The best games that masterfully combine action and puzzles

Key things

• Puzzles in games bring a shift in pace from fast-paced action and add depth to game mechanics.
• Some games integrate puzzles seamlessly, while others allow players to opt out of them.
• The perfect balance between solving puzzles and experiencing combat enhances the overall gaming experience.

Getting the puzzle design right is tricky. Perfect puzzles keep players stunned for the perfect amount of time, so they feel like they've been trying to find the answer without getting frustrated. How do designers achieve this formula when there are so many different types of players?

There may not be a perfect answer. Still, puzzles spice up the game or give players a break from the fast-paced action in all of the titles below. There are times when it is seamlessly integrated into the combat and core gameplay mechanics, while other times they help with the pace of the game.

6 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Players can take or leave most of the puzzles

The Uncharted the series constantly struggles with pacing between exploration and combat. Jumping from one battle arena to another is exhausting, but lingering too long on puzzles can also be downright boring. The series' witty writing and endearing characters help smooth out any rough edges in the cohesion between combat and puzzle solving, making each game a joyous story experience.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy surpasses all other games with optional content integrated into the story. Players can run through the game in a few hours or they can explore the open spaces to find all the collectibles. The artifacts are nice, but the real treasure is the dialogue between Chloe Fraiser and Nadine Ross, which players would otherwise miss if they dragged through the story.

These open segments in
A lost heritage
and
Uncharted 4
are clear precursors to the opening segment in Seattle
The last of us part 2
.

5 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Solving puzzles makes the link stronger

While the experts can beat the newer ones Zelda games without much trouble, the average player will want to improve their stamina and hearts by completing as many shrines as possible in the open world environment. Thus Tears of the Kingdom and by extension Breath of the Wild match their fight with puzzles.

Each shrine Link completes brings the player one step closer to being powerful enough to defeat Ganon. If they had a different reward, it's hard to say if they would enjoy it as much. Many players may not have the same motivation to do them.

4 Resident Evil 2

Danger also lurks when solving puzzles

2019 Resident Evil 2 The remake makes the Raccoon City Police Department feel more cohesive than ever. Rooms are no longer separated by loading times. This makes finding keys and unlocking new areas even more like walking inside a puzzle that is slowly being put together.

The lack of loading times between rooms also means that threats follow Claire or Leon wherever they go. Mr. X in particular has become iconic once again with the way he follows the player through the environment. It's not enough to clear the room to give the players a moment of peace to think about the puzzle. Now we have to be on our toes, constantly expecting Mr. X and his fedora to burst into the room like the evil Kool-Aid Man.

3 God of War: Ragnarok

The same combat mechanics help solve the puzzles

Whether we're talking about the original trilogy or the more recent titles that put the camera behind Kratos' shoulder, God of War always brings puzzles into the equation. Title 2018 a Ragnarok surpass the classic titles thanks to the large amount of optional content in the games.

It's hard to call it an open world game, but the mushroom areas are large and full of nooks and crannies to explore. Within many of them lie interesting puzzles that utilize many of the same mechanics Kratos uses in combat, such as his now-trademark Leviathan Axe.

2 Tunic

Everything Is A Puzzle

Lovers of retro games have a lot to like Tunic. Its design evokes a lot of classic gaming sensibilities such as the sense of wonder and discovery from NES titles such as Metroid and The Legend of Zelda. Even most of the game's mechanics are discovered organically through cryptic notes and messages around the world.

The main difference is in combat Tunic it has depth and variety in addition to some cryptic puzzles. At the end of the game, some may find the puzzles more challenging, but the interesting world and other parts of the game are more than enough to hang in there until they find the solution.

1 Tomb Raider: Legend

It adds more action to the series and balances out the puzzles

original Tomb Raider games are products of their time. Modern players will have trouble wrapping their heads and arms around the unconventional control scheme and focus on exploring the voids of combat. Tomb Raider: Legend takes a more mainstream approach, trading in long, isolated romps through caves for more streamlined pacing.

The opening cutscene before the main menu establishes the game as something closer James Bond –esque spy romp as opposed to a slow puzzle game. Lara Croft still has her share of puzzles, but this time it's between hectic encounters with enemies for the same treasures she's searching for. He is also in constant contact with his team, who offer tips and funny jokes.