Mini Review: Blue Prince (PS5)

Blue Prince is one of those puzzle games best played with little knowledge going in, as much of its joy is in uncovering its surprisingly deep depths. At surface level, this is a sort-of roguelike adventure in which you map out the layout of a mysterious mansion across a 45-square grid, with your ultimate goal being to find the hidden 46th room. We have to stress, though, that there's more to the game than this, even though at times it can feel like there isn't.

Behind each door you must place one of three rooms, randomly chosen from your pool of blueprints. Each room, no matter how empty it may appear, contains something that will help you, whether a handy item or just some information. There's a degree of strategy in how you build out the mansion, and once you spend a few days (runs) working it out, it's possible to fill every space. But it isn't about filling up the grid with maze-like rooms — it's more about figuring out the right rooms.

Eventually, you'll learn that the game has a lot more going on than just this ever-changing house, and it's discovering these revelations that Blue Prince is at its most satisfying. Even after the credits roll, there's still plenty left unanswered, encouraging you to keep digging to unearth the game's deepest secrets. If you enjoy layered puzzle boxes like The Witness, Myst, and Fez, this comes highly recommended.

However, while there's tons to discover, you'll need patience and determination to see it all. Due to the game's random elements, some days feel completely wasted. Even when you know precisely what you need to move forward, you're entirely at the mercy of the game's randomised room choices and item distribution. While you'll come across some ways of making certain rooms more consistent, you'll find yourself making no meaningful progress at times, which can be demoralising, especially when your last attempt came tantalisingly close to a breakthrough.

There's something to be taken from almost every run, though, whether that's knowledge, some sort of permanent progress, or just discovering a room you hadn't seen before. So dense with puzzles, secrets, and lore is Blue Prince that it rarely leaves you empty-handed, even if it can feel that way sometimes. Again, if you have the drive to see the game through on its terms, you'll be handsomely rewarded, but the journey getting to that point may be too inconsistent for some.