Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure

Taking a long range view of Arranger, I feel like it's a clever puzzle mechanic that is used in enough permutations that it continued to feel fresh throughout. It's a masterclass of measuring its difficulty to remain approachable and understandable. Even in the games final moments, I would instantly get confused about what they would ask of me, and slowly work my way to a satisfying solution with a little bit of time. I can honestly say, this may be one of the best puzzle games of the year, if not the last couple. The difficulty never felt insurmountable while maintaining its story intrigue. Looking deeper into the mechanics, I was in awe at the clever nature each solution took. At the end of the day, Arranger is a complete package of puzzle, story, heart, art and music. If only it stood out more from a mainstream aspect, but the least I could do is yell it from the rooftops here: Play Arranger!

Jemma "moves a little differently" in this world and that is not just fine - it's what gives Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure a double purpose in terms of both unique gameplay and narrative. It makes you think, and not just about the puzzles themselves, while you try to make everything fit, or perhaps while you are actually disarranging what was a bit too arranged. For this lovely adventure we're thankful, this is the game you all have to play this summer.

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure is another indie triumph. The way the game innovates and presents new ideas is a very special thing. It's only real problem is the way it handles difficulty and frustration.

Setting Jemma on her fearless path in Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure requires sliding panels in every direction. Dealing with the puzzles alone would confound players, so the strong writing provides needed rest from the difficult solutions.

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure made sliding-block puzzles fun and interesting. That in and of itself is the highest praise I could give it.

The difficulty curve consistently escalates in challenge while remaining remarkably well-tuned, which prevents the frustrating roadblocks that hamper many lesser puzzle games.

Arranger entertains the player because of its restrictions, not in spite of them. The resolution to Jemma’s every conundrum rarely lies more than a few sliding moves away, as unimaginable as that sometimes seems. But it insists you think not just outside the box, but around the corner and into the spaces beyond the edge of the screen.

It’s a joy to watch as Jemma disappears off one side of the level to appear on the other, dragging along any NPCs or furniture that might be on that row. It never gets old and with each new area that brings in new mechanics, Arranger manages to feel fresh often. With a genuinely enjoyable story carried along by wonderful puzzles, Arranger manages to be one of the best puzzle games released this year.

Players who enjoy casual puzzle titles are sure to find something to love in Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure. With its beautifully hand-drawn world and original puzzle mechanics, Arranger offers a compelling story world with engaging puzzles that are great for puzzle fans, both young and old. The world’s grid system creates a novel way to interact with engaging puzzles while also expanding on the story world. If you’re looking for a hardcore puzzle challenge, Arranger might not be for you, however, if you’re looking for a casual experience with colourful graphics to boot, Arranger will be a great fit for your library.

Arranger: A Role-Puzzle Adventure dares to be different, and it succeeds with aplomb. By interweaving a heartwarming and inclusive story with addictive gameplay, Furniture & Mattress teaches us that puzzle games can be more than just a vehicle for making the cogs in your brain turn. If you’re looking for pure puzzling, then the game won’t be for you, but a simple story and simple gameplay loop are both elevated to new heights because of the thought and care that’s gone into them.

Arranger takes a type of game puzzle that is often irritating and turns it into something pretty cool – even if some of that frustration remains. It's absolutely gorgeous and full of interesting mechanical ideas, and though its core premise isn't the most exciting, it makes a strong argument for its own existence.

Arranger is a unique concept and adds something truly special to the puzzle genre. The level design and difficulty curve is excellent, adding just a little more challenge with every step. Movement is some of the best I’ve seen in puzzle games, and I wish more thought and attention had gone into other aspects of the design. A lot of my criticism comes down to respecting your audience. Respect them to draw their own conclusions, and to be able to solve puzzles themselves, even if they need a little nudge.