Apr 23, 2019
While combat and exploration are where the player will spend the majority of their time in Alundra, the game’s optional puzzles possess an interesting pair of features: they’re very difficult to complete, but if the player progresses too far into the game without finishing them, the puzzles themselves become unavailable for the player to go back to. This is partially telegraphed in the game, but by making an optional challenge possess such a heavy tie to the player’s progress through the story, the game is able to mechanically tie the player’s overarching actions to the world without greatly altering core gameplay.