What’s the first thing you think of when the phrase ‘puzzle game’ is said? Some semblance of an end goal? Perhaps some cryptic instructions on how to proceed?
Wouter Walmink’s Secret Signs is a puzzle game that looks nothing like a traditional puzzle game. Your end goal? None in sight. Not even one cryptic instruction? Nope. What you’re presented instead is with a series of puzzles that can be interacted with, but no clear picture of what the puzzle really is, which adds a layer of challenge to solving them.
No two levels are alike, but each one’s simple design will have you engrossed for hours on end. Made for mobile, you will be presented with a screen that shows said puzzle. It is up to you to uncover what secret sign is lurking behind the simple shapes and colors. “We humans are hardwired to see patterns in everything, real or imagined”, explains Wouter Walmink, creator of the game. “Secret Signs plays on this and challenges you to see clarity in chaos, make sense of the nonsensical, and find purpose in seemingly meaningless things.”
Unlike most puzzle games that have either scores, timers, badges, or achievements, the mechanics of Secret Signs are made in such a way so as to allow your curiosity to flourish. Each ‘Eureka!’ moment is a reward in itself. Each particular visual riddle is tied to a real-world theme. They range from everyday objects to impossible shapes, ancient symbols, and modern technology.
When you solve a riddle, it will share its story. Read about the advancements of humanity and our collective past that has led us to where we are today. You’d be surprised at some familiar concepts that take on the guise of wordless puzzles in Secret Signs. That, to me, is the real beauty of the game – learning about history and the stories of people like us, both past and present.
Secret Signs is available now on the App Store and Google Play.
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