I've been playing Silksong this week—a lot of Silksong. So much Silksong, in fact, I've nearly developed two blisters on my right hand. This happened once before when I got really hyperfocused on learning an Elphelt combo in Guilty Gear: Strive. The things we do for dopamine.
Anyway, I've prescribed myself one "play a game that doesn't hurt your hands", and I've landed on Letters to Arralla—an adorable upcoming game by Little Pink Clouds where you play a turnip with a fat ass. Also, you have mail to deliver. I technically should've led with that, the butt is entirely secondary.
From what I've played of the demo, Letters is a delightful little puzzle-exploration sim with a Stardew-esque roster of freaky veggie friends to deliver letters to. Unlike in the real world, where opening someone else's mail is a very serious crime, it's encouraged on Arralla—because it'll give you insight into all your little veggie friends.
Plus they don't seem to mind. It's part of the culture, I guess, even if I did feel bad for peeling off all their mates' cute little stickers.
Also part of the culture is an incredible resistance to just adding goddamn addresses to these things. Instead, you'll need to use context clues and little images located on the envelopes to figure out where to stick them; this game isn't a brain-twister, though, and if you're stuck, you can always ask your boss at the post office.
Which is a nice little "accessibility meets verisimilitude" sort of thing. Yes, it's nice for players to be able to ask for direct hints, but also, why wouldn't your boss help you out with your new job? You can also ring Maurice from anywhere on the island with a payphone. Or call your mum.
There's also a haunted house where a bunch of cultists are trying to summon a beast or something but shh, don't worry about that.
What's charmed me so far is the variety of delivery systems on display. While you're rooting through people's mail (again, not something you should do in real life) you're unfolding origami, getting glitter bombed, reading a rebuttal to a rebuttal to a rebuttal to a rebuttal about a scientific disagreement, or just untying yarn.
Arralla is teeny-tiny—with what I assume are some blocked-off areas—but charming and prettily-rendered. Comfy hotsprings, sandy beaches, a lighthouse operator who's on the run from the law: And I imagine it'll be all the side-quests in between mail runs that'll really loop you in.
Even in the demo, I found myself exposed to a friends (lovers?) quarrel between two glassbowers and, more importantly, got a jewellry-maker out of a dead-end corporate job. I can easily imagine the full game will have plenty of little side-quests to get invested in.
Anyway, if you need something to decompress after getting whomped by Widow for the 50th time, Letters to Arralla is out, cheeks bare and all, September 16.
