Review: Arranger makes you consider every action

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure it’s a game where I like the thrills and the concepts, but I feel rushed by things. It doesn’t fully explain or explore some of the interesting mechanical features introduced by the protagonist’s unique ability. This means that even though the vibes are great and the concept is cool, it can feel underwhelming due to the execution.

Gemma is weird! She was abandoned outside a walled village as a baby. Raised by the people inside, it was quickly discovered that when she would move, the chosen people and objects would move as well. She would also be able to teleport by basically walking on walls, coming out on the path on the other side. This happens in a type of tile-based system. She is convinced that the answers lie outside. So, searching for answers about herself and her path, and hoping for a way to find where she belongs, she sets out on an adventure.

It is better to think ArrangerThe world is similar to a giant sliding puzzle, except you’re not trying to move tiles into place to create a picture. The easier parts just involve getting Jemma from point A to point B, as sometimes there will be stationary objects or objects that can’t go through walls blocking your path. More challenging ones might include moving a person to a certain location, pushing a sword against a static enemy to dispatch it, placing an item to land on a key, or moving multiple items next to each other. the other so that they combine. Things gradually grow and build on each other, with different concepts coming together to help clarify situations in certain cities.

Arranger it can get frustrating at times! It’s not because the puzzles are challenging. Rather, it is due to skills that are not always well explained, if discussed at all. Furniture and mattresses never show you that Jemma’s ability to shift and move the world means you can move items from inside buildings to key areas or other locations. It first appears within the first 15-30 minutes, when you have to enter the mayor’s house. There is a key in an empty room. If you don’t realize that the tiles inside the house will change and you gradually pull the tiles that Gemma walked on from outside, you might not realize that you can bring the broken stair pieces from Caretaker Foffy or other furniture from other places and move them in to flip switch and progress.

This problem of not explaining “Jemma can do that too” continues to be a recurring issue. Sometimes, it’s fun and interesting narrative! Once Jemma finds a place for her stuff in the entryway, you actually have to “move” her to an empty house outside the house where she’s staying. It can include new ways to move certain types of objects, which can affect crucial situations. I learned that you can merge several adjacent items together, well, by enabling the arrow option for menu searches and pushing things together. When it came time to fish I had no idea how I did it for the test as I was just moving and had to relearn by doing a quest.

While this is frustrating, and also led to a few situations where I thought I might have messed things up so badly in a boss “fight” that I’d have to save and leave, it can be satisfying when you get it right. . Or, at least, the satisfaction of knowing you’ll never have to go through that particular kind of challenge again. arranger, due to its length and design, I usually only use a new type of mechanism for a few rooms. One of my favorites involved the introduction of portals. Wish it was used more! It introduced some fun concepts, especially in terms of reaching new spaces, but came up extremely briefly in a single section.

Undoubtedly, there have been several times in the Arranger when fixing things involved me making a solution happen without even preparing for it or learning how the mechanics worked. Likewise, there have been at least three situations involving my brutal compulsion for a final solution. I think that might be reassuring to some! Especially since people can also use a help feature in the menu to “fix” any problems in a space that is becoming a problem. However, I was also a little disappointed when I finished a pitch without doing so to my credit.

The fact that Arranger speeds through Jemma’s adventure, even if you go off the beaten path for a few small side quests (some of which aren’t well explained or tracked by the tracker), which is a shame because the concept is so much fun. Jemma is a cute character! The situations in which it occurs are interesting. Some touch on political or social issues we deal with in our world, but in a clever way that isn’t overbearing. However, we simply do not have enough time for many of the situations. I especially felt this way about everything that had happened in the second city. It felt like there should have been more opportunities to explore a bit or take in the area.

I really appreciate it Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure and everything it sets out to do, as the concept is great, the story fun, and some thought-provoking puzzles. I wish it wasn’t so rushed, that concepts were explained better, and that new puzzle elements weren’t abandoned as quickly as they are introduced. You don’t have time to appreciate everything Jemma can do or the situations around her, and you’re left stumbling on new abilities or opportunities. If there were a few more puzzles and framework, it would be a stronger game.

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure will come to Nintendo SwitchPlayStation 5 and PC on July 25, 2024.

6

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure follows the story of Jemma, a small-town misfit on a journey of self-discovery. Stepping outside her comfortable stuffy confines, she finds an inspiring world – but also one ruled by fear and a strange, immobile ‘static’ force. Can she break through a stagnant culture and find a place to fit into it? The switch version was revised. Review the copy provided by the company for testing purposes.

I appreciate Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure and what it aims to do, as the concept is great and some puzzles are thought provoking.

Food for thought:

• I really liked the bird section, especially when you got to the control method. It’s one of the smarter puzzle options.
• There are some really funny and witty lines scattered throughout. The humor is always well executed.
• It autosaves, especially before boss fights, which is handy! You can go to one with a fresh start if you think you messed up.