Puzzles, what are they good for?

[rtjhbfvsrry]

I enjoyed the puzzles in Amnesia immensely because they gave me a reason to go forward. Whenever I didn't have a clear objective I'd question whether or not I should go forward and just get terrified again.

I also liked the puzzle design because they were either based on logic and observation or common sense. First time I played it I actually got stuck several times because I was thinking far too "gamey". I'd go What item do I need to find so I can actually set this explosive mixture off? and then proceed to run around for half an hour in the dark, wasting all my oil, then throwing a rock at the thing in frustration and get blown up because I was absolutely flabberghasted at how simple the solution was.

HUGE improvement over old school adventure game puzzle design. "The only way to open this door is to put a fish on the hinges! Why? Because we say so!"