Islands of Insight is so beautiful, it’s made me a little emotional. Maybe the heat’s getting to me, but watching the reveal trailer for this multiplayer puzzle game, formerly known as ‘Project S,’ from Behaviour Interactive has me desperate to dive into its grand, sweeping vistas. With its numerous sky islands covered in all manner of architecture ranging from ancient Greek and Egyptian designs to alien-like future tech, the mystery-strewn open world of Islands of Insight houses the most stunning puzzler since The Witness.
Developed in conjunction with Lunarch Studios, makers of Prismata, Islands of Insight sets you free in a fantasy realm that really speaks for itself. You can watch the reveal trailer below and, for as many words as I could gush about just how pretty it looks and how intriguing and distinct all the puzzles it teases appear to be, there’s probably no better way to sell it than just seeing it in motion.
It’s simply gorgeous. Much like The Witness, which feels like the most obvious point of comparison, Islands of Insight looks to be divided up into various unique zones. In one, crimson and gold buildings tower over wooded pathways, the vibrant fall trees awash with color. In another, dome-topped stone canopies glimmer with finely polished metal. Elsewhere, moss-strew ruins spiral down out of sight, crumbling brickwork poised to plummet at the slightest touch.
I absolutely loved the freeform exploration and puzzle-solving of The Witness, so I’m almost certainly going to be picking up Islands of Insight on day one. With the team listing “enigmas of perspective, 3D mazes, grid-based logic, environmental challenges, and more handcrafted creations” to uncover and solve, I really can’t wait to see what has been cooked up here.
As I mentioned earlier, Islands of Insight offers a shared world, meaning you have the option to join your friends or other online players to collaborate in your search for solutions. This isn’t forced, however; if you prefer to keep the musing to yourself, you’re completely free to explore the tranquil beauty of Islands of Insight in single-player.
That exploration promises to be quite a bit more dynamic than the slow wandering of most puzzle games, too – rather than being constrained to a slow amble, you can run, jump, and even soar across the eponymous Islands of Insight, spreading colorful wings behind you as you zip around looking for the next challenge.
There’s currently no Islands of Insight release date listed, but you can add it to your Steam wishlist to keep track of it moving forward. I know I’ll be doing just that.
If you can’t wait, take a look through more of the best open-world games for plenty of wonderful worlds to explore, or chill out with the most relaxing games on PC.