No weird combinations??? But I loved making a pine cone, needle and feather into a dart. So... logical.

Here's the next one:
HELP! I can't play the game. In the intro movie I get thrown into the prison, and that's just it. The game starts there and there is no way to get out.

EDIT: Nevermind. Read the readme file and apparently there is a secret tile you have to press. Is this a joke of some kind?

In the game you get your standard mellee weapons, but it's the bow that provides the most fun. A wide array of arrows with special abilities. The bow and arrows though feel a bit out of place. They were absent in the previous games in the series.

And other than the hidden tile in the starting area, the puzzles are pretty nice. There is no "keep pressing till you find the hidden switch" anywhere else.

Seems like a way of copy protection. :P

I'd have thought so too, but no, it's just a joke. The readme file said something to that effect. Besides, after checking it, I see the secret tile was kind of outlined in the game (the viallains wouldn't throw you in a cell without a secret exit, would they?).
As an extra hint: by the time this came out the "what's word x on page y of manual?" kind of copy protection wasn't really used any more. And interent was available, so it wouldn't have been effective anyway.

Tell us more about the setting. Is it a fantasy game, a (pseudo)historical one or something else?

Fantasy setting. Loosely looks like medieval with supernatural elements (spells, potions... etc)

The "can't leave the first room without vital hint" made me think of Wizardry 4 - The Return of Werdna. But that one surely had no intro movie and I don't know about melee weapons and bows... And manual check copy protection was even after that.

Hint:
Is generally considered the worst in an otherwise well-received franchise. Though personally I liked it.

Go ahead and ask questions for extra hints.

One of the Spiderweb games? Just a shot into the dark since I've never played one.

No

Is it a GOG game?

If not, Dragon Age 2 maybe?

No. Though some other games from this franchise are here.

No

Is it a Myst series game?

No

Additional small hint:
Part of the reasons why this was disliked was its alleged bugginess. Though I only encountered a bug in one place, and it could be quickly fixed by quicksave and then quickload.

I can give a few more hints, but I'd rather they be answers to questions.

How about Prince of Persia 3D? You are in a prison at the beginning, you can use bow with various arrows and this weapon was not featured in other games, the game was buggy (I had by far more problems with it then you) and it's considered to be worst from the series so it fits to your description.