Can you guess the PC game based only on its reticle?

Reticle quiz — (Image credit: Halo Studios)

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Astarion thinking in Baldur's Gate 3. — (Image credit: Larian Studios, PC Gamer)

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Much like the humble health bar, the reticle does not exist to be memorable. It's the most utilitarian tool of the user interface. On a base level, slapping a big symbol at the center of the screen at all times sounds distracting, but it's the job of the reticle to blend in to the action so well that it becomes an extension of the subconscious—an invisible bullseye guiding our shots, throws, and first-person leaps to their intended destinations.

Obtrusive by nature but essential in practice, good reticles tell us something about the action we're about to perform. In shooters, it's an expression of impact—the shotgun gets an appropriately wide, circular target, while a precision rifle adopts the tight "T" of a scope.

The best reticles are so distinct in their form or effective in their storytelling that it's simply impossible to forget them. And how would we? We stare at them constantly.

Test your target-based recall in the quiz below, identifying PC games based only on their reticles. Expect a mix of classics, recent hits, and unassuming symbols that have nevertheless burrowed a permanent home in our noggins (they're not all shooters). Make sure to type your guess into the answer box. The answer will autofill if correct.

So how did you do? If number 7 stumped you, well, that was the point. If you got it, congrats for dumping way too many hours into the year's hottest puzzle game (hint hint). What reticles would you have included? Sound off in the comments.

Morgan has been writing for PC Gamer since 2018, first as a freelancer and currently as a staff writer. He has also appeared on Polygon, Kotaku, Fanbyte, and PCGamesN. Before freelancing, he spent most of high school and all of college writing at small gaming sites that didn't pay him. He's very happy to have a real job now. Morgan is a beat writer following the latest and greatest shooters and the communities that play them. He also writes general news, reviews, features, the occasional guide, and bad jokes in Slack. Twist his arm, and he'll even write about a boring strategy game. Please don't, though.

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