The Pillar

About This Game

The Pillar, developed by Paper Bunker s.r.o., is a mesmerizing first-person puzzle adventure that transports you to a series of enigmatic islands floating in a dreamlike world. Your goal is to escape a mythical birdcage by solving dozens of intricate puzzles scattered across vibrant, ever-changing landscapes, from tranquil gardens to cosmic planetariums. Each island offers unique environments and mysteries, blending exploration with clever puzzle-solving, drawing comparisons to The Witness for its serene yet challenging vibe. With intuitive controls, colorful 3D graphics, and an atmospheric soundtrack, the game creates a relaxing yet engaging experience. Rated for ages 10 and up due to mild fantasy themes, it’s ideal for puzzle enthusiasts, casual gamers, and players who love uncovering secrets in a beautifully crafted world. Though short (about one hour), its replayability comes from finding hidden art pieces and mastering puzzles.

How to Play

Playing The Pillar is intuitive but requires a sharp mind and keen observation. Here’s how it works:

• Explore the Islands: Move through seven distinct islands (eight with the intro level) using WASD or joystick controls. Click or tap to interact with objects like pillars, panels, or turrets.
• Solve Puzzles: Tackle flow puzzles, where you connect paths on grids, and other challenges like aligning lasers, matching patterns, or shooting floating cubes with a turret. For example, create an L-shape with blue and green tiles or align a laser through colored pillars to hit a specific symbol.
• Find Hidden Art Pieces: Search for collectible art pieces in each level for added replayability, often tucked behind rocks or under stripes.
• Navigate and Progress: Solve puzzles to unlock gates, raise platforms, or open portals to the next island. Each level evolves as you interact, revealing new paths or puzzles.
• Use Hints: If stuck, some versions offer hints via ads (free) or in-game (premium). Walkthroughs on sites like videochums.com detail solutions, like entering a number code from floating rocks.There’s no time limit, allowing you to explore at your own pace. Puzzles increase in difficulty, and backtracking is often needed to spot environmental clues. Some players note occasional glitches, like crashes, but updates have improved stability.

Platforms

The Pillar is accessible across multiple devices:

• Mobile: iOS and Android devices, including phones and tablets, with virtual dual joystick controls
• Tablet: iPad, Android tablets, and similar devices
• PC/Computer: Any web browser on Windows, macOS, or Linux (compatible with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and more)
• Chrome Extension: Available via the Chrome Web Store for offline play
• Consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
• Steam: Premium version with all content and no ads The browser version on Skipthegame, Poki, CrazyGames, or platforms like Gameflare and Y8 requires no downloads or logins—just open and play. Mobile apps, the Chrome extension, and Steam support offline play. The game uses HTML5 for smooth performance, though some users reported crashes on Android, fixed in a recent update. The Steam and console versions offer a polished, ad-free experience for $5.

Pop Groups

The Pillar appeals to a wide audience, but these groups are especially drawn to it:

• Puzzle Enthusiasts: Fans of games like The Witness or The Room will love the flow puzzles and environmental riddles.
• Casual Gamers: Its relaxing vibe and simple controls make it ideal for players seeking low-pressure fun.
• Escape Room Fans: Players who enjoy escape room games like Forgotten Hill: Surgery will appreciate the exploration and puzzle-solving.
• Teens and Adults: Rated for ages 10 and up due to mild fantasy themes, it’s suitable for older kids and adults who enjoy mysteries.
• Art and Exploration Lovers: The colorful, dreamlike landscapes and hidden art pieces appeal to players who enjoy immersive worlds.

More Games Like This

If you’re hooked on The Pillar, try these similar games for more puzzle or adventure fun:

• Forgotten Hill: Surgery (Skipthegames): An FM Studio horror point-and-click with eerie puzzles, offering a darker puzzle-solving experience.
• Exhibit of Sorrows (Skipthegames): A creepy point-and-click horror game with unsettling puzzles, perfect for mystery fans.
• The Witness (Steam): A first-person puzzle game with complex riddles and a vibrant island setting, a key inspiration for The Pillar.
• Fez (Poki): A puzzle platformer with a colorful world and perspective-shifting mechanics, ideal for exploration lovers.
• Samorost 3 (Poki): An Amanita Design point-and-click adventure with whimsical puzzles and stunning visuals.

These games offer a mix of puzzles, exploration, and immersive atmospheres to keep the adventure going.

Developer

The Pillar was developed by Paper Bunker s.r.o., a small indie studio known for creating atmospheric puzzle games. Their portfolio is focused on The Pillar series, with The Pillar: Puzzle Escape as their flagship title. Based in the Czech Republic, Paper Bunker emphasizes colorful visuals and intuitive gameplay, as seen in user reviews praising the game’s “wonderful graphics” and “simple challenging puzzles.” They engage with players via social media (@paperbunker on X and Instagram) and a Discord server (discord.paperbunker.cz), addressing feedback like crash fixes. Contact them at paperbunker.cz for support.

Features

The Pillar is packed with features that make it a captivating puzzle adventure:

• Seven Unique Islands: Explore diverse environments, from gardens to cosmic planetariums, each with distinct puzzles and visuals.
• Dozens of Puzzles: Solve flow puzzles, laser alignments, pattern-matching, and turret-based challenges, with increasing difficulty.
• Hidden Art Pieces: Find collectibles for replayability, adding depth to exploration.
• Colorful 3D Graphics: Vibrant, dreamlike visuals create an immersive, relaxing experience.
• Atmospheric Soundtrack: A soothing soundtrack enhances the serene yet mysterious vibe.
• Multilingual Support: Available in ten languages, including English, French, German, Japanese, and Russian.
• Offline Play: Enjoy without Wi-Fi on mobile apps, the Chrome extension, or Steam.
• Free and Premium Options: Browser versions are free with ads; Steam and console versions cost $5 for an ad-free experience with all content.
• Cross-Platform Support: Play on mobile, tablet, PC, consoles, or Steam with smooth performance. Some players note the game’s short length (about one hour) and occasional ad interruptions in free versions, but the premium version eliminates these issues.

Controls

The controls are intuitive across devices:

• Keyboard (PC): Move with WASD or arrow keys, interact with mouse clicks. Run by holding the right shoulder button (consoles). Press R to reset puzzles if needed.
• Touchscreen (Mobile/Tablet): Use virtual dual joysticks to move and look around. Tap to interact with objects or solve puzzles.
• Console: Use analog sticks for movement and camera, with shoulder buttons for running and face buttons for interactions.
• Hint System: Click or tap for hints (via ads in free versions or included in premium versions) when stuck. Controls are mobile-friendly, though some users reported lag on older devices, fixed in recent updates. The first-person perspective enhances immersion.

Release Date

The Pillar launched on June 10, 2020, on Steam, with mobile app releases on iOS and Android following on August 27, 2022. Browser versions became available on Poki and CrazyGames on April 28, 2020, and June 10, 2020, respectively. Console versions (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S) launched on January 13, 2021. Updates as recent as October 2024 improved stability and fixed crashes, ensuring a smoother experience.

FAQ

Q: Is The Pillar free to play?
A: Yes, browser versions on Skipthegame, Poki, and CrazyGames are free with ads. Steam, console, and ad-free mobile versions cost $5.

Q: Can I play offline?
A: Yes, mobile apps, the Chrome extension, and Steam/console versions support offline play.

Q: Is this game suitable for kids?
A: It’s rated for ages 10 and up due to mild fantasy themes, suitable for older kids and adults with no violence or mature content.

Q: How long is the game?
A: It takes about one hour to complete, though finding all art pieces adds replayability. Some players finish faster with walkthroughs.

Q: What if I get stuck on a puzzle?
A: Use the hint system (via ads in free versions or included in premium versions) or check walkthroughs on videochums.com for solutions, like the Gorge door puzzles.

Q: Are there ads in the game?
A: Browser versions include ads, which can be intrusive for hints. Steam, console, and ad-free mobile versions eliminate ads.

Q: Can I play on multiple devices?
A: Yes, play on mobile, tablet, PC, consoles, or Steam via browser or apps. Progress doesn’t sync across devices.

Q: Is The Pillar like The Witness?
A: It’s heavily inspired by The Witness, with similar first-person puzzle-solving and vibrant visuals, but it’s shorter and less complex, with a focus on flow puzzles.

Q: Are there similar games on Skipthegame?
A: Try Forgotten Hill: Surgery or Exhibit of Sorrows on Skipthegame for more point-and-click puzzle adventures with a darker tone.