I’m not sure I agree but I can’t disagree.

We’re doing difficult work here.

What’s better: hints, or explosive barrels?

A lion holding scales in an illustration from ‘La Pala d’oro dell’ I. R. Patriarcale Basilica di S. Marco, considerata sotto i risguardi storici, archeologici ed artistici … Con un discorso di S. Em. Jacopo Monico, etc'

Hints

Video games do want you to finish them.

Sometimes, for whatever reason, you hit a stumbling block.

That’s when the game might offer a hint.

Cover image for YouTube video

The purest example is puzzle and adventure games where you could simply click a button to request a hint.

I particularly like howMachinarium’s hints are little cartoon thought bubbles.

Machinarium even offers the option to be outright told the solution in exchange for completing a minigame.

Pondering a puzzle with Machinarium’s hint system.

Then games with other characters can run wild with all sorts of helpful hints.

They really would like you not to be stuck.

Hints can be patronising.

Hints can be over-eager.

But I’ll not pretend that hints haven’t saved me at times I’ve been a total idiot.

Thanks for having my back, hints.

Explosive barrels

Orbs are to be collected.

Waterfalls should have secrets behind them.

That’s just video game rules.

But which is better?

If I see a barrel in a game with violence, I will immediately attempt to explode it.

I must understand this world and its rules.