A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars | PC DLC Review

July 5, 2024 Alyssa White

I adored A Little to the Left when it was released back in 2022. It was a cute, calming puzzle experience that sucked me in. Also, there was a mischievous cat. That’s always a plus in my book! This second piece of DLC, called Seeing Stars, expands on the base game, in both great and slightly frustrating ways.

Satisfaction With a Sprinkling of Confusion

Seeing Stars adds thirty-eight new puzzles to solve, but only thirty-three are available to play during the campaign. To unlock the additional five levels, you need to solve puzzles multiple times in different ways to gain Stars to access the bonus sections. These levels are similar to the brainteasers from the main game. You’ll be organizing drawers in one scenario; the next you’re lining up books on a shelf in a particular order. The new puzzles still retain the addictive nature of the originals, but these are decidedly more difficult than the previous game’s content.

The addition of interactivity to the objects adds a layer that can be both clever and maddening. Some puzzles would seem to be correct but I couldn’t progress. I’d soon discover I needed to press a button on an item to make it larger or smaller and then I was allowed to move on. It’s a cool touch, but when you can’t solve a puzzle due to something that small it can be aggravating. I also found a few of the scenarios to be illogical to figure out (even after finally giving up and looking at the solution the game provides). This was also an issue in the base title.

Are You Kitten Me Right Meow?

I know it seems like I’m being nitpicky so far, but I did enjoy my time spent with Seeing Stars. I appreciated the zen attitude the game put me in (even while confused), and the addition of most puzzles having between two and five different solutions is a cool new factor. It allows for more experimentation and chances to give your brain a workout. I also loved the fact that there’s not just one precocious kitty in this DLC; there are four or five! My crazy cat lady heart filled with warmth every time they made an appearance. I even tried petting them through the screen of my Steam Deck. I don’t think it actually did anything, but it certainly made me feel better.

The vibrant colors and soothing score from the original release are still prevalent, and this is the perfect game to pick up and play a few levels here and there to chill out. You’re never rushed and are even encouraged to slow down and take your time. Seeing Stars also brings back the Hint system from the base game, along with the option to “Let It Be” if a certain puzzle proves too difficult. Returning to one of these trickier sections and having it click after giving it a rest is a rewarding experience, so don’t feel bad if you need to utilize this feature.

The Final Verdict

It took me four hours to complete Seeing Stars’ campaign, but unlocking the bonus levels by solving puzzles multiple times easily raises this number depending on how many solutions you want to discover. The DLC gives you new content to chill out with, and most of the additions are welcome. More cats, extra stages, and multiple ways to solve levels are delightful implementations. The puzzles are decidedly more difficult this time around, but if you loved A Little to the Left, you’ll enjoy hopping back into this world. Even if you sometimes want to pull your hair out because a solution doesn’t make sense…

To hear me talk more about A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars, be sure to listen to the July 10, 2024 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast.

This review is based on a PC copy of A Little to the Left: Seeing Stars provided by Secret Mode for coverage purposes. It is also available on Nintendo Switch.