Few puzzle games manage to connect their central mechanic and their theme as perfectly as Chants of Sennaar does.
The best part is obviously deciphering the languages yourself. You start with symbols that mean absolutely nothing, then slowly identify individual words, grammatical patterns, sentence structures, and eventually reach the point where something that looked completely alien half an hour ago suddenly becomes readable.
That process is incredibly satisfying.
The first two languages were probably my favorites. They are also the easiest, while the third, fourth, and fifth layers become progressively more difficult. I eventually had to use a little help near the end because the last couple of sections were simply too difficult for me to solve completely on my own. Still, figuring out most of the languages myself was easily the highlight of the game.
What makes the game much more interesting than a simple translation puzzle, though, is how perfectly the gameplay fits its Tower of Babel inspiration.
In the biblical story, humanity's shared language is divided, people become unable to understand one another, and they scatter. Chants of Sennaar takes that idea and turns misunderstanding itself into the central conflict. Different peoples live within the same tower but remain separated by language, culture, assumptions, and prejudice.
As the player, you don't solve that problem by becoming stronger or defeating an enemy.
You learn how everyone speaks.
By understanding each group well enough to translate between them, you gradually become a bridge between cultures that have forgotten how to communicate.
That's such a simple idea, but turning language learning itself into the mechanism through which you restore communication and peace is brilliant.
Not a long game, but one of the most conceptually elegant puzzle games I've played. BTW I also love the art style.
