Parents' Guide to

Vignettes

By Neilie Johnson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Colorful puzzle game with obscure cause and effect.

App iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad , Android Paid Puzzle Games
Vignettes Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • Vignettes App - Screenshot #1
  • Vignettes App - Screenshot #2
  • Vignettes App - Screenshot #3
  • Vignettes App - Screenshot #4

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What’s It About?

VIGNETTES is more exploration than game. The only objective (if it can be called that) is to collect the random objects laid out in a series of still-life images. This is done by moving among menus and tapping/swiping on things until something happens. The idea is to follow each effect and transformation to a further one until all items are collected and all secrets revealed. 

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

In the spirit of games like Journey and Flower, this little app lets you immerse yourself in a colorful, lyrical world where anything can happen, but its meaning is very obscure. There's no story to follow, no missions to complete, no enemies to kill, no points to rack up; just you and screens full of candy-colored items waiting to transform. This can be frustrating if you're the kind of person who likes knowing your objective and wants concrete evidence of winning. This is exploration for the sheer fun of it, like walking through an ever-changing dream full of weird associations and not trying to make sense of it but just going along for the ride. For some, that might mean Vignettes isn't worth paying for, especially with the wide range of mission-specific, content-heavy freemium games out there. Those looking for a simpler interactive experience though, one without noise, violence, competitiveness, or a constant push to buy things, will likely enjoy taking advantage of this app's poetic, low-key flow. 

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about exploration games. Do you enjoy playing games where your objective is unclear, like in Vignettes? 

  • Think about games without point systems or linear stories. Without high scores and story twists, what's the reward for playing games like these? 

App Details

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