Indie Game Showcase: Is This Seat Taken?

You ever play a puzzle game that's so good you instantly know there are going to be a million copyright-infringing rip-offs flooding the app stores? That's exactly what I felt while playing the new indie game Is This Seat Taken? from Poti Poti Studios, something I haven't felt since playing Unpacking. Is This Seat Taken? is one of the best new indie releases of the year and an excellent game for anyone who enjoys short, cozy puzzle experiences.

Your goal in Is This Seat Taken? is to arrange groups of talking shapes in various places through the use of logic puzzles. It may sound simple, but in the arrangements every shape needs to have their specific needs and preferences kept in mind to keep them happy. For example, say there's a level on a bus: some will play loud music while others don't want to hear music. Some will wear a lot of cologne or have not showered and others will have a sensitive nose and not want to sit near them.

What keeps the game interesting is the variety of levels. It's not always about arranging people on public transport, though a good amount of levels do have that conceit. Sometimes it'll be a classroom where the students have to be arranged not to talk to each other and not cheat. Other times it'll be a museum where the exhibits need to be arranged the way they want. There are levels in airports, at sporting events, in restaurants, and basically anywhere that the arrangement of people matters to their enjoyment of what they're doing.

What really sets this game apart from the dozens, if not hundreds, of other puzzle games released annually is how well the slice-of-life story fits in with the gameplay without getting in the way. The recurring characters of certain shapes who are going through their various trials and tribulations of their personal lives is deeply engaging and helps push the player to continue so they can see what comes next. The minimalist art and how smoothly the game operates without glitches are also factors that make the experience one of the best of the year.

Is This Seat Taken? is now available on Steam, Switch, iOS, and Android.

★★★★★