Blue Prince Might As Well Have Been Made Just for Me
It genuinely feels like Blue Prince was tailor-made for me. It brilliantly blends all my favorite game elements: first-person puzzling masked in simplicity but rich with secrets, roguelite progression that balances permanent upgrades and skill growth, card-drafting mechanics that avoid typical deckbuilder baggage, and tile-based map construction reminiscent of Carcassonne. Even if not all these mechanics hit everyone the same way, they come together in a cohesive and captivating experience. Dozens of hours in, I’m still uncovering new layers—and I’m already convinced it’s a puzzle game masterpiece.
You play as Simon, a teen who inherits a sprawling, ever-shifting mansion from his eccentric great-uncle—but there’s a catch. To claim the estate, Simon must find a hidden 46th room. The premise is deceptively simple, with hints scattered throughout the mansion, but the real magic lies in piecing it all together yourself. While I didn’t always know how to get to my next goal, the what was always clear enough to avoid feeling aimless.
Expect some confusion, though—Blue Prince thrives on circular paths and clever misdirection. The main mechanic involves using a limited number of “steps” each day to explore rooms, with each new door offering three room choices. Every run reshapes the nine-by-five grid differently, and connecting rooms efficiently becomes a mental challenge of its own. It sounds simple, but mastering it feels immensely satisfying.
Rooms serve various functions: purple bedrooms give you extra steps, yellow shops sell useful tools, red rooms add setbacks. There are special conditions for certain rooms to appear, adding another layer of strategy. Figuring out how to set yourself up for success—hoarding keys, collecting gems, planning routes—becomes part of the fun.
Within the rooms, you’ll find puzzles of all kinds—some based on math or logic, others with mechanisms to manipulate. These standalone puzzles are engaging, but the game shines most when it leans into the Obra Dinn or Outer Wilds style of interconnected, observational problem-solving. Notes, clues, and environmental details build up into complex, satisfying revelations. It’s that magical puzzle game feeling: what once seemed cryptic eventually becomes obvious in hindsight.
One gripe: runs can be long, and there’s no mid-run save unless you end your day. This is more of a PC issue—consoles or a Steam Deck with suspend features fare better.
Still, every run feels worthwhile. Even if you don’t reach a specific goal, you likely uncover something new. It took me around 15 hours to reach the 46th room, and that puzzle alone is well worth solving. But that’s just the beginning. Safes, locked doors, hidden lore, and cryptic clues fill every corner, extending your curiosity far beyond the credits.
Blue Prince also excels at weaving optional puzzles into the main narrative path. Some are visible from the start, others take you down hidden rabbit holes. No two players will follow the same journey—one friend of mine missed something I found five hours in after 40 hours of playing. The randomness doesn’t feel punishing though—information is rarely lost forever, and discoveries can be made from many angles.
The story begins subtly but gradually becomes central. You learn about Simon’s great-uncle and the broader family history through fragmented, conflicting perspectives. It’s not a linear narrative—uncovering the mansion’s truth mirrors your own puzzle-solving path. The way the story and gameplay reflect each other is a rare, quiet kind of brilliance.
Final Verdict
Blue Prince is a puzzle lover’s dream—rich, challenging, and deeply rewarding. Its combination of roguelite structure, strategic map-building, and layered mysteries had me mentally mapping its halls even in my sleep. With a story that unfolds as cleverly as its puzzles and design choices that echo its themes, this is a game destined to be remembered. If you’ve got a Mount Rushmore of first-person puzzle games that includes Myst, Portal, and The Witness, Blue Prince absolutely belongs up there with them.
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