Letters to Arralla is a game we all need right now. A warm, whimsical reminder of the power of the individual. While cute and cosy in nature, it’s not only about living and breathing in a town inspired by Australia – it’s about how you can change your world for the better, one good deed at a time. It doesn’t matter if your impact is big or small. You will change the world by nature of being in it, and it’s your job to leave it better than you found it.
Letters to Arralla begins with a simple quest. You are a small turnip with a big job: to fill the shoes of the local postman for a single week on the island of Arralla, which is seemingly idyllic in nature. You only have limited time on the island, so at first, you begin your quest with a surface-level approach. You analyse letters for visual clues – a symbol, a name, a colour, or an image – and then match these letters to their intended homes.
But then, you begin chatting with the folks on Arralla, and realise their depth. You also realise the impact you can make as a small, bright-eyed vegetable buoyed by a real sense of hope and whimsy. As a stranger, you place yourself in the world of Arralla, and then slowly begin to weave yourself into its fabric. Visiting the local jeweller, a well-timed and innocent question unravels a tale of woe and disappointment in capitalism. Visiting the mayor, you hear of a grant system that may aid this particular creator.
You become the glue between disparate parts of town – an outsider, but one with enough objectivity and innocent curiosity to poke at existing systems and communication breakdowns, to be the quiet voice that brings people back together.
One standout moment in Letters to Arralla sees you repairing the relationship between two glass-blowing companions, in a dialogue that reveals the depth of their hurt, and the quiet ways they’ve been wanting to reach out, to bridge the gap and communicate better. You can be the one to ask questions of this breakdown, and to highlight what’s not being said in the conflict.
Your job is to deliver mail, but with each parcel, you’re also reforging connections, and delivering hope and joy, as well.
All the while, you’re travelling an island that will be well-familiar if you’ve ever visited (or if you live in) Australia. Each path is dappled with light from swaying, overhead trees. You see native flora everywhere you look. And in the morning, each step is accompanied by a currawong or magpie call – sounds that call back to walks in the countryside (or perhaps a rude early morning wake up in some regions).
It’s a lush background to tell the tale of Letters to Arralla, and to underscore its core themes: that while a world may be beautiful and peaceful on the surface, you’ll discover more of the truth when you get to know its flaws.
It’s up to you not to be a passive observer in this game’s world. You may sit and admire its beauty, but understand that appearances deceive, and you must be an active part of your world to find your place in it, or otherwise make a difference.
In Letters to Arralla, you are a small turnip delivering mail. But that’s not all you are, or all you should be. The game invites you to explore Arralla deeply across its three-hour tale, with great reward waiting for those who spend time, and follow each path to its natural conclusion. When your week is over, you’ll leave knowing you’ve made a difference, and that Arralla is better – more peaceful, more cohesive – thanks to your curiosity, and your willingness to be the thread that connects everyone together.
In a world that feels less cohesive by the day, it’s a beautiful message, and one that resonates.
Letters to Arralla is now available on Steam.
