In praise of puzzle games that don't rush you

There's a particular stress that comes from a puzzle game with a countdown ticking in the corner. For some people that's the thrill. For me, increasingly, it's the thing that makes me close the app.

The puzzlers I've loved most lately let me sit and think. Hollow Lanterns isn't strictly a puzzle game, but it treats its puzzles the same way — no timer, no penalty, just you and the problem.

Removing the clock forces designers to make the puzzles themselves interesting, because they can't lean on panic to create tension. That's usually a good trade.

If you're the kind of player who likes to make a cup of tea mid-level and come back to it, seek out the untimed ones. Your brain will thank you, and the solutions tend to feel earned rather than lucky.