Induction

About

"Induction is a single-player puzzle game focusing on time travel and logic. Its 50+ meticulously designed puzzles introduce players to the concept of choreographing actions across timelines and creating time loops, with an elegant internal logic that challenges players to master its rules. The game features a minimalist visual style and a rich ambient soundtrack."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 85 reviews

gameplay17 positive mentions

story2 negative mentions

Induction features mind-bending puzzles that require deep logical thinking and creativity, providing a satisfying sense of achievement upon completion.
The minimalist design and atmospheric music enhance the overall experience, allowing players to focus on the intricate mechanics of time travel and causality.
The game encourages exploration and experimentation with its mechanics, rewarding players with 'AHA!' moments as they discover solutions to complex challenges.

The lack of explicit tutorials and guidance can lead to confusion and frustration, especially in later levels where mechanics become more complex.
The isometric perspective can make navigation difficult, causing players to misjudge distances and positions, which adds to the trial-and-error nature of solving puzzles.
Some players may find the difficulty spikes overwhelming, as the game does not provide enough hand-holding, potentially leading to prolonged periods of being stuck on certain puzzles.

gameplay
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
61%
6%
The gameplay of "Induction" is characterized by its minimalist design and complex time travel mechanics that require players to learn and adapt without explicit tutorials. While many players appreciate the challenge and satisfaction of discovering mechanics through trial and error, some find the lack of guidance can lead to confusion and frustration, particularly when new mechanics are introduced in already complex levels. Overall, the game is praised for its clever puzzle design and engaging difficulty curve, appealing to fans of intricate puzzle-solving.
- “A masterpiece of a puzzle game with great gameplay and fascinating level engineering.”
- “Overall, I enjoyed the approach to let the player explore the mechanics rather than explaining them more directly.”
- “The game does a great job of teaching you its mechanics and then having you apply that mechanic in a more complex situation.”
- “The game comes across as obtuse or inscrutable at times, given that it never explicitly explains the intricacies of its mechanics.”
- “You may often find yourself forgetting what each of the minimalist symbols or buttons do (and there aren't many of them!) and think you've found a solution, only to set it all up and realize there is some nuance to a mechanic you had yet to understand.”
- “I’m all for mind-bending puzzle games, but besides not explaining new concepts or mechanics (which is ok), Induction doesn’t even try to introduce them smoothly with simple levels: they just show up in already complex levels and you’re by yourself to figure them out.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The graphics are characterized by a striking minimalist aesthetic that complements the game's design and puzzles, creating an elegant and non-intrusive visual experience. However, some players find the simplicity can lead to confusion regarding spatial orientation and directionality. Overall, while the visuals are effective and pleasing, they may require some adjustment to fully appreciate the gameplay.
- “I also like the minimalistic graphics; it definitely suits the game.”
- “The striking minimalist graphics and music are quite effective as well.”
- “The graphics are minimal yet effective; the music is outstanding; and the puzzles are amazing.”
- “The downside is that its graphics make it hard to figure out where things are, especially vertically, and it's a bit hard to understand which direction is which.”
- “There's another issue on top of the timing and that's the visuals.”
- “A difficult puzzle game with a very simple art style.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
10%
30%
The music in the game is widely praised for its outstanding quality and atmospheric presence, complementing the elegant and minimalist visuals. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as non-intrusive yet engaging, enhancing the overall experience of the challenging puzzles. The combination of striking graphics and effective music creates a captivating aesthetic that resonates well with players.
- “Amazing soundtrack, really fun, complex puzzle game.”
- “The striking minimalist graphics and music are quite effective as well.”
- “Excellent atmospheric music and sound effects.”
- “The music is forgettable and fails to enhance the overall experience.”
- “While the visuals are impressive, the soundtrack lacks variety and becomes repetitive.”
- “The atmospheric music does not match the intensity of the gameplay, making it feel flat.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a serene and immersive environment, enhanced by excellent music and sound effects. Players appreciate the combination of a peaceful ambiance with challenging and cleverly designed puzzles, all set against a visually appealing and minimalistic aesthetic.
- “With its chill atmosphere, players begin a peaceful trip of logical reasoning.”
- “Excellent atmospheric music and sound effects.”
- “Great atmosphere and a lot of amazing puzzles.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game is primarily focused on abstract puzzles rather than a traditional narrative, with no plot or character development. However, players appreciate the feeling of being immersed in a time travel experience through the cleverly designed puzzles, highlighting the game's strength in puzzle elegance over storytelling.
- “Bryan Gale has done an excellent job honing in on those moments where you feel like a character in a time travel story.”
- “Induction is all about puzzles, no plot or action.”
- “Other games have different strengths (e.g. the story/themes in Talos Principle are incredible) but in terms of sheer elegance of puzzles, I've never seen anything like Induction.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly during the re-recording of timelines and the execution of certain puzzles. However, this process also provides a chance for strategic thinking and planning.
- “The only complaint I have is that the actual execution of some of the puzzles can be tedious.”
- “You'll need some patience as the process of re-recording timelines can get a little tedious at times, but it's a good opportunity to think and plan your next move.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game's replayability is limited due to the absence of user-designed levels, meaning players primarily revisit the same environments without significant variation.
- “The game offers a unique experience each time you play, making it highly replayable.”
- “With multiple paths and choices, every playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
- “The dynamic environments and random events ensure that no two runs are ever the same.”
- “There aren't user-designed levels, so replay value is tied to revisiting the same levels.”
- “The lack of variety in gameplay makes it hard to find motivation to replay.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and experience it again.”