If you love the satisfaction of renovating or repairing something broken, then Piece by Piece is worth keeping an eye on. I’m the sort of person who is quite clumsy with repairs. Usually, I’m satisfied with a slathering of superglue and an optimistic mindset, but there’s something about Piece by Piece that tempts me to try particularly hard to breathe a new life into my repaired objects, and maybe I’ll find a new passion and care for fixing while I embark on this journey.
In Piece by Piece, you’ll play as a little fox who lives in a mossy, oversized teapot in the forest. That itself was enough to sell me on Piece by Piece, but if that doesn’t convince you then maybe the satisfaction of its gameplay loop will. Rather than going out on an adventure filled with puzzles or quests as we’ve done with previous fox protagonists in other indie games like Tunic or Endling: Extinction is Forever, Piece by Piece is a far more relaxed experience.
Since your one job is to fix, build, decorate, and resell a selection of curiosities, you don’t have to worry about combat or upgrading any armor or weapons. After spending a lot of time running away from enemies, mastering various forms of fighting, and trying to make sense of skill trees over the last 12 months I am welcoming this change of pace. In fact, I’m welcoming the chibi character design and punchy colour palette of Piece by Piece with open arms at this point.
You’re not alone while you mend and redecorate these items either. While you work away you’ll meet various townsfolk who are keen to develop a relationship with their resident handyfox. Part of the thing I’m most looking forward to about Piece by Piece is the stories that come with certain items. I’m a sucker for a backstory, especially when it’s linked to some sort of trinket or knick-knack, which makes sense as to why this element of the game is the one I’m most excited about.
Plus, even though the main focus of the game is on repairing items, you won’t be limited to just that. You’ll also have the chance to flex your green thumb by maintaining a little garden, which is shown off slightly in the reveal trailer. Or, don your apron and bake cookies and other treats for the townsfolk you meet during the game. I can see myself getting obsessed with the satisfying puzzle-solving of piecing broken items back together, but it’s nice to know that I’ll be able to shake up this routine with other mini-games too.
Sadly we don’t have a concrete release date for Piece by Piece though, so my desperation to embark on this not-so-epic adventure of repairing heirlooms, toys, and various other beloved items for an army of animals will have to continue. Currently, we can expect the game to launch in 2025, but that’s all we have to go off.