Most mobile escape room games are just awful. You are usually stuck clicking wildly on a flat, ugly 2D screen until a random pixel unlocks the door. It gets old incredibly fast. But every once in a while, a game completely rewrites the formula. If you want a ridiculously atmospheric 3D puzzle experience that actually respects your intelligence, Faraway: Puzzle Escape is a massive breath of fresh air. It feels like you just stepped into a high end console game right from your phone.

THE GHOST OF A MISSING FATHER

The plot goes way deeper than just trying to escape a locked box. You are actively tracking the footsteps of your dad, an eccentric artifact collector who vanished without a trace a decade ago.

Your journey drags you across scorching deserts, hidden oases, and the massive crumbling ruins of a completely forgotten civilization. To figure out what actually happened to your family, you have to scour the environment for torn pages of his missing diary. It gives the whole puzzle solving grind a massive emotional hook. The ancient builders left behind a gauntlet of complex devices specifically designed to see if you are even worthy of learning their secrets.

EIGHTEEN MASSIVE TEMPLE LABYRINTHS

You aren’t just blindly tapping around the screen hoping for the best.

The game drops you into 18 grand, incredibly detailed temples. You have to actively observe every tiny detail in your environment, collect strange items, and physically manipulate weird ancient devices. You rotate objects, explore hidden corners, and actually use your brain to crack the labyrinths. It hits the absolute perfect balance between a tricky escape room and a chill, relaxing 3D puzzler. Whether you are killing time on a crowded subway in London, waiting for a coffee in Sydney, or chilling on a porch in Toronto, the hypnotic ambient soundtrack completely sucks you in.

GORGEOUS VISUALS AND A FAIR TEST DRIVE

Let’s talk about how this thing actually looks and runs.

The 3D world is buttery smooth and surprisingly easy to navigate. It is heavily optimized for modern super widescreen displays, so it looks absolutely exquisite whether you are playing on a brand new phone or a massive tablet.

And here is the absolute best part about the developer’s business model. They do not force you to buy the game blind. You get to play through the first nine levels completely free of charge. If the puzzles hook you, you can buy the rest of the chapters. If not, you walk away without spending a single dime.

Stop playing clunky, frustrating point and click clones. Step into the ruins, manipulate the ancient tech, and see if you can finally figure out what happened to your dad.