Rita

Rita is a game that you may think is just for little kids, but DO NOT let the appearance fool you. Not only is it a relatively challenging puzzle game, but it also manages to hit you right in the feels when you least expect it. I won't spoil anything in the review, but just know that the story is actually worth reading. Took me about 6 hours to beat and 7 hours to 100%, but you can do it in less if you really lock in. If you have more than the 2 braincells I'm working with, it'll be a breeze!

A lovely puzzle game, very sweet. The mechanics are more or less collecting symbols to use as answers to puzzles (mostly crosswords), which activate something in the world to allow progression. There is some variety in the puzzles and I enjoyed most of them. The story is lovely and hit me right in the feels.

Really cute and cozy game that was clearly made with love. Exploring and platforming were fun, and I did like the puzzles but was a little disappointed by how easy they were. The difficulty curve of the puzzles went from "trivially easy" all the way up to... "still very easy". That's not a dig at the game, it's just not what I personally was hoping for. If you're looking for a hardcore puzzle game, this isn't it. But if you're looking for an adorable little adventure with some relaxing, breezy puzzles along the way, Rita is about as good as it gets. I'm sure the real Rita is very proud <3

This is such a lovely and relaxing game filled with thoughtful puzzles and adorable antics. I've enjoyed following the game through most if not all of it's development and it has absolutely delivered on my expectations. Highly recommend to the cozy, cute, puzzle game lovers crowd!

It might seem weird that I have 8 hours of playtime on a game that's only been out a day. This is because for the last two years, I have been helping create content to advertise the game. It is my job. This required replaying the game again and again to get the shots I needed. Now, normally, I'm the sort of person who plays a game for the story and never goes back. Despite having played the beginning of Rita many, many times, I still enjoyed it. Sure I could skip things, but it didn't remove the joy of just playing through the game. The puzzles are clever and inventive. I liked the game so much that because I recieved a copy for free, I bought the supporter pack and the soundtrack. It won the Pax Aus showcase for a reason and I think everyone should give it a go, especially if you like crossword puzzles.

I had a fun time with this. The puzzles are pretty interesting, mostly easy, although they do get a bit of spice towards the end. The world is interesting to explore, and the way you unlock things with the puzzles gives almost a metroidvania sort of feel to the game. Be aware going in that it's not a terribly long game, I beat it in about 3-4 hours with 100% completion outside of some miscellaneous achievements, but that's fine by me. I feel like I got my money's worth, and I generally prefer a shorter game over one that's overly long and outstays its welcome.

This game is charming in the best ways. I wasn't expecting such a heartwarming personal story used as the basis for the "side quest" puzzles, but having that story told to me encouraged me to continue while I worried that it would also soon end. I don't like the ending *because* it's the ending in the same way you don't want your favorite stories to end because it means saying goodbye to characters with whom you've made a connection.