The Word I'm Cautious About
I'm cautious about the word "charming."
It's a word people use when they want to say something positive about a game but don't want to be too specific. It's a word that sounds nice but doesn't mean much.
"Charming" can mean a lot of things. It can mean the game has personality. It can mean the art style is cute. It can mean the characters are likable. It can mean the game is quirky.
But "charming" can also be a way of glossing over problems. A game can be charming and still be poorly designed. A game can be charming and still be frustrating to play. A game can be charming and still waste your time.
I've played a lot of charming games that weren't well-designed. And I've played a lot of well-designed games that weren't particularly charming.
The difference matters. And I want to talk about it.
What "Charming" Usually Means
When people say a game is charming, they usually mean something like this:
It has a distinctive art style
It has likable characters
It has a quirky sense of humor
It has a pleasant atmosphere
It feels personal
These are all good things. They make a game memorable. They make a game likable.
But they don't make a game well-designed.
A game can have all of these things and still be frustrating to play. The controls can be clunky. The pacing can be off. The mechanics can be shallow. The game can be full of friction.
What "Well-Designed" Means
Well-designed is different.
A well-designed game has:
Clear goals
Intuitive controls
Satisfying feedback
Good pacing
Meaningful decisions
Respect for the player's time
These are the things that make a game work. They're the things that make a game feel good to play.
A well-designed game doesn't have to be charming. It doesn't have to have a cute art style or likable characters. It just has to work.
The Misleading Word
The problem with "charming" is that it's misleading.
When someone says a game is charming, you might think it's worth your time. You might think it's going to be a pleasant experience. You might think it's going to be well-made.
But that's not always the case.
I've played charming games that were a chore to play. I've played charming games that I abandoned after a few hours. I've played charming games that I wished I'd skipped.
The charm was enough to get me interested, but it wasn't enough to keep me engaged.
The Well-Designed Game That Isn't Charming
On the other hand, I've played well-designed games that aren't charming.
They're not cute. They're not quirky. They're not warm. They're just... well-designed.
The mechanics are tight. The pacing is perfect. The decisions are meaningful. The game respects your time.
These games might not be memorable in the same way as a charming game. But they're often more satisfying to play.
Why This Matters
This matters because "charming" is a word that gets used a lot in indie game recommendations.
It's a shorthand. It's a way of saying "I liked this game" without getting specific. It's a way of recommending something without making a real argument.
I try to be more specific. I try to explain what makes a game work—not just that it's charming.
If I say a game is well-designed, I explain why. I talk about the mechanics, the pacing, the feedback. I talk about what works and what doesn't.
The Test
Here's a test I use.
If someone says a game is charming, I ask: is it well-designed? Does it work? Does it respect my time?
If the answer is yes, the game is worth playing. If the answer is no, the charm is just window dressing.
I've learned to be skeptical of charm. It can be a sign that there's nothing deeper to talk about.
An Example
Let me give you an example.
There's a game called Wandersong. It's charming. Cute art, quirky characters, a pleasant sense of humor.
But is it well-designed? Mostly, yes. The mechanics are simple but satisfying. The pacing is good. The game respects your time.
Wandersong is charming and well-designed. It's a good recommendation.
There's another game I've played that was charming but not well-designed. The art was cute. The characters were likable. The story was sweet.
But the controls were clunky. The pacing was uneven. The mechanics were shallow. The game was frustrating to play.
The charm wasn't enough to save it.
The Bottom Line
"Charming" is easy to say. "Well-designed" is harder to earn.
A game can be charming without being good. A game can be well-designed without being charming.
The best games are both. They're charming and well-designed. They're memorable and functional. They're likable and playable.
But if I have to choose, I'll take well-designed every time.
What it does well is smaller—and smarter—than the marketing suggests.
Not a masterpiece. Still worth your time.
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