Mr. Saitou

Pixelated Playgrounds

Mr. Saitou is a beautiful and brief slice of life game with a charming world and even more charming characters. The success of its light-hearted tone is, however, underwritten by the seriousness of its premise. Mr. Saitou, is a salaryworker. He toils away in front of a computer screen for all hours, goes out for a meal he’s too tired to consume, and stumbles home in a tired, drunken stupor. Next thing we know, he’s collapsed and we’re in a hospital. After meeting a young boy named Brandon in his hospital room, he learns about a fictional character the kid has drawn named Mr. Saitou: a llamaworm who works an important job making buttons for the tunnels that other llamaworms traverse. After waking up in the dream-world of the llamaworms, Saitou and Brandon set off on a journey to the crystal caverns. Mr. Saitou, its worth noting, is a sidequel to another game, Rakuen, both of which were created by game developer and singer-songwriter Laura Shigihara.

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - The Little Things

Josh - Llamaworm Looking Glass

Clint - Lackluster Llama Drama