SLIDES RULE

Redeeming a hated puzzle mechanic with SLIDER

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Somehow, Slider has turned the worst parts of adventure games into one very fine puzzle game-and a generous one, given the lack of a price tag. I'm talking about sliding tile puzzles, which tend to be shoehorned into adventure games for reasons unknown, inciting audible groans whenever I'm forced to complete one. Why am I playing-and enjoying-Slider, then? With its monochrome, top-down world comprised of sliding puzzle pieces?