If you are a puzzle-lover looking for a way to kick back and relax, Big Fish Games has recently released a full collector’s edition of Lots of Things, a title filled with a unique variety of low stakes puzzles and challenges. The collector’s edition has newly added puzzles, wallpapers, a “layers mode,” minigames, as a well as an in-game music player. With such a variety of fun experiences, there is certainly something for everyone.
This title is available on the Nintendo Switch as of March 29th, 2024. It will be released on Steam on May 17th.
I spy with my little eye . . .
Lots of Things Collector’s Edition . . . certainly has lots and lots of things. The aesthetic of this title is warm and relaxing, with a cluttercore vibe. The very first puzzle of the game takes place within a farm setting, featuring a hodgepodge of items in which players are tasked with finding certain hidden objects among them (such as an oiler, axe, and basket).
This game features four puzzles and minigames per theme, and these themes include a farm setting, a medieval setting, a car theme, holiday themes, et cetera. The collector’s edition offers additional themes and locations, such as an antique shop and underwater levels. Unfortunately, however, these levels cannot be accessed until players get through all of the main game’s puzzles.
Luckily, there are loads of different puzzle types to try out, preventing the game from becoming repetitive and monotonous. There are hidden-object puzzles, spot the differences, matching item pairs, arrangement puzzles, and more. Lots of Things has virtually no stakes nor pressure. There is is no time limit nor punishment for mistakes, and players can request hints whenever needed, so you can easily go at your own pace. The difficulty of the puzzles vary slightly, but overall they are of mild difficulty and rather easy to solve. There are certain minigames that can be a bit confusing at first if you have never played something like it before, but after a short while it becomes easier to figure out. For example, I never could quite understand the mechanics of the farm’s arrangement minigame, but I just sort of randomly moved things around until I unintentionally solved it.
Sweet and mild challenges
Lots of Things looks visually pleasing and functions smoothly (on the Nintendo Switch at least). While the level designs appear overwhelmingly messy at first, that is simply its aesthetic: the overlapping of items is what provides the game with its degree of difficulty. The colors of the settings are nice and the designs look like vintage, bohemian photographs. The soundtrack is chill, and with the collector’s edition, players can listen to the music with the in-game music player.
Certain puzzles may also award players with wallpapers, which they can view in the “collection of puzzles” section. The images are a cute little bonus feature, and players are free to use them as phone or pc backgrounds.
While the game looks and sounds nice and consistent, Lots of Things is not exactly memorable. This title could benefit from a higher quantity of puzzles; and I personally blasted through them in less than two and a half hours. I would have hoped that the collector’s edition would add a considerable amount of gameplay time, but the extra five themes/locations are just as simple and quick as the main game. Lots of Things has no storyline or anything, and just kind of ends–you burn though it quickly.
Final thoughts
There is not too much to say about this title. Overall, it is an adequate puzzle game suitable for those looking for a quick and casual experience. Lots of Things does offer a unique variety of puzzles that are fun to complete, but the game is overall short and incredibly easy. The wallpapers are pretty enough but not necessarily mesmerizing, and the soundtrack is fine but not something I would otherwise listen to outside of this game.
With these features, paired along with its cluttered aesthetic, I think Lots of Things Collector’s Edition appears to look more like a mobile game. Frankly, it may be more suitable in that format. There are many hidden objects games out there with varying quality. Lots of Things Collector’s Edition is . . . alright amongst them. If you are bored and looking for mild stimulation, then this title is a great option.
