For fans of tile-laying games, atmospheric mansions, and walking simulators, Blue Prince is a killer game. I don't usually find myself so enthralled with a game that I need to take physical notes. I think the only other time I've broken out the pen and paper for is in the elaborate pre-planning of a Dwarf Fortress compound. But of course that never gets updated once I'm in the throws of the game-loop. Blue Prince, on the other hand, seems like it would be nearly impossible to complete without some form of note-taking. The game itself, in the Nook, suggests writing things down- a form of permanence between each run. Indeed, one of the most compelling parts of the game is that it doesn't really hold your hand in telling you what objective/unlock is next. That'd be nearly impossible with the game's RNG and forking path.
I was maybe 5 days (runs) into the game when I saw a wild head-to-head Blue-Prince-speedrun bingo during GDQ 2025. Despite desperately wanting to watch, I had to stop only a few minutes in to stop having every spoiler revealed to me. So I took a couple of the hints from stream and hopped back into the game in earnest.
Despite loving puzzles and mysteries. I'm sad to say that I'm terrible at Escape Rooms. Something about the pressure of being in a timed run makes my brain go to mush. By replacing the timer with a stamina system, Blue Prince removes the pressure while maintaining the challenge. There's time to look around, enjoy the atmosphere, dig into the deep world-building, and solve some genuinely incredible puzzles.
I filled up many pages of this notebook in my runs through the game: deciphering the languages, putting together the sigils, piecing together the hints scattered around the rooms. It's not my finest note-taking, but it got me through the game (though I'll be honest that I needed some external help along the way). The daily runs, progressing through the story, noted down in the journal, is a video-game first for me and I hope to find another game (or perhaps pick up a journaling TTRPG?) to match that experience. It's meditative and fits even into somewhat hodge-podge schedule of the father of a toddler.
That all being said, I'm sad to admit that I've found it hard to seek further progression after hitting the first ending title screen. Especially when I noticed my achievements weren't getting registered in steam. I am a simple man, deep down I just live for the 'chieves. Maybe I'll start a fresh run some day when I've forgotten the puzzles.
I was going to consider make this my GoTY post. But I've come across a game that scratches the puzzle itch in such a radically different way. So this is a companion post. Here's the RV There Yet post.