Puzzling Gift Giving

[T3h Merc]

So I've been trying to find the perfect gift for a friend of mine, she recently let slip that she loves puzzles and she's a gamer. On the PC and 360, what would you say are the best Puzzle games? It's her birthday soon (The 11th) and Christmas after that, so I need two gifts. Ideas folks? Adventure games definitely work too!

EDIT: She's a Japanophile so, take that into account to

EDit2: She has a DS as well

 

[T3h Merc]

Bump?

 

[BonsaiK]

You shouldn't bump your thread, that's not allowed here.

Best puzzlers on the PC are Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords (don't waste your time with any of the sequels or spin-offs though), and Portal. Yes, I'd put Portal there because it's a puzzle game at heart. Don't know about the XBox though, I don't own one.

 

[AvsJoe]

Other than seconding Portal, I got nothing. I'm not a puzzle game player.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Amnesia is pretty puzzley?

 

[Jazzyjazz2323]

Amnesia is pretty puzzley?

Amnesia really isn't a gift.

 

[T3h Merc]

You shouldn't bump your thread, that's not allowed here.

Best puzzlers on the PC are Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords (don't waste your time with any of the sequels or spin-offs though), and Portal. Yes, I'd put Portal there because it's a puzzle game at heart. Don't know about the XBox though, I don't own one.

She's played Portal, she liked it. I know I shouldn't bump, I'm just desperate for ideas.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Amnesia is pretty puzzley?

Amnesia really isn't a gift.

I meant the game if you aren't kidding. If you are, well played.

 

[Hazy]

Machinarium, Braid, and Limbo are all really solid.

Conversely, if she likes Point & Click adventure games, get her The Longest Journey.

 

[Tzekelkan]

Maybe the Broken Sword series? I don't know, those kinds of games are the only ones with explicit puzzle-solving I play (except Portal of course, that's awesome). They combine puzzles with a good story and lots of humour. My girlfriend loved them anyway, don't know about yours.

 

[darktheif28]

Does she have Portal:Still Alive for the xbox?

 

[Alleged Despair]

Its not completely a puzzle game but what about Plants vs. Zombies?

 

[Jazzyjazz2323]

Amnesia is pretty puzzley?

Amnesia really isn't a gift.

I meant the game if you aren't kidding. If you are, well played.

I know if received Amnesia as a gift I'd look at my friend and ask why would they do this to me and do they possibly wish me to cry and ball up in a corner for their own amusement.
And yes I'm not serious.

 

[BonsaiK]

You shouldn't bump your thread, that's not allowed here.

Best puzzlers on the PC are Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords (don't waste your time with any of the sequels or spin-offs though), and Portal. Yes, I'd put Portal there because it's a puzzle game at heart. Don't know about the XBox though, I don't own one.

She's played Portal, she liked it. I know I shouldn't bump, I'm just desperate for ideas.

Then Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords. It's absolutely mandatory for any puzzle-lover - she'll never play Bejeweled again (although Bejeweled 3 comes out soon and it's bound to have content in there specifically designed to trump Puzzle Quest so maybe get her that too). And not the shitty mobile phone version, the PC version is the only good Puzzle Quest.

Braid isn't bad but I found the arcade skills required were a barrier for me. A lot of puzzle games make the mistake of including lots of arcade skills which alienate their core puzzle-loving audience. Only get this for her if she really kicks ass at platformers.

World Of Goo is also pretty awesome, although it does have the same issue as Braid to some degree.

 

[Tartarga]

I don't really know all that much about puzzle games so all I could do is recommend stuff thats already been recommended. What you could do is buy her a new PC, disassemble it and give her each part individually. That way she gets a puzzle and a new computer.

 

[Murais]

World of Goo. The physics and puzzle-element of that game is downright addicting. Go check out the demo some time if you're in doubt.

 

[T3h Merc]

I don't really know all that much about puzzle games so all I could do is recommend stuff thats already been recommended. What you could do is buy her a new PC, disassemble it and give her each part individually. That way she gets a puzzle and a new computer.

BRILLIANT.

 

[T3h Merc]

Braid is fantastic. Get her that. If she liked Portal, she will enjoy Braid - it is harder and lasts longer too.

You could also get her the Portal:Still Alive pack, but it isn't that big of an improvement over the original.

EDIT : If you're rich, buy her a DS + any of the Professor Layton games.

I'm poor. I'll ask if she has a DS, Layton seems pretty ideal.

 

[ClassicJokester]

Zen Bound 2! It's awesome, and has an amazing art style.

 

[T3h Merc]

Zen Bound 2! It's awesome, and has an amazing art style.

Cool, she's an Artist, I look into it.