From Baldur’s Gate 3 to Sea of Stars, 2023 was a year packed with some of the best PC games around. But amid highlights like Diablo 4, Lethal Company, and the Resident Evil 4 Remake, you might have missed the fantastic Chants of Sennaar, an indie game from developer Rundisc. Rated an ‘overwhelmingly positive’ 98% on Steam from almost 12,000 Steam user reviews and a personal favorite of mine, you can now play it at no additional cost if you’re a subscriber to PC Game Pass.
Chants of Sennaar is a gorgeous puzzle game about exploring a tower filled with a mixture of ancient languages. Each floor brings a new style and a different culture, with its own language to figure out. If the idea of deciphering foreign messages sounds a little intimidating, don’t worry; they’re presented in a way that’s approachable rather than realistic, giving you more than enough to work with to solve the meanings as you learn more about each region.
The core mechanic is undoubtedly very satisfying, making you feel like the smartest person alive whenever a new piece clicks into place, and Rundisc does a wonderful job of tying its storytelling into your translation work. As you progress and unlock more details of each language, you can begin to connect the various peoples of the tower together, making gradual progress towards uncovering a central narrative. It’s also simply beautiful to look at, with each scene and color palette a feast for the eyes.
Chants of Sennaar is available now via Xbox and PC Game Pass. It’s included with your subscription, so you won’t need to pay any extra to play it. There’s a free demo available on Steam. If you’d rather buy your own copy, it’s also currently on sale – you can buy it for 25% off on Steam through Sunday May 19; expect to pay $14.99/£13.49 for that.
Alternatively, here are more of the best indie games in 2024, so make sure you haven’t missed any hidden gems among the bigger names coming out of late. We’ve also picked out the best single-player games on PC right now, if you’re after something new to sink into.
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