Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure

Puzzle adventures are pretty rare, good ones even more. So when I saw the trailer for Arranger, a “role-puzzling” adventure with ambition and an original fun concept, I was obviously interested… but still had my doubts as I know all too well how this type of game can turn out boring and just OK.
And yeah, Arranger ultimately turns out to be disappointing.

The game is grid-based and every step you take makes the whole line/column slide. The game is linear so the goal of the puzzles is simply to progress (though there are a few optional puzzles).
I thought it would have RPG elements like the name suggests, but no. Or perhaps the fact that you use swords to kill monsters is enough to be called RPG, but not in my book.

This game has the same problem as many others. That’s the classic thing with non-pure puzzle games, they target a wider audience and thus the difficulty is non-existent. That’s a shame, even the optional puzzles aren’t challenging. Every time a new mechanic is introduced and you have some variety, it only lasts for a few tutorial puzzles before completely disappearing.

Puzzle games can be easy and very good though, if they compensate that lack of challenge with something else. Like a good story, or the game feeling like a very unique experience for example.
Graphically, Arranger is extremely charming. That’s undeniable a lot of care went into it, looking at all the background illustrations and the cartoon pages is pleasant.
But my god, the writing is absolutely horrendous. I’ve played tons of puzzle games and that’s the very first time I see political sh*t in them. You constantly have moralizing stuff thrown at your face without any ounce of subtlety, that’s seriously painful. The worst being that the tone is otherwise light-hearted with humor, it really feels like propaganda for children.

One last minor thing, there’s no reset or undo button, and things don’t go back in place when you exit a room. So I managed to softlock out of an optional room in the last area, I don’t really get why these features are not in the game.

Anyway, this is a good concept wasted by questionnable choices.
Not recommended.

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Developer: Furniture & Mattress LLC
Publisher: Furniture & Mattress LLC
Platforms: Steam – Windows/macOS, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Release Date: July 25, 2024