I’m not the biggest, most vocal fan of A Little to the Left, the puzzling organiser that has you tidying up various household items in a number of ways, be that in terms of colours, patterns, sizes or more. But I have certainly had fun with the base game, heading back in time and time again, dipping for a few minutes here and there, solving a puzzle, taking in a Daily Tidy. And so the introduction of new levels, more puzzles and additional solutions is one that should excite, giving justification and continued appeal to the clever puzzling that is on offer.
A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars allows for all that, but it doesn’t switch things up too much from the main game. Instead it provides more of what makes this a decent little evening time waster. I guess that’s all we really need from it…
More content for A Little to the Left is great. And what is included in Seeing Stars, much like the Cupboards and Drawers pack which landed with the game’s release on Xbox, is most certainly intriguing, as we get the opportunity to tackle some thirty-plus new levels, many of which have multiple solutions. It’s in those solutions though which – at least this player – finds A Little to the Left to occasionally frustrate, dropping things down a notch from what could be an utterly brilliant puzzler.
I’m going to start with the issue, and the problem is not in solving a puzzle in Seeing Stars, it’s the need to remember which solution you have solved, and which you still need to work on. For us, as someone who may go a few days or a few weeks between play, that’s a big ask, mostly as we’ve forgotten what we’ve previously solved, and what we still need to work on. Perhaps an attached screenshot, or image, of the completed solution, sitting alongside the level itself would be a good addition, ensuring that the next time we go back to A Little to the Left and Seeing Stars, it is a less frustrating experience. Unfortunately, a single star to denote completion isn’t very helpful.
But honestly, that – and some occasionally clumsy controls – is about all that lets Seeing Stars down. As a whole, as a new expansion for a delicate little game full of intrigue, the Seeing Stars side of things excites. At least it does as long as you’re familiar with the ideas of the creative team behind it, and the base game of A Little to the left itself.
It’s in here where some new ideas come to the fore, alongside some more familiar puzzle types. We’re big fans of those levels that leave us to fit various items into a drawer, filling compartments as we go. We also love a pattern puzzle, with jar- and flower pot-powered tests of the mind immediately standing out. There’s no doubt that an early stage in the DLC, one in which a number of different leaves need placing in a scrapbook, is a highlight too. Less exciting is the movement of some Tetris-shaped ice cubes in glasses (we think we completed this by fluking things, breaking the level) or the placement of some fluttery moths.
But remember, A Little to the Left as a base game, and Seeing Stars as an expansion are both capable of providing altogether different gaming experiences for each and every player. I’d go as far to say that many levels are going to be divisive, with people either loving or hating them, depending on what they want in life, and how their brain works.Â
And if that brain doesn’t work? As is standard with A Little to the Left, ‘Letting It Be’ and skipping a stage is never frowned upon, whilst a series of Hints are always at hand, helping guide you on your way. And be sure, you’re going to need those hints if you ever want to 100% Seeing Stars, as the multitude of solutions available for the vast majority of the stages feel hardly completable without them, bordering on the obtuse.
There’s a good deal to get involved in with Seeing Stars too. For instance, bouncing numerous balls took up far too much of our time, as did the opportunity to tease some feline friends with a plethora of toys. It’s good then that the expansion covers a whole range of activities, as we fold, stick, bounce, stack and smash items into place.
Should you be a fan of the base game of A Little to the Left, and have worked your way through everything on offer, the Cupboards and Drawers stages as well as the Daily Tidy options, then it feels like an obvious choice to get involved in Seeing Stars. There are some good ideas included in here, with multiple solutions available for nearly all new levels. Whether you have the inclination to work through all those different completions though may be nothing short of an extremely personal decision.
