Review: A Little to the Left is doing something right

When it comes to puzzles, I’m not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. I tend to get frustrated if I can’t figure out how to do things. However, fitting things together and putting things where they fit is always going to be the exception to the rule.

What drew me into this game was the promo videos of things slotting into space carved out specifically for them. And while that’s not going to be the case for every puzzle in the main game, it’s more common in the Cupboards & Drawers DLC. 

Gameplay and Controls

A Little to the Left is a super cozy puzzle game that has you stacking, sorting, and organizing your way through levels made of household items. Occasionally, you’ll see a beautiful white cat who will bat at things or pull items, but it doesn’t play a big role or cause any mischief that impedes your progress. 

While you’re playing, you’ll notice that when you get a puzzle right, you’re awarded a star. If it’s just one star, then there’s only one way to complete that puzzle. But, I’ve seen puzzles with up to 4 stars. That means that there are four different ways that this puzzle can be completed.

Luckily, if you get stuck, you can look at the hints, but I go into why that’s not always helpful below. Otherwise, there is a handy feature in the options section called “let it be” which will just pause that puzzle as it is and let you move on to the next. 

There are a few ways to play if you don’t have the DLC. You can play the main story, do a daily puzzle, or even visit the archive which has past events like holiday-related levels.

The daily puzzle will reward you for coming back by giving you badges for playing multiple days all the way up to 100. 

I was surprised that A Little to the Left has full controller support because it just seems more intuitive with a mouse. But, happily, if you prefer a controller for all types of games, then this one has you covered! (Which makes sense, I suppose, since it does have a Nintendo Switch port.)

Personally, if I have to move things across the screen with some modicum of precision, I vastly prefer to use the mouse. So, I can’t really speak as to how well the controller works, but the mouse didn’t have any issues in A Little to the Left. 

Cupboards & Drawers DLC

Cupboards & Drawers DLC is pretty self-explanatory. You’re dealing with putting things away that generally fit together super specifically to make everything fit on the board or into their own little cubby holes.

Having played the main game and the DLC, I think I vastly prefer the puzzles from the DLC. I liked the style of those puzzles better. Or, maybe I could just visualize it better. You definitely need to fiddle a bit more, but it’s not so much about smarts. 

Art and Sound

Usually, I have more to say about art and sound design, but this is a pretty straightforward game. You basically have three components: the art, the music, and the sound.

Starting with the music, I turned it off early on. It’s very repetitive and a touch distracting. Games like this don’t really require you to retain dialogue, so turning on your own playlist is 100% the way to go with this one.

As for the audio, definitely keep the sound effects on. I think they’re well-done and even though I have no data to support what I’m about to say, I felt like it helped to figure out where things could and couldn’t go.

Lastly, the art is a really nice blend of pastel/dark colors that are easy on the eyes. Additionally, the hand-drawn quality of art lent itself to the cozy vibe. 

Coziness and Cons

If you’re not a fan of puzzles, then you likely won’t find anything cozy in this game just on principle alone. Otherwise, this is a super chill game. There are no time limits and you can pretty much go at your own speed. 

There are a few cons to this game, unfortunately. Firstly, there seems to be a bug that I’ve run into a few times that kept it from registering that I’d done the puzzle correctly. Honestly, it seems to happen on a puzzle that I spend more time fiddling with. I can have the puzzle 100% accurate and even check the hint to confirm that it’s right, but I must have fiddled so much with things that it glitches out. I end up having to restart the level and doing it the same exact way always pings it as complete.

So, if you’re having a bit of a difficult time, it may be further soured by having to restart the level once you’ve figured it out.

The last thing is more of a qualm than a con. There are several puzzles that have multiple ways to complete it. For instance, you could complete a puzzle by lining up a set of bottles in a way that the labels flow together. But, in that same puzzle, lining the bottles up by height gets you a second correct star.

My qualm isn’t with the multiple answers to the puzzles. Oh, no, it’s with the hint button. There seems to be only one answer in the section and it’s usually the one you’ve already gotten. There shouldn’t be a reason that levels with multiple outcomes only get one solution as a hint. So, if you’re looking to 100%, you’ll have to fiddle until you win or look up a guide. 

A Little to the Left Verdict

All in all, A Little to the Left isn’t going to be a cozy game that transports you away from the stressors of day-to-day life. But, it does have a sort of quiet charm that invites you in and lets you decompress.

If you’re a puzzle fan, A Little to the Left is a fantastic option to add to your library. And I highly recommend the DLC, Cupboards & Drawers.

The base game is available on Steam and Nintendo Switch for $14.99. But, if you want the DLC as well, the bundle is 10% off currently for $18.88 on both platforms.

If you’re a fan of puzzle games, you may be interested in checking out our review on Assemble with Care.