over, until you assassinate eight key targets to break the loop.

Each time the day resets you can move forward with your new, learned experience of the environment. This can help you sneak past certain enemies while shooting your way through other situations.

You play as Colt in the main story while your rival Julianna hunts you down. Julianna can be played by another player online or, if you wish, you can become the enemy and play as her in somebody else’s campaign. Only available on PS5.

A Juggler’s Tale

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Drawing inspiration from the worlds of fairy tales, A Juggler’s Tale lets you play as Abby, a puppet who’s trying to find freedom. The player must use the puppet’s strings to solve puzzles, traverse around obstacles and evade the enemies that chase you down.

The emotional story is narrated by the puppet master Jack, following Abby’s journey from escaping a circus and venturing into a mystical world.

Bugsnax

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Bugsnax has a simple concept: to find and collect all of the half-bug-half-snack creatures in the world. The game is said to be puzzling, as well as being a casual adventure game with a charming story and emotional depth.

Exploring the game’s world will show you a diverse array of biomes and creatures, and there are 100 different species of bugsnax to catch using a variety of baits and contraptions.

Manifold Garden

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Manifold Garden is a mind-bending puzzle game where the player must manipulate gravity to change their perspective, finding new ways to progress through the game.

It’s designed as an Escher-esque world of architecture as geometry is repeated infinitely in every direction. The resulting gameplay experience is beautiful, allowing you to explore these expansive structures endlessly.

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