To a T review: This absurd game has changed my outlook on life

To a T is one of the strangest, most adorable, most heartwarming games I’ve played in a long time. The gameplay is simple, but effective, and it feels almost like watching a high-quality TV show at times. From the first “episode,” I was so invested in my character’s story, so ready to believe that it’s totally normal for a giraffe to make me a sandwich every day, and explore more of what this clever and creative world had to offer. It’s impossible to play this game without a smile permanently stuck to your face.

To a T is developed by uvula LLC, a studio co-founded by Keita Takahashi, the creator of the Katamari series. If you’re familiar at all with those odd, giant ball-rolling games, you have a sense of To a T’s humor as well. In the early episodes of To a T, I would have said that this game is far more grounded, and I don’t want to spoil what happens later on, but if you’re a fan of absurd humor, you will not be disappointed.

The protagonist from To a T, which you can customize in a simple character builder at the beginning of the game, is stuck in a T-pose, the basic pose for computer animators when creating characters in video games. Their arms stick out straight to the side and only bend at the wrist. This causes all kinds of unexpected problems in life, such as figuring out how to brush your teeth and how to eat cereal for breakfast, among many other things.

The gameplay revolves around repeating routines. Eating breakfast, changing clothes, and washing your face. Your dog helps you out most of the way, acting as a guide when you have a destination in mind, and hanging back when there’s more freedom to explore. But as the game progresses, you begin to uncover more surprising twists, turns, and gameplay.

Exploring This Imperfect Town

The protagonist’s hometown has a mostly human population. “Mostly” being the keyword there. Many of the town’s businesses are run by animals. You can buy new outfits from a rabbit or a bear. You can get four different kinds of food from four different giraffes. And there’s a crab that will gladly give you a haircut. This is the exact kind of charm you can expect from this game. It’s got a clever sense of humor that will suddenly get you when you least expect it.

Each food stand run by a giraffe has a mini-game. The first giraffe you meet has a timed sandwich-eating contest. The ice cream parlor has you leaning back and forth to catch scoops of ice cream on cones. There is no pressure to compete in these mini-games. There was one food stand I somehow never found before I rolled credits, and it didn’t impact the flow of the game at all. To a T can be completed in about five or six hours, but if you want to spend more time in this charming town, it’s easy to find ways.

One of the first abilities you unlock is the ability to spin like a helicopter and fly around. This comes in handy a few times for the story before your character decides it’s a power worth practicing. Once you’ve mastered it, you can explore a lot further. Collect coins, buy new sets of clothes, spend them on mini-games, and so on. To a T blends elements of adventure exploration games with collect-a-thon 3D platformers. This game is filled with completely optional side content that can keep you occupied for hours, between collectibles and challenges.

Building a Perfect World

To a T’s protagonist turns thirteen in the first episode of the game. It makes sense that someone living life as a T for that long would have clever solutions for how to exist. A cleverly designed sink shoots water upwards in a slight arc, allowing the protagonist to wash their face and rinse their mouth by leaning forward. Spoons, toothbrushes, and pencils are comically long to accommodate the lack of a bendable elbow. Not every detail is acknowledged, and it all reveals how thoughtful the game designers were about how this character would navigate life.

At times, To a T felt like a well-paced season of a quirky anime. It reminded me of shows like The Art of the House Husband or Space Dandy, but with a lot less violence. There are a few moments of danger, but overall, this is a comedy with a few dramatic elements and a heartwarming sentiment at its core. It’s not a style that will work for everyone; it’s very animated and silly, with humor that can make you groan as often as it makes you smile. If you watch the trailer for To a T, you will probably know by the end of those few musical moments if this is a game you will enjoy or not.

Aside from the world itself and the well-constructed story, To a T also features one of the best ensemble casts for such a small, short game. From the perpetually awkward science teacher Mr. Mushroom to the friendly bear that sells you pants, a boxing snail, and a crab barber, there’s no shortage of memorable characters. It doesn’t take long for even the early game bullies to have a change of heart.

What Does it Mean to Be Perfect?

The chorus to the game’s theme song repeatedly reminds you, “You are the perfect shape!” But To a T constantly plays on the idea of what the word “perfect” means. Every morning, the protagonist has breakfast cereal, but the flavor changes daily, and the milk is different each time as well. Mango milk or squid ink milk doesn’t always go well with a gummy or salty cereal. But no matter what, the protagonist is happy to dive in and see what happens.

The protagonist’s aunt runs a beachside diner with an entrance that forces people to wade through shallow water to get inside. The good is great, but customers who are willing to have wet feet are few and far between. The game’s title, “To a T,” plays on the main character stuck in a T-pose, but it’s also a common phrase to imply that everything is perfectly in order.

I worry about spoiling the game for anyone interested in playing. If you are interested, you should experience the story for yourself. But there are elements of the game’s climax that really drive this whole message home. I’ll do my best to avoid giving things away, but you have been warned.

Towards the end of the game, the protagonist comes into direct conflict with another character who wants to change things to make them “perfect.” I don’t love the way they introduce this character. Still, I appreciate how this person prompts the protagonist to think about and argue for imperfection—forgiving the bullies for being bullies, wading through the shallows to visit your aunt’s diner, and rewarding me with an achievement for seeing what happens if I pour the milk before the cereal. All of these imperfections are what make life enjoyable. Maybe there’s no such thing as perfect, and that’s the way the world should be.

Final Thoughts

To a T is one of those games that has a message that will stick with you for years after you’ve put the controller down. Obviously, it hasn’t been years since I’ve played it, but I get the feeling that this message will stick around in my brain for a long time. What does it mean to chase perfection? Can you accept someone or something, imperfections and all? Do I need to pick up every single coin in the hedge maze before I can move on, even if it’s actively taking away from time that could be spent enjoying the game? These are questions I have asked and will continue to ask, and To a T has shared some impressive insight on the topic.

While To a T’s gameplay won’t be the highlight for everyone, it undeniably adds to the overall experience. This story would not have landed so well if the player didn’t spend time pouring cereal and leaning forward to wash their face almost every day. To a T is an excellent example of the kinds of storytelling that are possible through interactive media. At the risk of sounding cliche, it’s certainly not perfect, but as the game points out time and time again, it’s the imperfections that make it worthwhile.