Chants of Sennaar is a great example of a game that reminds me why I love this medium so much. The biggest question this enigmatic adventure game from developer Rundisc asks is what would happen if you were dropped into a foreign world with no concept of its language. You see, the name of the game here is translation. Spot a new mark? Make sure to collect it, try to understand its meaning based on the context of its use, and eventually once you’re confident enough lock in a potential translation and see if you’re on the money.

In this story that centers around the mythical Tower of Babel, you’ll be charged with ascending the tower, with each floor presenting a new civilization to encounter, and language to learn. Whilst Chants of Sennaar traditionally fits into the ‘adventure game’ parameters, it rarely maintains such a strict form in reality. It’s very much an experience to indulge yourself in, and a brilliant interpretation of what a ‘puzzle’ game can really be if you’re willing to submerge yourself in everything it has to offer, I’d highly recommend avoiding guides on this one.

Where Chants of Sennaar really shows off is in its ability to let the player speculate as a part of their language sleuthing journey. As you build up your list of words from encountering characters conducting tasks, sharing greetings(?), or noting down symbols above doors, you’ll jot your ideas down in a handy notebook. From that point on, the word you’ve typed will appear in translations of said speech, regardless of whether it’s right or wrong. Such a mechanic allows for amazing lightbulb on or off moments, does it still fit outside of the first context you saw it in, or not?

You’ll find out the truth of your speculative endeavours at fixed points during the adventure, where your notebook will give you chance to correctly identify a set series of objects, actions etc. Drop in the correct symbols next to the right image and you’ll receive the ‘official’ translation. Great job, you’ve made tangible progress on your language learning journey!

Chants of Sennaar is superb at giving you these immense feelings of satisfaction, in a way many games that try to stimulate similar emotions fail to do. You really get the sense that all of your progress is because of you, and you alone, there’s no guiding hands here. It’s also a thing of beauty to see where your correct translations present themselves as slightly altered words, Lute equating to be a Bard for example, a wonderful presentation of our very real attempts to understand (and sometimes misunderstand) different languages and culture in our own lives.

It will entertain, it will delight, and it will inform, and by the time you’re closing the door on your adventure in the tower, and the notebook that has been so valuable to you along the way, you’ll likely find yourself feeling glad that you divulged the many wonderful moments Chants of Sennaar gave you along the way.