If you're looking for a brain-buster of a single-player game, look no further. Troy should keep you engaged for many hours, even if just to unlock the commonalities behind its puzzles' spatial principles.
Setup for each puzzle requires placement of several nicely-detailed Greek soldiers on a small green playing field representing a hillside. One must then place up to four sections of fortress wall in such a way that all blue soldiers are completely enclosed by walls, and all red soldiers are out in the open (i.e., at least one side is not enclosed).
The trick is that none of the wall sections are remotely simple. The smallest encloses three sides of one square unit, while the largest is a winding, serpentine mass that's hard to describe in words. Orienting these pieces around the soldiers in a trial-and-error fashion too often accomplishes one part of the goal while completely derailing another part. Further complicating matters is the included book's complete omission of which pieces are required in which puzzles, a design decision appropriate for puzzle veterans, perhaps, but not for the typical player.
Normally, when I evaluate a puzzle game, I do my absolute best to use the beginner-level puzzles to absorb the concepts upon which the higher-level puzzles expand. Then I rate the product based largely on whether the "fun factor" is maintained as the challenge level ramps up over time. While Troy looks great, I can't quite recommend it, because during testing, while I frequently felt on the verge of "seeing" those fundamental maneuvers, I never actually got there. Perhaps you can do what I couldn't, given more time, but be prepared to be frustrated for a while. Troy retails for approximately $19.99.
