In cosy puzzler Is This Seat Taken?, you’re tasked with seating various humanoid shapes, according to their peculiar preferences. Some shapes want peace and quiet, others want to blast music, and a few — well, could really use a shower!
The puzzle game has certainly tickled my fancy, with its adorable graphics and unique gameplay. I played the whole game in (almost) one sitting — I had to walk my dog in between — that’s how addictive it is.
Typically, puzzle games don’t focus on story all that much, but Is This Seat Taken? breaks that mould. You follow a young rhomboid named Nat, chasing their dream of becoming a star.
I devoured the demo during Steam Next Fest, and the full game hooked me in just as hard from start to finish, already nabbing a seat on my “best of 2025” list.
Different seat-narios
The full game allowed me to import my demo save file, instantly unlocking a satisfying stack of achievements (hello, dopamine hit). But honestly? I wouldn’t have minded replaying the first level — it’s that charming.
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The variety of scenarios were delightful to explore, with five city-themed maps, each with five main levels. Nat finds themselves in all sorts of places: buses, limos, ferries, diners, classrooms, concerts, and more.
The variation is what keeps the game alive and fresh for me; even after finishing the game, I can still play it for hours on end. The diner levels are some of my favourites, mostly because there are very cutely animated foods, including fries!
Seat-cret levels
Some levels have multiple solutions, while others are tighter brain-twisters that require more twiddling. A handy thumbs-up or thumbs-down pops up when you’ve placed everyone, letting you know if you’ve nailed it or need to rethink. It’s an excellent quality of life feature that I don’t remember being in the demo, but I really appreciate the devs adding in.
When you perfect each of the five stages in a city, you’ll also unlock a sixth secret challenge. Bonus!
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New mechanics roll in steadily: plating food in the diner, fiddling with the air-con to accommodate hot travellers, playing a game of luggage-Tetris like you’re on a Jetstar flight… You’ll even have to accommodate those who want to charge their phones while they wait.
It’s these little details — so true to life — that really enchanted me and kept me smiling. I can also be a bit picky about these sorts of things, so I get how the little shape-people feel (Yes, I will not enjoy it if you wear too much cologne, play loud music, or haven’t taken a shower!)
Debut delight
For a first outing, Poti Poti Studios absolutely nails Is This Seat Taken?. Each level brims with charm, creativity, and little shape-based jokes (plus a cheeky nod to Minami Lane, another amazing cosy). So many small touches throughout the game show the level of care that has been put in, like the pleasantly low default sound settings (though you should crank it up if you’re into jazzy background muzak).
There are a few small quality-of-life tweaks the devs could make, like the ability to reset a level or mid-level saves. Neither are deal-breakers, though.
It took me about six hours to finish, and at $14.99 — currently 10% off on Steam — it’s a no-brainer for any puzzle fan. You can also find it on Nintendo Switch, the App Store, and Google Play. If you’re hesitating, give the demo a whirl to get a taste.
Quest Daily scores Is This Seat Taken?:
9.5/10
A copy of Is This Seat Taken? was supplied to Quest Daily for this review.
