I’ve been playing video games for almost 30 years, and while there were games that made me memorize cheat codes like those from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and The Sims, there’s a rising trend in modern games that goes beyond traditional memorization. These games encourage you to take literal notes instead of relying only on your memory, since it’s easy to forget things when there’s an overwhelming amount of puzzles. I find it a really interesting and refreshing gimmick.
Modern puzzle games lean into this idea. While they don’t force you to grab a notebook and start scribbling, it’s highly recommended if you want to save time going back and forth across different levels.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a perfect example of a game that floods your brain with cryptic symbols and riddles. Trying to store it all in your head is impossible. Back when I played it, I didn’t have a physical notebook handy, so I resorted to using my iPhone’s notepad, awkwardly drawing squares and grids to make sense of what I was seeing. Meanwhile, other players in the Lorelei and the Laser Eyes subreddit went all-in, turning their desks into chaotic shrines of sticky notes and scribbles that looked like something out of a demonic ritual.
My note-taking journey continued with Dogubomb and Raw Fury’s Blue Prince, a strong contender for 2025’s Game of the Year thanks to its layered puzzles and map design. I never thought I’d be the type to carry around a notebook while gaming, but I found myself writing down what each symbol meant, or why a painting felt strangely familiar. And thank god I did, because without those notes I’d have gone insane trying to remember which code matched which safe, or what a particular room was supposed to represent.
Even Hell is Us, the latest game from Rogue Factor that launched today, pushes note-taking. What makes it interesting is that it isn’t a pure puzzle game. It’s an action-adventure inspired by titles like God of War. Normally, you wouldn’t think note-taking would matter in that genre, but Hell is Us embraces its lack of handholding. With no objective markers, you’re left to figure things out through instincts and environmental awareness. When I played the demo, I called its lack of handholding “pretentious,” but now with the full game in hand, I can see the direction they were aiming for.
Other modern puzzle-heavy games like Outer Wilds and Lucas Pope’s Return of the Obra Dinn also thrive on overwhelming you with information. It’s by design. Going in without a way to track things is like heading into battle without a weapon. And players who usually come in unprepared would call it quits on the mere sight of a logic puzzle, which is a shame.
That’s why I enjoy note-taking in puzzle games. It’s not a brand-new concept, but it’s a bold design choice that adds challenge and depth for players who want to dig deeper. It makes the experience far more immersive than just relying on in-game menu systems or scrambling to look up a guide online. Of course, not every puzzle game needs it, but for titles that demand constant brainpower, like Rise of the Golden Idol, Tunic, or the aforementioned games, note-taking is an essential part of the experience.
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