Updated
Updated · IGN · Aug 17
Simon Cardy Wins The Witness Platinum by Clearing 14 Puzzles in Under 400 Seconds
Updated
Updated · IGN · Aug 17

Simon Cardy Wins The Witness Platinum by Clearing 14 Puzzles in Under 400 Seconds

1 articles · Updated · IGN · Aug 17

Summary

  • 14 randomly generated puzzles solved in just under 400 seconds earned IGN senior editor Simon Cardy what he calls the hardest PlayStation platinum trophy he has ever won in The Witness.
  • The optional final challenge bars shortcuts or answer guides because each maze resets every attempt, forcing players to first locate the puzzles and then solve complex symbol- and color-based boards against a strict timer.
  • Only 9.75% of players have fully completed the 2016 Jonathan Blow puzzle game, whose island-wide design layers environmental clues and hidden secrets beyond its main critical path.
  • Cardy says the achievement remains his most euphoric gaming moment, even as speedrunners now finish the same challenge in 80 seconds and newer puzzle games like Big Walk revive memories of that pursuit.

Insights

Why do gamers willingly endure grueling, time-limited psychological stress just to achieve a fleeting digital eureka moment?
Could the randomized mechanics of modern puzzle games finally make online walkthroughs and cheat guides completely obsolete?