Game: Is This Seat Taken?
Genre: Puzzle, Casual, Indie
System: Steam (Windows, MacOS, Linux) (also on Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android)
Developer | Publisher: Poti Poti Studio | Wholesome Games Presents
Controller Support : Yes
Steam deck : Playable
Price: US $9.99 | UK £8.99 | EU € 9,75
Release Date: August 7th, 2025
A review code was provided, and many thanks to Poti Poti Studio.
What Is This Seat Taken? Is About
Is This Seat Taken? is a quirky puzzle game where you find yourself in the position of great power we all dreamed of as kids: deciding where everyone sits. I know. But, as the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility, right?
So, yes, you can decide where everyone sits, but you still have to follow some requirements. Requirements that will only become wilder as time goes on…
Gameplay, or place me if you can
You start Is This Seat Taken? with a training level that explains to you what you’re supposed to do. Going from there, the difficulty climb is smooth. You get more and more characters to place, and a good variety of requirements from them. It ranges from “sitting next to so-and-so and a window” to “absolutely not beside Matthews and I hate strong smells”. Yeah, because the developer decides to push the realistic lens on that part and throw us all to horrible flashbacks: the infamous smelly people on the bus.
You don’t need to make everyone perfectly happy to complete a level, just enough to meet the satisfaction threshold. But if you’re a perfectionist, there are visual cues to help you spot who’s still upset with your seating choices.
All of this contributes to the many little touches that keep Is This Seat Taken? feeling fresh. The décor regularly changes, once in a limousine, another time in a concert hall; but you also get to change cities; Barcelona, Brussels, and so on. The sweet thing is the décor in which you play is often linked to the city you’re in.
I found myself at the train station, ready to invade the London, and trying to rack my brain to find a seat for every passenger AND their luggage (we all know this pain right? Luggage).
At first, it feels like the different geometric characters just come on your different level randomly. And then, you realize that some of them are regular “customers”. They appear across different levels, and their story, their quest, I should say, grows alongside yours.
Honestly, I really, really appreciate the added lore. It kind of ties everything about this gaming experience, in a sweet and pastel bow.
Art and Sound of Is This Seat Taken?
Before giving my piece on the visuals, I’ll let you take a look at this picture.
Looking good, right? Don’t you feel your brain relaxing already? Mine did, with all the pastel tones and those little geometric characters everywhere. I mean, how do you manage to make squares and triangles expressive? You can tell what kind of personality they have in one go!
Sound-wise, Is This Seat Taken? opts for a minimalist and relaxing ambient soundtrack. The music loops gently in the background, subtle enough that you stop noticing it after a while, but not in a bad way. Instead, it becomes part of the soothing, almost meditative experience. It’s designed not to distract you from the puzzle-solving, and in that sense, it’s doing its job perfectly.
The soundscape complements the game’s soft pastel visuals: calm, warm, and just quirky enough to match the personalities of the little geometric characters. It doesn’t try to steal the show, but instead supports the cosy, low-pressure vibe the game is going for.
Conclusion
Is This Seat Taken? is definitely a lovely gaming experience.
It isn’t unnecessarily long, despite the game being fundamentally a puzzle, you get enough lore and background NPC stories to really immerse yourself in the game (yes, I have been spying on everyone’s tea. Don’t judge me, we all do!).
A chill, pretty game that makes your brain work without you realising it? We’ll take it!
Final verdict: I like it 
Do you like our content?
Subscribe to our daily news and never miss a review!