Have you ever wondered what the life of that seemingly placid old man on the park bench is really like? Developer Voxel Studios and publisher Noovola have peeled back the curtain on this charming, often chaotic, life in their delightful new adventure-puzzle game, The Bench.
Released on PC, this isn’t your average cosy simulator. While it promises relaxation, it delivers a surprising amount of mischievous fun, clever puzzles, and a whole lot of feathered friends.
The Pensioner Life, Elevated
In The Bench, you step into the comfy slippers of a spirited senior who has, shall we say, retired from the retirement home. Armed with a trusty walking stick, a notebook for doodles, and an endless supply of bread, your park bench is your command centre.
The core gameplay revolves around exploring a vibrant, stylised world and solving puzzles. But here’s the twist: you’re mostly bench-bound. Your solution to most problems? Pigeons.
Pigeons: Your Feathery Minions
These aren’t just background fluff. Pigeons are your eyes, your hands, and your very own customisable, feathered army.
- Command and Conquer: Throw bread to summon your loyal flock, then command them to perform tasks. Need a key from a snoozing guard? Send a pigeon. Need to retrieve a hidden object? Send a pigeon. They can even carry bricks, scissors, and yes, electricity!
- Customisation: You can dress up and name your pigeon pals, truly making them your best friends and partners in crime.
The whole setup is part adventure, part hidden-object game, and part elaborate prank simulator. You’ll be using your avian aides to tease park-goers, disrupt picnics, and generally create harmless chaos as you work through a larger, mysterious storyline hinted at by the return of past “agent” memories.
More to Do Than Just Sit
While sitting is central, boredom is not on the agenda. The game is packed with activities:
- Puzzles & Minigames: Beyond the pigeon-based objectives, you can dive into mini-games like solving newspaper puzzles, playing chess, or engaging in a spot of fishing.
- Creative Fun: Use your in-game notebook to doodle what you see, or enjoy classic pencil-and-paper games like Connect the Dots and Tic-Tac-Toe.
- Collectables: Work on filling your stamp collection like a true pensioner—a great motivator for exploring every corner of the park.
A Wholesome Blend of Chaos and Cosiness
What makes The Bench truly stand out is its unique tone. It strikes a perfect balance between being a relaxing, charming experience and a game that lets you embrace your inner mischief-maker. The colourful, cartoon graphics add to the lighthearted feel, ensuring that your antics are always fun and never mean-spirited.
For streamers, there’s even a fun layer of Twitch integration, allowing viewers to spawn raccoons, NPCs, or even more pigeons to influence the gameplay live, adding an extra unpredictable layer of fun.
The Bench is a fresh and engaging take on the puzzle-adventure genre. If you’re looking for a game that offers a cosy vibe, unique mechanics, and the chance to finally command a pigeon army, take a load off and enjoy the view. Your perfect seat in the park is waiting.
‘The Bench’ is out now on PC via Steam.
The Bench https://www.voxel.it/en
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