Is This Seat Taken? is a logic puzzle game by Poti Poti Studios, published in part independently and with the help of Wholesome Games. Everyone has their preference when it comes to seating arrangements. Some want to be with their friends, some want to sit facing forward on the bus, some might want an aisle seat on a bus and another might want to stand. Is This Seat Taken? turns these preferences into an engaging series of puzzles where 100% satisfaction is the goal.
Like all good logic puzzles, Is This Seat Taken? requires understanding the different variables it is built upon and how those variables interact with each other. Some shapes will want to sit with specific other shapes or in specific locations. Others will want to ensure they are away from certain other pieces; a shape that wants to sleep while on the train will get annoyed if they are near two pieces having a conversation. Some pieces will want to avoid being near kid pieces while some kid pieces will only want to sit with other kid pieces. The amount of options and variables is numerable but many of them function the same way, making it easy to understand the puzzle at a glance.
The difficulty instead comes from the layout, especially in bonus stages unlocked by getting a perfect score on the main story puzzles. Some of these puzzles get quite tough and may require a step back to solve. This is especially true of multi-step puzzles where during the intermission some pieces will leave and others will stay. A cafe stage might see one piece move across every single table in a single puzzle, just because it’s the only way to keep them happy as new pieces get added. The puzzles are very well thought out and, for the most part, aren’t too difficult. There’s no time limit to work towards so even trial and error will result in success eventually.
These puzzles are all contextualised by the presence of a simple but relatable story about fitting in and belonging. Around all these puzzles is the tale of a piece called Nat, who dreams of being an actress but does not believe she fits that role due to her shape. One day, however, she watches a film starring a shape that’s just like her and this sends her off on a trip across the globe to meet this actor, hoping to put her insecurities to rest. It’s a lovely little story that fits the style of the game, while also providing context to the stages. Context that is unneeded but adds more charm and engagement to the overall package.
