Assemble With Care is one of the most relaxing games I’ve played in a long time. It’s got satisfying gameplay, stunning visuals, and wonderful voice acting. Everything about it oozes with charm, in a way where I can just see how much love went into its development. For only being an hour and a half long, it definitely leaves a lasting impression.
We play as a traveling repairwoman named Maria, whose most recent stop has taken her to a European city named Bellariva for their annual food festival. While there, she finds repair jobs to make pocket money - and she ends up meeting a cast of lovable characters, each with their own sentimental items that need fixing.
A big part of Assemble With Care’s story focuses on that exact sentimentality toward beloved items, and the personal stories we attach to them. The very first job Maria takes on is making the tape player owned by a girl named Izzy play again; we learn afterwards that it holds a recording of Izzy’s deceased mother singing her a lullaby. Each and every item we work on throughout the game is similarly important to its respective owner, for one reason or another.
Little Izzy is the first of our side characters, followed by her father Joseph, Bellariva’s mayor. They have your classic “busy dad” arc; he throws himself into his work because of the sadness over losing his wife, but his relationship with his own daughter is suffering because of it.
The second half of the story is made up of Carmen and Helena, a pair of sisters struggling to maintain their long distance relationship during financial difficulties. Carmen is warm and a bit absentminded, while Helena is the aloof and responsible older sister. Carmen owns a humble Bellarivan cafe that’s, unfortunately, not making any money. She calls Helena hoping to borrow the entry fee for the food festival (and by extension, the contest held during to be declared the best food in the city.) However, this isn’t the first time she’s asked for money, and Helena decides to visit from the big city to discuss things in person.
Assemble With Care’s overarching theme focuses on the reparations of these familial relationships as much as the items themselves; in fact, Maria must learn to address her emotional distance from her own parents after having left to travel. But this pinpoint focus on blood family is, unfortunately, the weakest part of the whole game for me. Not because it’s badly written, although I do feel the last few acts are a bit rushed and could’ve used one or two more levels. It’s because, as a queer person, I simply don’t believe that blood relatives inherently deserve to be called family and receive your unconditional love and support.
Izzy and Joseph, Carmen and Helena, both pairs truly love each other and work through their differences - but that’s not always how it is in real life. I find plots that hammer home how important family should always be just don’t resonate with me. Sometimes it’s genuinely better to not have those people around.
Another gripe I have on the story side of things is Maria herself. She’s a likable character, but she rarely feels like more than an observer who just happens to witness the healing of these relationships. We’re not even present when either pair finally make amends - we just hear about it later. I would’ve liked for her to be a more active participant in not just the gameplay, but the world unfolding around her.
All of that being said, I still do like the cast in Assemble With Care, and I think a big reason for that is the voice acting. Each character not only has a distinct and memorable voice, but the VAs do a great job of conveying emotion in their performances. Where the story is a bit generic and predictable, the VAs still manage to inject life into it; they’re what really make everything feel believable.
Just as good, if not better, is the music. In fact, I think this is one of my favorite soundtracks I’ve heard in a while! It beautifully captures the coziness of small town vibes, and maintains the perfect relaxing atmosphere throughout the entire story. Many pieces are led by keyboard, and there’s occasionally an acoustic guitar; in fact, a lot of them sound like what you might hear played at a coffee shop somewhere just like Bellariva.
The art is also absolutely amazing, presenting the narrative through a unique, storybook-like lens. ‘Cutscenes’ that play before and after a repair are actually a series of ‘pages’; each ‘page’ shows off a piece that truly feels like you’re looking at a real-life painted canvas. The color palettes are warm and full of life, especially against the standard stark white background of the ‘page’. The presentation makes Bellariva feel like a real place you’d dream of visiting one day.
That’s not to mention the stunning character art! Each cast member has an exceptional design, with bold shape language and amazing color combinations - the latter of which connect them directly to their respective family member. Joseph and Izzy’s clothing share a rusty red and sky blue, while both of their neck accessories (a tie/headphones respectively) are pale yellow. On the other hand, Carmen wears bright yellow and warm shades of blue, while Helena wears more cool, chic blues and chartreuse; these similar-but-different tones perfectly convey their familial closeness yet totally opposite personalities. Carmen also has a striped towel over her shoulder that matches Helena’s shirt closely!
The repair sections are possibly even better-looking, bringing motion to the game’s beautiful art style. Each level has a unique background that matches whichever setting Maria is in, from tiled floors to a tablecloth covered in Izzy’s doodles. The colors are, of course, as consistently wonderful as ever - and another specific standout here is the detailed lighting. In scenes taking place outside, the entire screen is well-lit, with only a few shadows casted here and there. If she’s inside, she’ll work in the light from each setting’s unique window. You can clearly make out the shadows left by not only these windows, but by nearby plants as well. It all adds so much to the atmosphere.
Even Assemble With Care’s pause menu is aesthetically considered, taking the form of a clickable coffee cup in the corner (or a half-eaten cookie in the epilogue!) But my favorite part is easily the texture work. The objects look as if they’ve been painted with a brush; their textures move back and forth slightly to bring life to them. You can clearly tell plastic from painted metal, and painted metal from unpainted.
The gameplay itself is simple, but very effective. It’s always clear what your next step is for a repair; the satisfaction instead comes from how tactile it feels to actually do all of it. Unscrewing screws, removing parts, connecting wires - it feels as if you really are Maria, with her practiced ability to make things tick again. Personally, I preferred this method to a more puzzle-heavy alternative. I was worried before playing that potentially complex mechanics based around a real-life skill (which I don’t possess) would be too difficult for me to engage with.
The best part, though, are the little interactions you or the other characters may have with an object while finishing up a job. It feels so rewarding to get these moments of flavor and character building. After you repair Izzy’s tape player, you get to hear her mother’s lullaby. While putting together a neon sign for Carmen’s restaurant, you can choose between three foods to add to it (a pizza slice, an ice cream cone, and a margarita.) You even get to play a quick and easy little minigame on a GameBoy equivalent after fixing it. There’s even more, but you get the picture, I don’t want to spoil all of them!
I also really appreciate the wide range of objects and types of repairs you’re doing. Some jobs are for antiques or family heirlooms, while others are for electronics. There are even fake brand names given to each object, displayed at the top of the screen after finishing a job.
There’s a surprising amount of good worldbuilding moments in Assemble With Care - even if it’s not very intricate. For example, the game almost never discusses money directly. All we know is that Maria needs some to attend the food festival, that Joseph will pay Maria for her work, and that Carmen’s business is failing. Yet, we never see Maria charge a client on-screen. These interactions are simply left out. This omission of the finance talk makes the game feel all the more cozier; you just don’t have to think about capitalism more than needed for the sake of the story.
To wrap up, Assemble With Care may not be a perfect game, but it has many strengths. It’s fun, it’s relaxing, it’s heartfelt, and it’s unique. The presentation is immaculate, and the gameplay is close to perfectly executed. I came here for a casual, calm experience, and that’s exactly what I got.
Its only real blind spot is a slightly bland story that doesn’t personally connect with me - still, it very well could you. It’s worth playing either way in my opinion, though, as its pros heavily outweigh any cons. This is simply one of the most charming games I’ve played in a long time.
Visuals: 5/5
Sound: 5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Worldbuilding: 3.5/5
Overall Game Score: 4/5 [4.2/5]
We play as a traveling repairwoman named Maria, whose most recent stop has taken her to a European city named Bellariva for their annual food festival. While there, she finds repair jobs to make pocket money - and she ends up meeting a cast of lovable characters, each with their own sentimental items that need fixing.
A big part of Assemble With Care’s story focuses on that exact sentimentality toward beloved items, and the personal stories we attach to them. The very first job Maria takes on is making the tape player owned by a girl named Izzy play again; we learn afterwards that it holds a recording of Izzy’s deceased mother singing her a lullaby. Each and every item we work on throughout the game is similarly important to its respective owner, for one reason or another.
Little Izzy is the first of our side characters, followed by her father Joseph, Bellariva’s mayor. They have your classic “busy dad” arc; he throws himself into his work because of the sadness over losing his wife, but his relationship with his own daughter is suffering because of it.
The second half of the story is made up of Carmen and Helena, a pair of sisters struggling to maintain their long distance relationship during financial difficulties. Carmen is warm and a bit absentminded, while Helena is the aloof and responsible older sister. Carmen owns a humble Bellarivan cafe that’s, unfortunately, not making any money. She calls Helena hoping to borrow the entry fee for the food festival (and by extension, the contest held during to be declared the best food in the city.) However, this isn’t the first time she’s asked for money, and Helena decides to visit from the big city to discuss things in person.
Assemble With Care’s overarching theme focuses on the reparations of these familial relationships as much as the items themselves; in fact, Maria must learn to address her emotional distance from her own parents after having left to travel. But this pinpoint focus on blood family is, unfortunately, the weakest part of the whole game for me. Not because it’s badly written, although I do feel the last few acts are a bit rushed and could’ve used one or two more levels. It’s because, as a queer person, I simply don’t believe that blood relatives inherently deserve to be called family and receive your unconditional love and support.
Izzy and Joseph, Carmen and Helena, both pairs truly love each other and work through their differences - but that’s not always how it is in real life. I find plots that hammer home how important family should always be just don’t resonate with me. Sometimes it’s genuinely better to not have those people around.
Another gripe I have on the story side of things is Maria herself. She’s a likable character, but she rarely feels like more than an observer who just happens to witness the healing of these relationships. We’re not even present when either pair finally make amends - we just hear about it later. I would’ve liked for her to be a more active participant in not just the gameplay, but the world unfolding around her.
All of that being said, I still do like the cast in Assemble With Care, and I think a big reason for that is the voice acting. Each character not only has a distinct and memorable voice, but the VAs do a great job of conveying emotion in their performances. Where the story is a bit generic and predictable, the VAs still manage to inject life into it; they’re what really make everything feel believable.
Just as good, if not better, is the music. In fact, I think this is one of my favorite soundtracks I’ve heard in a while! It beautifully captures the coziness of small town vibes, and maintains the perfect relaxing atmosphere throughout the entire story. Many pieces are led by keyboard, and there’s occasionally an acoustic guitar; in fact, a lot of them sound like what you might hear played at a coffee shop somewhere just like Bellariva.
The art is also absolutely amazing, presenting the narrative through a unique, storybook-like lens. ‘Cutscenes’ that play before and after a repair are actually a series of ‘pages’; each ‘page’ shows off a piece that truly feels like you’re looking at a real-life painted canvas. The color palettes are warm and full of life, especially against the standard stark white background of the ‘page’. The presentation makes Bellariva feel like a real place you’d dream of visiting one day.
That’s not to mention the stunning character art! Each cast member has an exceptional design, with bold shape language and amazing color combinations - the latter of which connect them directly to their respective family member. Joseph and Izzy’s clothing share a rusty red and sky blue, while both of their neck accessories (a tie/headphones respectively) are pale yellow. On the other hand, Carmen wears bright yellow and warm shades of blue, while Helena wears more cool, chic blues and chartreuse; these similar-but-different tones perfectly convey their familial closeness yet totally opposite personalities. Carmen also has a striped towel over her shoulder that matches Helena’s shirt closely!
The repair sections are possibly even better-looking, bringing motion to the game’s beautiful art style. Each level has a unique background that matches whichever setting Maria is in, from tiled floors to a tablecloth covered in Izzy’s doodles. The colors are, of course, as consistently wonderful as ever - and another specific standout here is the detailed lighting. In scenes taking place outside, the entire screen is well-lit, with only a few shadows casted here and there. If she’s inside, she’ll work in the light from each setting’s unique window. You can clearly make out the shadows left by not only these windows, but by nearby plants as well. It all adds so much to the atmosphere.
Even Assemble With Care’s pause menu is aesthetically considered, taking the form of a clickable coffee cup in the corner (or a half-eaten cookie in the epilogue!) But my favorite part is easily the texture work. The objects look as if they’ve been painted with a brush; their textures move back and forth slightly to bring life to them. You can clearly tell plastic from painted metal, and painted metal from unpainted.
The gameplay itself is simple, but very effective. It’s always clear what your next step is for a repair; the satisfaction instead comes from how tactile it feels to actually do all of it. Unscrewing screws, removing parts, connecting wires - it feels as if you really are Maria, with her practiced ability to make things tick again. Personally, I preferred this method to a more puzzle-heavy alternative. I was worried before playing that potentially complex mechanics based around a real-life skill (which I don’t possess) would be too difficult for me to engage with.
The best part, though, are the little interactions you or the other characters may have with an object while finishing up a job. It feels so rewarding to get these moments of flavor and character building. After you repair Izzy’s tape player, you get to hear her mother’s lullaby. While putting together a neon sign for Carmen’s restaurant, you can choose between three foods to add to it (a pizza slice, an ice cream cone, and a margarita.) You even get to play a quick and easy little minigame on a GameBoy equivalent after fixing it. There’s even more, but you get the picture, I don’t want to spoil all of them!
I also really appreciate the wide range of objects and types of repairs you’re doing. Some jobs are for antiques or family heirlooms, while others are for electronics. There are even fake brand names given to each object, displayed at the top of the screen after finishing a job.
There’s a surprising amount of good worldbuilding moments in Assemble With Care - even if it’s not very intricate. For example, the game almost never discusses money directly. All we know is that Maria needs some to attend the food festival, that Joseph will pay Maria for her work, and that Carmen’s business is failing. Yet, we never see Maria charge a client on-screen. These interactions are simply left out. This omission of the finance talk makes the game feel all the more cozier; you just don’t have to think about capitalism more than needed for the sake of the story.
To wrap up, Assemble With Care may not be a perfect game, but it has many strengths. It’s fun, it’s relaxing, it’s heartfelt, and it’s unique. The presentation is immaculate, and the gameplay is close to perfectly executed. I came here for a casual, calm experience, and that’s exactly what I got.
Its only real blind spot is a slightly bland story that doesn’t personally connect with me - still, it very well could you. It’s worth playing either way in my opinion, though, as its pros heavily outweigh any cons. This is simply one of the most charming games I’ve played in a long time.
Visuals: 5/5
Sound: 5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 4.5/5
Worldbuilding: 3.5/5
Overall Game Score: 4/5 [4.2/5]