EDIT: SPOILERS ARE NOW OPEN!

Original message:

Welcome to the Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club Year 3! Our 12th game of 2024 is Chants of Sennaar. The target completion date is June 17, 2024.

We ask that until that date you use the forum software to mark any spoilers, either story based or mechanical, in the discussion below. Ideally the bulk of the discussion will occur after June 17, but if you want to comment before then you are welcome to so long as the spoilers are marked. We ask that if you leave a comment before that date you also come back to the thread after it to read other people’s comments and respond to them, though of course we cannot force you to do so.

All are welcome to participate regardless of whether you have stated a preference to or not and there is absolutely no commitment. You do not have to finish the game to participate but please let us know if you have not.

You are also free to come back any time after the completion date and share your thoughts! This club is meant to be open to all whenever you want to join in the fun!

You can find out more about the Unsanctioned Unofficial Game Pass Game Club or suggest future games for it here.

What is Chants of Sennaar?

An adventure game where you explore themes of language and communication in an alien landscape.

How long is Chants of Sennaar?

How long to beat lists it as 9 hours long.

I know I didn't play any of the last game, and I'm sorry for it. Look, it has nothing to do with Bluey not being voted last time, I swear. But this game I actually have an interest in*, being it's about language and communication. And such.

*Not that I wasn't interested in Little Kitty Big City. I even installed it on my PC!

@chamurai: There's nothing stopping you from playing Little Kitty Big City now and commenting. Literally nothing. I mean beyond the nature of time and our shared mortality, but other than that tiny barrier there's NOTHING!

Believe it or not as much as I appreciate your opinions and thoughts on games, and I do, honestly, after what can only be termed Peppa Piggate it's more important to me that I not be forced to play horrible games than that you play what you vote for. I appreciate the votes either way, but while I didn't love Little Kitty Big City at least it was an actual game. And this is one I've also been looking forward to.

All that's to say don't feel guilty for not playing anything. Feel guilty for inflicting Peppa Pig on me.

Not a GamePasser but I played this a while back and it's fantastic.

Started up Chants of Senaar. I like it so far. You're a nameless guy walking around this place translating words as you find them. Why are you here and why don't you know the language? Who knows? Hope I'll know soon enough.

The very first set of words felt sort of misleading to me because the lever reset to 'lock' even though the door was opened so I thought they meant something different until I saw the illustrations in the book. Wished it would let me keep my translations of words after I solve them. I prefer Buttheads over Warriors. tee hee.

Also they have smartphone-like tech built into their walls? Intriguing yo.

Spoilers are open! Go wild boys, girls, and enbys!

I got stuck on the second area cuz I'm a chump.

Also, I found some bottles but couldn't ask the Warriors to come out and play-eyaaaay.

But real talk, I like the game well enough, just wish I had a little more time to play in a single block since I'm spending, what feels like, a lot of time running in circles to the same areas. So before I can get an idea what to do, it's time for me to sleep. Then when I do get to log in, I gotta re-remember the Warrior area all over and heaven forbid I walk all the way to the observatory again.

Overall, good game and love the premise, just my personal situation doesn't allow for me to really dive into it as much as I would like.

If I had a head for languages, I'd be a classicist.

I find language fascinating. This is related to my love for history. How words work, interact, change, and continue being used is something that I am endlessly interested in, even if my ability to learn new languages is effectively nonexistent.

I have not yet finished Chants of Sennaar but I've enjoyed my time with immensely. The ability to easily take "notes" on what you think a word means, and then find the real translation is an extremely satisfying form of puzzle solving. My favorite moment occurs early on in the second area where you see new words alongside previously translated words. It reveals connections between words while also hinting that the rules of the second language are in some ways different from the first language.

I do intend to return to this game.