Is This Seat Taken? Yes, Seating Arrangement Can Be Fun – Weekly Indie Spotlight

Charming Relaxation in Is This Seat Taken?

Developed by Poti Poti Studio and published by Wholesome Games Presents, Is This Seat Taken? puts you in charge of a world inhabited by people who look like geometric shapes (because why not?). You have to arrange them in various scenarios such as bus rides, parties, restaurants, and movie theaters, and keep them happy. The trick is that they all want different things, and their interests can clash dramatically. You need to apply brain power to satisfy all the little shape people.

Chaos and Charm

At first the puzzles seem simple enough. A shape who wants to read won’t like sitting next to a chatterbox. A shape with a sensitive nose won’t like being around someone who didn’t shower. However, as you progress, the puzzles get more complex, with certain people wanting to be together, puzzles that involve multiple steps, and item arrangement. For example, at a restaurant, you might have to move food around, while in a bus, you might have to arrange people’s luggage. There’s also a loose storyline and puzzles that only get unlocked by achieving perfect scores.

The experience ends up being relaxing and challenging at the same time. You enter a zen-like state as you read through each person’s demands and shuffle them around to make them happy. There’s something satisfying about rearranging things on a screen, and Is This Seat Taken? captures that satisfaction perfectly. Plus, those shape people are really cute.

Conclusion

When I saw the trailer for Is This Seat Taken? in Nintendo’s recent Indie World Showcase, I knew I wanted to get it. It turned out to be money well spent. Every time I boot it up, I lose time dragging around those little shape people. If you want to kick back, relax, and stimulate your brain, this game is for you. It can be purchased on Steam for $9.99.