Taiji

About

"Taiji" is a single-player, open world puzzle game with outstanding mechanics and fantastic visuals. Players explore a detailed world filled with puzzles, solved using a consistent tile interface. With a great soundtrack, the game gradually increases puzzle complexity, challenging players to think hard and pay close attention to their surroundings, making for a very grinding but exceptional atmosphere.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+10

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 687 reviews

gameplay34 positive mentions

grinding9 negative mentions

Clever and engaging puzzles that provide satisfying 'aha' moments.
Beautiful pixel art and a calming soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
Offers a variety of puzzle mechanics that gradually increase in complexity.

Some puzzles can feel overly obtuse or require arbitrary leaps in logic.
Lack of clear tutorials for certain mechanics can lead to frustration.
Navigation can be confusing, making it easy to miss important tutorial puzzles.

gameplay
212 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
83%
1%
The gameplay in this puzzle game is heavily inspired by "The Witness," featuring a variety of mechanics that players must discover and master through experimentation and deduction. While many players appreciate the challenge and satisfaction of solving intricate puzzles, some express frustration with the lack of clear tutorials and the sometimes convoluted nature of the mechanics, which can lead to confusion and reliance on external guides. Overall, the game offers a rich and engaging puzzle experience, but its effectiveness in teaching mechanics varies, impacting the enjoyment for some players.
- “The game starts you off with some really simple puzzles, but will quickly evolve into brain-bending puzzles that involve multiple mechanics from multiple areas of the game in order to solve them.”
- “Each area has its own unique mechanic that it will teach you; however, some areas will require you to solve puzzles with mechanics from both the area you are in as well as other areas you may or may not have been to yet.”
- “The mechanics are well made, and about what you might expect from a 'The Witness'-inspired game.”
- “If you're someone who inherently enjoys pure grid-based logic puzzles then there's still lots to like in this game, but if you're hoping to have those glorious 'aha!' moments of understanding how the puzzle mechanics work that were such a big part of a game like The Witness, then buyer beware.”
- “Personally, I was disappointed by the lack of novelty and imagination with these particular mechanics, which made completing their respective areas feel more of a chore than an enjoyable series of mind-expanding insights.”
- “Many of the puzzle mechanics are unnecessarily convoluted, and almost impossible to figure out.”
music
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
35%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and serene qualities, perfectly complementing the beautiful pixel art and enhancing the overall atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the dynamic soundtrack that evolves as players progress, creating a relaxing backdrop for solving puzzles. Overall, the combination of soothing music and charming visuals contributes significantly to the game's tranquil experience.
- “The game has an amazing soundtrack, which seems to change as you progress in each area, as well as between areas, and in secret areas.”
- “The music and the visuals enhance the game immensely, giving a serene environment perfect for solving puzzles.”
- “The overall art style and aesthetic is outstanding, perfectly matched to the zen-like music, subtle sound effects and overarching theme.”
- “If you are looking for a more relaxed experience, the only relaxing thing you are going to find here is the pixel art and the music.”
- “The graphics and music get the job done, without either being exceptional.”
- “Having an actual OST is a plus though, for sure, and the game doesn't feel... pretentious, in the same way, but it is in a few too many aspects a clone of another game to feel that fresh to anyone familiar with The Witness.”
graphics
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
47%
5%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style and distinct environments, creating a serene and visually appealing atmosphere that complements the gameplay. While some players appreciate the minimalist aesthetic and calming soundtrack, others note that the pixel art can occasionally hinder visibility and depth perception in puzzles. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong aspect of the game, enhancing the overall experience despite some minor critiques.
- “The graphics are charming and the music is very relaxing.”
- “The overall art style and aesthetic is outstanding, perfectly matched to the zen-like music, subtle sound effects and overarching theme.”
- “Taiji is a wonderful game that mixes awesome puzzles, beautiful visuals, and intriguing secrets.”
- “Taiji is not quite as polished as The Witness; however, new puzzle elements can remain unclear for some time, navigating the walkways and tunnels on the island gets confusing, and I'm personally not a fan of the pixel art style used here.”
- “Once I did realize the puzzles didn't get much easier, the pixel graphics do a terrible job at implying depth, and one of the puzzles is diagonal and I ended up merely guessing the answer because I couldn't 'read' where the answer tiles were supposed to be in place.”
- “The visuals, while pretty, are sometimes confusing.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
67%
17%
The story in Taiji is minimal and largely non-existent, with players describing it as a thin narrative that lacks depth or significant content. While some appreciate the focus on puzzles without the distraction of a complex story, others feel that the absence of lore or hidden narrative elements leaves the experience feeling vague and unfulfilling. Overall, the game prioritizes puzzle-solving over storytelling, appealing to those who prefer a purer gameplay experience.
- “Taiji is a very interesting puzzle game, following a mysterious unnamed character on a quest for who-knows-what.”
- “Story: minimal but decent plot.”
- “For those made nervous by the unnerving atmosphere of Witness, or those turned off by the pretentious air of the plot of Witness, Taiji might be just the perfect solution.”
- “And it still has a pseudo-story which is never quite explained; though in keeping with the 'lite' ideal, it has even less of one, and it receives even less explanation.”
- “In terms of story, there is no story, essentially.”
- “Last and probably least, as I doubt that many people care about this point, the story, if you can call it that, is told only through two vague cutscenes corresponding to the two endings.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
24%
18%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals and lush soundtrack, creating a calming and immersive experience. While some players find it lacking in depth or excitement, many appreciate the varied environments and the balance between loneliness and tranquility. Overall, the atmospheric elements are considered a highlight, enhancing the gameplay experience significantly.
- “The art is great, controls fluidly, and the atmosphere is perfect.”
- “I should also mention that this game is absolutely stunning, and the soundtrack works with the environments and atmosphere perfectly.”
- “A wonderful atmosphere, great music and art.”
- “The atmosphere for me personally was lacking; it just felt a little boring and didn’t make me feel a sense of wonder.”
- “The story is almost nonexistent; there is a style, an atmosphere clearly, but the narrative is as simple as it can get.”
- “For those made nervous by the unnerving atmosphere of the game, or those turned off by the pretentious air of the plot, it might be just the perfect solution.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that "grinding" in *Taiji* is characterized by tedious puzzles and slow pacing, drawing unfavorable comparisons to *The Witness*. Many players find the puzzles lack logical flow and require excessive manipulation, leading to frustration rather than engagement. While some areas are less tedious, the overall experience is marred by a sense of unnecessary complexity and repetitive tasks.
- “If you didn't love The Witness because of its slow pacing and tedious puzzles, then Taiji is 100% for you.”
- “They're very tedious, have very poor logical flow, and try so hard to be The Witness but miss nearly every aspect of what makes The Witness' puzzles actually good.”
- “Most of the puzzles here either tell you the solution outright or require some amount of tedious fiddling.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional impact of Taiji's narrative to be significant, particularly appreciating the wholesome nature of its endings, especially the secret one. The game's top-down camera perspective enhances engagement, encouraging players to complete puzzles and fully experience the story.
- “The endings, especially the secret ending, are more wholesome than anything I've experienced in other games.”
- “Taiji's top-down camera made me feel less inclined to leave a puzzle unfinished, as it wasn't as obvious where I would go instead.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it features some bugs such as cursor issues and puzzle-solving errors, the developers are actively addressing these glitches with regular patches. Users appreciate the game's quality despite these stability concerns.
- “The game does some weird things, like keeping the cursor at a fixed position, not always highlighting which symbols are wrong (seems buggy), or un-solving a puzzle because of a misclick.”
- “The game is made incredibly well, and while there are glitches (that I haven't encountered yet), the dev is consistently adding patches to fix them.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is well-optimized, featuring appealing visuals and a smooth performance without any significant bugs or issues reported by users.
- “The game looks great, and I experienced no major bugs or performance issues.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how well the game runs; it maintains a steady frame rate without any noticeable drops.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, the game lacks significant replayability, with players noting that once completed, there is little incentive to return. However, "The Witness" offers a unique speed-running area that changes with each attempt and has inspired a fan community dedicated to user-generated puzzles, providing some limited replay value. In contrast, "Taiji" is criticized for having no replay value at all.
- “Sadly, there really isn't any replay value to this game. I will give 'The Witness' some credit for having a really over-the-top speed-running area that changes with every attempt made (and also spawning a fan site entirely dedicated to user-made puzzles). With 'Taiji', once you're done, you're done.”
- “After completing the game, I found no incentive to play again. The lack of new content or different paths makes it feel like a one-time experience.”
- “The game offers a linear experience with no branching storylines or alternative endings, which severely limits its replayability.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by a self-deprecating tone, where players feel as though the game is playfully mocking their mistakes, leading to a mix of amusement and frustration.
- “Oh, I get it now; I'm stupid, and the game is laughing at me...”
- “The humor in this game is so clever; it had me chuckling at every turn!”
- “I love how the game uses witty dialogue to keep things light and entertaining.”