PlayStation Plus Premium continues to impress with its sheer variety of games on offer. One such genre that it succeeds in is the puzzle genre. From beloved instant classics like Tetris Effect: Connected to indie darlings like Hue, there are some quality PlayStation Plus Premium puzzle games on offer. Here are 10 of the best you can find on the service.
10 - Hue
Hue is a unique puzzle platformer that hinges on the ability to change the color of your environments. Once one color is camouflaged, that particular block disappears and allows your character to pass through. The puzzles are well-designed and will test your mind.
In addition, there's a engaging story that revolves around finding your mother, who has disappeared. According to the Steam page for Hue, the game tells "a heartfelt story that touches on themes of love, loss, existence and remorse." Hopefully, there isn't a spoiler involved in the description of this puzzler.
Those who are colorblind can also play the game as there's a mode that uses symbols instead of colors to steer the player forward. Some of the puzzle sections are jumbled and become more of a chore than becoming fun, so it's higher up the list of PlayStation Plus puzzle games.
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9 - Sparkle Unleashed
Sparkle Unleashed is a simple PlayStation Plus Premium puzzle game you can turn on and relax to. Similar to Bust-A-Move, you're matching colored balls together to make them disappear. On each level, there's a constant barrage of balls to take out before they reach your base's holes.
The concept brings short brushes of fun as you successfully complete each ball. It's nice to boot up and all the balls in the line disappear with your skills. It's quite relaxing and because of the satisfaction you get from completing each level, you'll keep playing more and more until you've lost track of time. There are still more PlayStation Plus puzzle games to check out, however.
8 - Marvel Puzzle Quest: Dark Reign
Another PlayStation Plus Premium puzzle game that is addicting for many is Marvel Puzzle Quest. If you've played Bejeweled, you'll be right at home as you're matching colors on a rectangular board. The hook, however, comes from the Marvel heroes that are featured in the game. Each has their own special abilities to bring to the table. There are also health bars involved, so it feels almost like an RPG.
The art style is heavily inspired by the comics and really pop on screen. You can tell it's a lower-budget title, however, with graphic novel cutscenes and speech boxes throughout the story.
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7 - Death Squared
Death Squared is no doubt a puzzle game to its core. Through a menagerie of complex levels, you must figure out how to get two colored blocks positioned at the correct area. You'll have to protect the blue block from red lasers by blocking the attack with the red block and turning on the end switch at the right time rather than activating its trap before the other block is ready.
The game is accompanied by some chuckle-worthy narrators, a robot, and an energetic, yet sarcastic human, who has a good script to read from. Play this in co-op, and you'll have a great time with your friends.
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6 - Thomas Was Alone
Thomas Was Alone is a riveting puzzle game with its sense of humor and 100 mind-bending levels. Yes, it's basic. Yes, there are just blocks moving around a bland stage. However, the narration and script writing keep you engaged alongside some solid puzzle design. You can also say that the basic graphics stand the test of time better than a PS3 Call of Duty game as it's around 10 years old and still looks unique. The music by David Housden also helps you embrace the simple art style as well.
5 - Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders
Known for their Sherlock Holmes series of games, developer Frogwares took a crack at another literary detective named Hercule Poirot in The ABC Murders. Inspired by the Agatha Christie book of the same name, this game takes on a comic art style as you step back in time in the United Kingdom. You'll be looking for evidence, seeking mysterious objects, and interviewing every witness/suspect of the murder. Unfortunately, the more critically acclaimed Sherlock Holmes game series are not PlayStation Plus Premium puzzle games at the time of writing, but Agatha Christie: The ABC Murders is a decent alternative.
4 - Tricky Towers
Get a group of friends together and play this frantic take on the beloved Tetris series. Instead of the blocks fitting together nicely, the platforms can be knocked down easily. You can send more blocks toward your opponents, but that's not all -- you can send oversized objects into their field as well.
Towers, windmills, and other objects will help their structures fall, especially if they don't have a spot within the structure. The higher you go, the more precarious it will be, and the one who still survives by the end wins. It's thrilling with friends, and if you haven't played Tricky Towers yet, you're doing yourself an injustice.
3 - Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
The "F*** the Oscars" guy Josef Fares is known for more than dramatics; as the director of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, he created some breathtaking emotional storytelling between two siblings. You're adventuring through a fantasy world, looking for a cure for their dying father. Tensions are running high, but the story itself is touching as the bigger brother looks after his sibling.
This is not a typical puzzle game. You'll have to figure out how to get past obstacles and reach higher platforms with just two thumbs and buttons. You're controlling both of the brothers, each with one analog stick, making it a mind-bending adventure for you to finish. You'll be entranced by the world and the engaging narrative.
2 - Human: Fall Flat
When comedy and puzzles come together, it's a match made in heaven. Your characters in Human: Fall Flat are flimsy and have bad balance, creating natural slapstick comedy. In addition, figuring out how to progress through levels with the ability to push and pull is simple but fulfilling to finish. The game also encourages its players to explore each level.
"See that catapult down there? You can use it to knock down a distant castle wall, fling yourself anywhere within its range, or knock over some menhir for target practice," we said in our 2016 review for Human: Fall Flat.
The chaos gets even more fun while playing online with your friends as these fleshy bodies make each other fall when coming into contact. It's a lot of fun to figure the puzzles out together, and it has been a hit with content creators like Markiplier, Blitz, and VanossGaming. The graphics are a bit simple, but the key concept shines through with well thought-out puzzle gameplay.
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1 - Tetris Effect: Connected
In Tetris Effect: Connected, this famous PlayStation Plus Premium puzzle game is absolute bliss, especially on a high-definition TV. You're taken to another world with gorgeous backgrounds, incredible particle effects, and joyous music that will get you in the right mood. Stacking up blocks in Tetris Effect is just like the classic original games, but as you connect lines, either the world around the puzzle or the music will change. It's like playing in a concert. Playing Tetris Effect: Connected with a PlayStation VR headset makes the experience even more impressive.
There's also a cool multiplayer mode in Tetris Effect: Connected, which has you forming lines together and utilizing power-ups to succeed. It is cross platform, so you'll be able to play with your friends from different consoles.
"Tetris Effect is a straight up Tetris campaign ripped from the mind of Tetsuya Mizuguchi," said Alex Santa Maria in his TechRaptor review for the original game. "Bringing the visual flair of Rez and Lumines to this timeless classic, the team at Resonair have truly improved on perfection."
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That's enough brain teasers for today, so this concludes our list of the best PlayStation Plus Premium puzzle games as of July 2022. Are there any that we missed? Let us know in the comments below.
PlayStation Plus Premium access was provided to the writer by PlayStation Canada.
Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net
The British “Canadian” Chris Penwell has been a video game journalist since 2013 and now has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from MacEwan University.… More about Chris
