The cake is not a lie. That’s how I felt entering He Who Watches, a puzzle-platformer game about literally watching doors and firing my trusty bow at every eye-shaped socket and block of this esoterically sparse temple.
What secrets could this temple hold? When can I get my cake and eat it?
With a twist on the classic Sokoban (orthogonal block-pushing) mechanic, the fully-3D He Who Watches plays mainly with two primary tools: the ability to walk on walls and a bow with a single, recallable arrow. That said, the simplicity of the game’s primary mechanics allows the creation of many devious puzzles that require spatial recognition and the ability to not feel nauseated when you’re suddenly standing on the ceiling, which happened more times than I was willing to count.
If you’re now thinking about the Portal series, congratulations. There aren’t any physics-based shenanigans (because, let’s be real here: walking on the ceiling is already quite out there) but the familiar swoosh of the arrow as it locks onto a block or to an anchor point will relive the same feelings you had when you got Chell passing through the portals, only to be met with another test room up ahead.
Stuck on a level? He Who Watches has an interesting hint system. Within each puzzle room sits a slightly distorted wall portal, that once entered, will allow players to experience a simplified version of the puzzle for that perfect “Aha!” moment. Bring that knowledge back to the real puzzle room and watch the magic unfold.
“Why didn’t I think of that?” I’d say to myself. That’s what the hint room is for, and it’s a masterful piece of gameplay that makes you work for the answer.
You won’t discover He Who Watches’ lore outright, but the various odd glyphs on the walls tell a story for those willing to seek it out. Hidden paths can be accessed through the various hub worlds, and contain more difficult, yet rewarding rooms. Though be warned, there are no hints to be found here, so you’re going to have to puzzle your way over.
My only gripe is getting used to the games’ orthogonal controls, as most 3D games allow full reign of their character’s movements. The more I played He Who Watches, the more I understood that this was an intentional design choice, as allowing the character full movement (ie. diagonal movements) would break quite a few puzzles.
All in all, He Who Watches merges Portal’s “learn the rules as you go” with a touch of chess rook movements. Mix in some Journey-esque aesthetics and music, and we’ve got a solid puzzle game that’s awe-inspiring with not just its level design, but its scope. Just be careful not to throw up on your way.
