The Academy: The First Riddle

The Academy: The First Riddle is a puzzle-driven adventure that places intellectual challenge and exploration at the center of its experience, wrapping hundreds of riddles inside the walls of a mysterious academic institution. Developed by Pine Studio and published by Snapbreak, the game invites players to step into the role of Sam, a new student at Arbor Academy, a school that quickly proves to be far more than a place of learning. Beneath its elegant architecture and scholarly traditions lies a web of secrets, hidden histories, and cryptic challenges that slowly unfold as the player progresses. From the outset, the setting does much of the heavy lifting. Arbor Academy is presented as a sprawling campus filled with classrooms, libraries, dormitories, and restricted areas, all connected by a sense of quiet intrigue. The school feels deliberately designed to encourage curiosity, rewarding players who wander off the main path and examine their surroundings closely. Exploration is not merely cosmetic; it often leads to optional puzzles, hidden collectibles, or subtle story details that flesh out the academy’s past. This sense of place gives the game a strong identity, blending academ…

I attempted to play the game for just under 30 minutes. The entire thing was awful. Those were not puzzles. You can solve a puzzle. That was total garbage and there is nothing you can do to change my mind.

Backlog: Game 1 I have decided to write reviews on the games that I have finished from my backlog. Understand that reviews are subjective and experiences may differ from person to person. I may not have liked a game everyone else liked, or disliked a game everyone else disliked. I have not necessarily done everything there was/is to do in the game as I'm only playing games as a hobby. Keep that it mind as you read on. *For this game, it has been a while since I have completed it. It did not leave a lasting impression so I am struggling to recall a lot of the game. Art - 6/10 The art for this game doesn't look too bad. It has its own charm for what the game is about and theme it's going for. I enjoyed the looks of the game. There's not too much for me to say about the art. Sound - 5/10 As with the art, the sound design wasn't too bad, nothing really that stands out in anyway, but fits the theme/style of the game. Music - 5/10 The music seemed pretty basic. There was nothing that made me take a moment and sit back to enjoy it. Story - 4/10 If I recall correctly (I will try to keep this spoiler free) you play as student named Sam. When he gets to school there is a pr…

A criminally underrated game. The story is intriguing from the very beginning, but has a light tone that makes it relaxing at the same time. Characters are interesting, and their distinct personalities lead to funny situations. Although some puzzles are indeed weird, many are fine (and all can be basically skipped by guessing one of a few possible answers in case you don't like them). It's a pity the game didn't receive traction and seemingly got abandoned. I found it only by accident, browsing other games from Pine Studio. I'd love to see a continuation with ES2-level graphics and a greater focus on exploration rather than 2D puzzles.

What happen if you mix Professor Layton and Harry Potter. I recommend this game for the riddle and the general atmosphere but some translation are really bad and there are a few mistakes in the riddles (notably in the propositions).

A bit too repetitive and *personally* wasn't worth the repetitive puzzles and such to tease the story out more. I liked the concept, but it seems a bit unbalanced.