Leaning into box-pushing Sokoban-style puzzles, Isles of Sea and Sky presents consistently clever ideas that fans of puzzle games will love.
When I look back at my love for puzzles, I can vaguely remember what was the first one that set me on this quest to train my brain. It all boils down to the inimitable feeling when you just stare at a screen for a couple of seconds—or minutes—to then hurriedly try a different approach. And that is when it happens: you solve it. The coveted Eureka moment that every great puzzle game wants to make you feel. You are smart. You are clever. And you crave a bigger challenge. Isles of Sea and Sky is one such adventure that keeps adding more inventive mechanics the longer you play.
Where It All Started
Heavily inspired by Sokoban, a 1981 game where you primordially pushed boxes to solve puzzles, Isles of Sea and Sky also feels like a classic. Originally released in early 2024, it has now made it onto the Nintendo Switch, and I dare say it feels right at home on the system. There is simply something special about relaxing on the couch with a few headscratching puzzles while a comfort show is playing in the background. Most of it is because of its flexible design that wants you to go through various routes without falling into frustration. Normally one of the most difficult challenges a puzzler faces, its open design works wonders.
Playing as a young castaway from a pixel-art, top-down view, you wake up on an island with no recollection of how you got there. With no text whatsoever to guide you, using contextual clues helps you piece together that you must obtain four powers from the elements: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. Every themed island in an archipelago presents its own type of unique puzzles. Halfway through each of them, unlock a power-up by collecting a specific type of gem. For example, the Earth’s ability allows you to push rocks, increasing the complexity of the puzzles faced.
Brain Teasers Galore
Traveling through this tropical puzzle heaven atop a giant turtle, Isles of Sea and Sky wants you to take your time solving its mind teasers. It all seems geared to do so. The music, as such, is comprised of breezy ambient sounds that never rush or pressure to find the answer. Its world design, while it does have some blocked paths that are only unlocked after you acquire a set amount of blue stars, is mostly open. This means that if you have pushed blocks up, down, left, or right and you have not found the solution yet, it is best to take a breather by exploring the other islands that will present different puzzles.
Much like the older games it is inspired by, Isles of Sea and Sky is full of secrets. Although most of the puzzles are somewhat straightforward and ask you to methodically find where they exactly fit, not all of them play by the rules. Sporadically you must think outside the box by throwing a statue off a cliff. Or accidentally find an illusory wall that works as a shortcut to a different area. As generative AI asks us to offload our thoughts in this current day and age, this puzzler asks a more intriguing idea: what if you found the answer through the sheer power of observation and reasoning?
Conclusion: Isles of Sea and Sky
Over the course of its 15 to 20 hour playtime (depending on how good/bad you are at the puzzles), the archipelago inspires you to take it easy. Sure, some puzzles might stump you right then and there, but the rule to not stay for more than 5 minutes thinking about a solution before letting it go works wonders here. An exercise in patience, ingenuity, and simply good old game design, Isles of Sea and Sky is a delight to play for anyone who loves a good headscratcher.
Isles of Sea and Sky is out now for Nintendo Switch and Steam.
