If you’re the sort of person who loves video games as much as a sudoku puzzle or a book of riddles, then today’s Thinky Direct 2026 is likely for you. Packed full of upcoming puzzle games and brain-teasing titles, the second-ever Thinky Direct showcased over 40 trailers and we’ve included our five top picks below.
The Granny Detective Society
Wouldn’t The Thursday Murder Club have been better if they were all animals? Well, thanks to The Granny Detective Society, we’ll soon find out! Take on the role of Madeleine, a retired mouse and hobbyist sleuth in this detective adventure game. With gorgeous art and an abundance of mini-games, this looks to be a wonderfully cosy crime-solving experience.
The Granny Detective Society releases 2026 on Steam, and the Biscuits and Secret demo is available to play right now.
Bulbo’s Belief System
In the puzzle-platformer Bulbo’s Belief System, Bulbo learns about walking, gravity, jumping and much more, introducing a gameplay mechanic with each new belief. The issue is he can only hold four beliefs at a time, meaning he must forget concepts in order to traverse the environment. It blends platforming with the game-bending style of Baba is You for a really intriguing concept that I’m keen to jump into.
Bulbo’s Belief System releases November 2026 on Steam, and you can play the demo here.
Hello Again
Hello Again is a top-down time-loop adventure game where you must learn patterns and solve puzzles in order to get off a mysterious island. The gameplay seems inspired by Outer Wilds, but with a cute hand-drawn art style and a very silly sense of humour.
Hello Again will release on Steam, and you can play a new demo now.
Compress(space)
Compress(space) is a 2D platformer in which you must completely alter your environment to progress through levels. Using an interface that looks almost like a level editor, you can shrink, expand and destroy the world around you in unexpected ways. It looks like a real mind-bender that could appeal to the Super Mario Maker fan inside me.
Compress(space) is coming to Steam in 2026 and you can try out the new demo at this link.
Prophet Margin
Prophet Margin looks like one of those games you could sit down and play for five minutes or five hours. A blend of factory simulator, strategy game and tower defense mechanics, Prophet Margin sees players build settlements and trade routes in order to develop the most efficient and God-pleasing societies possible.
Prophet Margin is coming soon to Steam and a brand new demo is ready for you to play right now.
Check out the rest of these brilliant brain-teasers by watching the Thinky Direct in its entirety below:
READ MORE: Insider Gaming Showcase 2026 | Our Top Picks
