What I did: completed the game and the DLC, only thing I didn't do was gathering the stars.

I'm going to start the review writing the conclusion of it: The Talos Principle feels like a true classic of the puzzle genre.
After playing Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and The Witness (clearly two games which took inspiration from Talos), the puzzle game itch in me was still strong so I decided to finally pick up a game I was actually planning to play since release, which to my surprise was 10 (!) years ago. I'm talking subjectively here but I think the most important aspects in a puzzle game are probably the puzzles quality (having a solid and fun puzzle concept), the puzzle variety (to keep things fresh as much as possible) and finally a mysterious setting that keeps you going. After all, when the difficulty level rises up lategame it's not rare finding yourself stuck for more than 1 hour on a single puzzle and having that extra incentive to see what's next really helps. If you enjoy doing the puzzles regardless you're the type of player who can like things like the aforementioned The Witness (which has a mysterious setting, yeah, but does not give the players much info to get invested in it) but I'm not one of them and I'm glad The Talos Principle gave me a enigmatic setting to dive myself in. You'll explore a couple of fairly big maps and, as long as you're interested in reading terminals with philosophical texts, ancient logs and... QR codes scattered outside, there's plenty of things to read and think about. The story itself is very peculiar and I think it does a good job for the most part, including the ending.
I think the game clears the puzzle quality and variety matters as well. The puzzles utilize a couple of different tools, which will play a part together with the environment, and are set in somewhat big open rooms. Position and timing will be key in most of them so if you fear puzzle games because there may be math or a need for external knowledge you can rest assured there will be none here. The difficulty felt especially balanced to me (though the puzzles using the "double" feature really damaged my brain multiple times), it goes up nicely as you proceed forward and doesn't really get impossible or too cryptic at any point. The puzzles are also mostly "short", meaning that can be completed within 1-2 minutes at most, you don't have to do lots of complicated maneuvers for like 5 or 10 minutes. Being a somewhat old game there are some QoL problems. To mention the biggest issue, you'll likely get stuck (like literally, not for the solution) in a puzzle sometime and to get out your only option is to reset the room entirely (they're addressing this in the soon to be released remake). Another issue is the hint system, because the hints aren't really helpful at all. Speaking about difficulty again, I didn't bother with them because i'm too stupid but trying to get the stars seems like a big challenge and will appeal to those players who find the regular puzzles a tad too easy. If you want more content the dlc is as good as the base game, just be careful because all the puzzles you find there are hard.

🌟 A Masterpiece of Philosophical Puzzle-Solving! 🌟

The Talos Principle is one of the most thought-provoking puzzle games I’ve ever played. Developed by Croteam, this game seamlessly blends mind-bending challenges with a deep, existential narrative that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

✅ Brilliant Puzzles – The game offers a wide variety of laser, block, and environmental puzzles that are both challenging and rewarding. Each new mechanic is introduced at a perfect pace, keeping the gameplay fresh.

✅ Philosophical Storytelling – Through mysterious terminals and the ever-present voice of Elohim, the game makes you question the nature of consciousness, free will, and what it means to be human. Few games make you think this deeply!

✅ Breathtaking World Design – The beautifully crafted environments, from ancient ruins to futuristic settings, create an immersive atmosphere that makes exploration a joy.

✅ Great Soundtrack – The music is calming yet atmospheric, perfectly complementing the game’s themes of mystery and discovery.

If you love puzzle games with a deeper meaning, The Talos Principle is a must-play. It’s like Portal meets philosophy, and every moment is a rewarding experience.

8/10 – A masterpiece of both gameplay and storytelling! 🎮✨

Atmospheric puzzle game with very well made puzzles. Easily beats every other puzzle game I've ever played in terms of puzzle design except for Baba Is You, and is on par with the Myst series for story/atmosphere.

glorious

What a great puzzle game!!!
Amazing soundtrack that will stick in your head while solving puzzles throughout the different and beautiful scenery.
Great graphics, great addition of philosophy inquiries that will make you think and reflect outside of the puzzles themselves.
Fun and diverse variety of mechanics that only get harder and harder as the game progresses, eventually you will have to find a couple on your own, or at random on the harder puzzles!
Do not stop playing Talos principle on its first ending, and prove your worth and TRY to beat all the the puzzles in this game, including the ones in the DLC, every single part of this game feels truly rewarding.
Search, memorize, and do some critical thinking to become a messenger, and trascend beyond the reality that you have been given!

Amazing game!

Babe wake up- the Serious Sam team made 3D Braid and you've been sleeping on it for a decade

You need a QR code scanner to play the game.
10/10

....

I don't know what I expected, but this surpassed my expectations by a lot. It's so fun? So interesting? There's lore? The puzzles are just the right amount of challenging? I really like it. I should play it again sometime.

I didn't finish it. Puzzles get old, philosophical dialogs with a computer are boring. Textures are nice and the game runs smooth though.