Item: Arranger
Rating: 94
Author: Dinsun

Our Site Score

94/100

Arranger is one of the most creative games I’ve played in years. The central mechanic—that the world is a giant sliding puzzle and you are the piece that moves it—is constantly being reinvented. Just when you think you’ve mastered it, the game introduces a new way for the grid to behave that makes you rethink everything.

The art style is gorgeous, as you’d expect from the Braid artist, and Jemma’s journey is genuinely touching. It’s also incredibly accessible; I love that the developers included 'skip' options because they clearly want you to experience the world without hitting a brick wall. It’s a perfect mobile experience—brief, clever, and absolutely beautiful. A true indie masterpiece.

Reviewed on: Sun Mar 10 2024

Dinsun Review

Finally, something that isn't a clone of a clone. Arranger has a 'hook' that actually works: when you move, the row or column of the world moves with you. It’s a brilliant mechanic that leads to some very clever environmental puzzles. It reminds me of the golden age of indie games where developers actually experimented with systems.

However, it's not perfect. The touch controls occasionally result in 'mis-swipes' that can ruin a puzzle solution, which is frustrating. The narrative is a bit light for my taste—I like a bit more grit in my stories—but the art style is cohesive and professional. It’s a bit pricey for a mobile game, but at least it’s a *real* game. If you're tired of the garbage on the App Store, this is worth your time, even if I’m giving it a conservative score because it ends a bit abruptly.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

Innovative mechanics
Beautiful art
Satisfying puzzles

Fiddly touch controls
Short duration
Pricey

Technical Report

Performance: Occasional stutter during world shifts; otherwise polished.

Accessibility:

Undo moves
Difficulty toggles

Audience Fit

Buy if: You crave original puzzle design and high-quality indie production.

Skip if: You want mindless action or zero-cost 'freetoburden' games.

Similar Games:

Baba Is You
Monument Valley

Reviewer Context

Reviewer: Dinsun, 40-year-old expert gamer
Hardware: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Playtime: 6 hours
Status: Completed the main journey

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad

6759252046

Free🏆9+★3.3 3 reviews

Author : Furniture & Mattress LLC

Pubish Date : Invalid Date

Last Update Date : Invalid Date

Support Languages : English

Genres :

Version Invalid Date

Requires iOS 16.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Play the opening act of the game for free - over an hour of gameplay - then unlock the full game with a one-time in-app purchase !
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure follows the story of Jemma, a small-town misfit on a journey of self-discovery. Venturing out beyond her stiflingly cozy confines, she finds an inspiring world - but also one ruled by fear, and a strange, immovable ‘static’ force.
Can she disrupt a culture of stagnation, and find a place to fit into it?

Created by an all-star team including the artist of Braid and the writer of Carto, Arranger is a 'role-puzzling' adventure. The story of Jemma unfolds on a unique, interconnected grid that spans the entire world. When Jemma moves, the environment moves with her, creating a regular stream of clever puzzles. With no XP or inventory to manage, the game focuses on accessible yet deep tile-based mechanics and a heartwarming story of self-discovery.