Fez

Steam to the rescue, as usual. And having burned through to the game's ending in one sitting, I couldn't be happier.

I expected a highly-polished indie platformer along the lines of Limbo, but Fez is so much more than that. It's got a mysterious backstory told through an intricately detailed environment; it's got delightful charm oozing out of every level and character animation; and it's got a world-spanning puzzle mechanic that continually dares you to understand it. Although all of the game's levels exist on a single, Metroid-style interconnected map, they're thematically separated into a handful of "world" types, each with a distinct style and set of interactive elements -- not quite to the extent of Braid, but every world type makes you rethink the lessons you've learned from the game so far.

And then there is the matter of Fez's "secrets," which are easy to spot but quickly descend into the realm of true enigma. This is some esoteric shit! I'm pretty sure that I'm still scratching the surface, even after "beating" the game.

Fez has the pure platforming of a Mario, the tight level design of a Zelda, the intrigue of a Myst, and the devilish puzzling of a Portal. Even when backtracking through the world map, the game never stops coming up with new surprises. It's just fantastically well-made.

Better than: Antichamber
Not as good as: Braid, but it's close!
Even knowing about the world-rotation mechanic going in: it's still mind-blowing to see the immense amount of detail it can show.

Progress: Just started New Game +