Is This Seat Taken? Review – Review
I have fond memories of brain teasers from my elementary school days: anything from basic algebra and riddles to intense logic puzzles. Some of my favorites had to do with seating arrangements based on character preferences. Suzie wanted to be the most left, but Tommy didn’t want to sit next to Mark, etc. I would rack my brain for hours on these little puzzle books, going from page to page for new challenges. All of these moments came flooding back with Poti Poti Studio’s Is This Seat Taken, a video game based around those bite sized brain teasers I used to love in my youth.
At its core, Is This Seat Taken is a very successful set of those logic puzzles wrapped in an adorable gameplay wrapping. You are simply presented with a physical space, such as a bus, outdoor concert or movie theater, and waiting in the wings are friends and groups of particularly picky people with strong opinions; it’s up to you to respect their request to find the perfect combination of people to seat. If a person tells you that they can’t handle strong smells, you’d better move them away from someone who forgot to shower. Does someone want to steal popcorn from the person next to them? Does someone need help studying? It’s your job to pair the right people together.
Is This Seat Taken is easily one of the most accessible games out there, which isn’t surprising given that it’s also on mobile devices. The UI and visual language work in tandem to provide a smooth puzzle experience. When you hover over a character, you get a nice easy checklist of their desires. If someone hasn’t showered or is blasting loud music, you see a radius of spots their circumstances will affect. It’s all communicated to you in a way that just feels smooth. It isn’t until bonus environmental mechanics are added such as turning on lights to attract insects that it’s not entirely spelled out, but those end up being so few and far between that they barely registered. This is great because a game like Is This Seat Taken doesn’t need the extra frills, just the clever puzzles.
That’s largely what we get with Is This Seat Taken, a collection of clever puzzles with a little bit of a cutesy dialogue to loosely connect them all together. The people of the world are varying shapes, such as triangles and ovals, and emotive personalities for an extra level of charm. After clearing the levels of a world, you are given access to a bonus level that is an exciting change of pace to the previous set of puzzles, usually with a different environment or special circumstances. It’s quick and to the point. All charm, no fluff.
Upon completion I instantly wanted to jump back in for another helping. I could easily see level pack DLCs or a second iteration on a yearly basis, and I would gladly sign myself up. I even put this in front of my 70-year-old non gamer mother to enjoy. It’s that easy of a recommendation for all puzzle lovers, and at $9.99, it’s a steal. I’ll suggest this game to anyone in earshot. So I have to ask: is this seat taken? I have a game to tell you about that you’re gonna love…
