Why so many puzzle games feel the same

Open any store charts and you'll drown in match-three clones. Puzzle games are everywhere, and most borrow the same handful of mechanics with a new coat of paint.

What saves the good ones is a single fresh idea executed cleanly. Hollow Lantern, though more adventure than puzzle, builds its challenges into the environment so solving feels like discovery instead of busywork.

I've grown wary of puzzle games that bolt on energy meters and endless popups. The best ones trust the puzzle itself to keep you playing.

If you feel burned out on the genre, step away from the charts and look for something built around one strong concept. There's still real invention out there — you just have to dig.