Another Puzzle MMO Like The Secret World? Are We Ready?

Lately, my gaming time has been heavily invested in Honkai: Star Rail, specifically hunting down every treasure chest I can find. This treasure hunt is fueled by a desire to stockpile Special Pass Warp tickets for Anaxa’s eventual return. Beyond that, it’s a good way to gather essential materials and progress on things like the Trailblazer’s Eidolons. Inevitably, this means tackling numerous puzzles, some of which I previously skipped or overlooked during story quests.

Many of the game’s chests are guarded by puzzles, ranging from simple challenges to head-scratching ordeals. Sometimes entire areas are essentially one massive puzzle, requiring you to manipulate rooms, activate switches, and think outside the box. You can easily spend hours trying to navigate to a single reward. And in most of these puzzles (except for things like jigsaw puzzles), a good sense of spatial awareness is a major asset.

So, the bottom line is, I’ve been doing a lot of puzzles. I actually enjoy them. However, it can become a bit overwhelming if you leave them all until the end and then tackle them in a frenzied rush for materials. (Learn from my mistake: do the puzzles as you encounter them.)

The unexpected consequence of this resource-gathering puzzle marathon is that it’s made me nostalgic for The Secret World. It’s not that I dislike the puzzles in Honkai: Star Rail. Considering that puzzles are not the core focus of the game, but rather an additional layer of gameplay, they’re quite well-designed – both interesting and enjoyable.

Nevertheless, these puzzles make me crave more in-depth challenges, ones that require specialized knowledge or the ability to research and discover clues. Pulling levers and flipping switches doesn’t quite compare to recognizing a musical piece or deciphering a code to progress. It’s even better when the puzzle-solving is woven into the main story. And the ultimate experience is collaborating with friends, brainstorming ideas to crack particularly difficult puzzles.

Of course, with most games featuring puzzle mechanics, solutions inevitably appear online. Even as someone who enjoys puzzle content, there have been times when I’ve succumbed to the temptation of looking up the answer – especially when I’m focused on a completely different objective. This can be problematic for games where puzzles are a primary focus, rather than just supplementary content.

It requires a certain type of player to resist the lure of instant solutions. When playing in groups, you need to trust that your companions won’t just search for the answer and spoil the fun for everyone else. I worry that it might be difficult to find players willing to dedicate the time and effort to solve puzzles the “right” way. After all, not everyone has the luxury of spending countless hours on a single puzzle, even if they’re inclined to do so.

And, as with most games, players have diverse motivations. Even if a game is marketed as puzzle-focused, some players will inevitably seek out other aspects. The same is true for story-driven MMOs, where some players prefer to skip the narrative and jump straight into raids. Is PvP the main attraction? Someone will be there to build a house. So, naturally, if a game prioritizes puzzles, there will be those who want to avoid them altogether. It’s just the nature of gamers.

Ultimately, it’s hard to say if the gaming world is ready for another game like The Secret World – primarily because I doubt developers believe it would be profitable. It’s a shame because I would love to see a spiritual successor. Or even just to see the original completed. There’s still a dedicated community playing it. I’m sure they’d be happy if the story was just finished, even if nothing else was added.

However, the free-to-play landscape has changed dramatically since The Secret World transitioned to that model. So, perhaps it’s not entirely impossible.