A growing trend, especially within the indie community, is kids' games with some content. My five-year-old immediately fell in love with Arranger: A Puzzle-Filled Adventure When she saw it, she said, “Daddy, can I sit on your lap?” And off she went. While I wouldn’t call any of the puzzles in this game the preserve of five-year-olds, the aesthetics are vibrant and the charming character designs drew my daughter in. With a little collaboration, I was able to guide her to “aha” moments, and we had a great time with Arranger.
We play as Jemma, a young girl dissatisfied with her sleepy town and its routine lifestyle. Venturing beyond the walls of her town is a bit of a no-go, however, as the Fort protects its inhabitants from static electricity, a force that roots people to the spot and consumes their essence. Jemma is a little different, however: cared for by her adoptive mother and the townspeople, no one knows her origins. She has the ability to slide objects, making them pass through to the other side while avoiding any static obstacles. In doing so, she can solve several problems. Although her departure was met with mixed reception, she finds her way through her power and begins her journey of self-discovery.
Apparently light, Arranger contains themes clearly oriented towards our culture of comfort and our dependence on technology. Static seems to be a metaphor for people who do nothing and enjoy leisure, letting all the work be done by robotic flying birds, for example. This lifestyle dissatisfies Jemma, and by fighting the static here and there, she helps new friends discover the benefits of change, new experiences and doing things for themselves.
While I don't necessarily appreciate the bold and direct message, I do appreciate the innovative interplay between gameplay and narrative. Jemma's ability to move objects around the environment to overcome obstacles and solve puzzles demonstrates exactly what she's trying to help others see. Static and novel mechanics get in the way, but she can solve problems through persistence, she can solve her own problems.
Tutorials and teaching are action-based with little exposition or writing to prompt players. If a new item or challenge presents itself, Arranger almost always shows the player how to navigate or lets them figure it out for themselves. The temptation to tell players is clear, because many games do it, but Arranger's simplicity allows players to embark on chaotic adventures. What helps is that players can't die, making experimentation pressure-free and risk-free.
I don't consider myself an expert in puzzles.Zachtronics games give me a headache, so when I say the puzzles in Arranger are on the accessible side, know that this is probably true for most people. If a puzzle leaves you stumped, know that the accessibility features in the options screen allow players to skip puzzles. At three different points, I had to pause and come back to a puzzle later while stuck, which worked every time. The most difficult puzzles occur in optional content areas.
The majority of the game takes place in an open world, though some parts are compartmentalized into rooms. Naturally, each room contains a puzzle, requiring Jemma to get from point A to point B by moving obstacles around the room. To explore, players are often given options on what to do and where to go, though even these choices can be limited. While primarily on-rails, Arranger it feels like an exploration game, and that's partly because of the distinct visuals and environments that Jemma encounters.
Aside from unique obstacles to navigate around, players typically have to move an object along a narrow path and figure out how to get around it. Since everything in a row or column moves with it, simply walking in a straight line usually doesn't help, though moving something off the edge of a path will cause it to spin behind Jemma, Jemma included; this is a core mechanic throughout the game. Unique mechanics litter the world with themes like grappling hooks, teleporting doors, rafts for crossing water, and static objects that never move.
As previously mentioned, ArrangerColor is key to enjoying this world. We don’t just solve puzzles; we discover vibrant greens in the jungle, shades of yellow and brown in the desert, and strange purples in parasite-ridden labs. All the while, Jemma wanders and animates in charming ways. Another fascinating choice is the approach to background art. Most players would focus on the foreground because that’s where Jemma and the traversable paths are; however, take a second to stop and admire the environment. Hand-drawn still images fade in and out below the foreground, creating a chronological story. Each frame represents Jemma as her sprite walks along the path: features of her environment and images that communicate emotion. Some of the background is a generic pattern, like leaves or sand, but these images appear in a patchwork to express what Jemma can see or feel. From an artistic point of view, this is a new and welcome touch.
Musically, Arranger relies on strings and percussion that complement the energy of the visuals. Don't expect too many dark melodies or intimidating tones. Well composed and executed, the soundtrack and sound effects contribute to the atmosphere Arranger research, which can often blend into the background as a result.
Arranger is a fantastic introductory game for an older child or young teen who is interested in puzzles. The artwork and quirky gameplay style immediately appealed to my daughter, so a parent looking to team up with their child could easily pick this one up. The message, while a little preachy at times, is wholesome and I think would resonate with most kids.
For my part, I wish the game had a bit more bite. The optional content was more suited to my level of puzzle solving and was satisfying to solve. Most of the game felt a bit easy, and while easy doesn't mean bad, I was disappointed. That said, ArrangerThe story, laid-back atmosphere, and unique art style make this an adventure worth experiencing.
