So to Speak

So to Speak

Released Mar 2025

Can you learn Japanese by solving puzzles? So to Speak is a game about wandering in Japan, looking at signs, overhearing conversations, and using context clues in the environment to figure out what it all means. No background in Japanese is assumed.

96% positive · 121 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence

Where to buy

Steam $17.99
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Evaluation

So to Speak launched on March 31, 2025 as a complete, self-contained language-learning puzzle game. The store description presents a fully defined feature set — over 650 words to learn across cities, rural areas, gardens, and temples — with no mention of future updates, planned DLC, or additional content. Following launch, the developer released a series of bug-fix patches through late April 2025 (versions 1.02 through 1.06), addressing softlocks, audio issues, translation errors, and puzzle clarity. The last recorded communication from the developer was on April 28, 2025. There are no announced expansions, no unreleased DLC on the store, and no developer statements suggesting additional content is in the pipeline. The game appears to have shipped as a finished product and has since received only maintenance-level polish patches.
Evidence
Store description presents a complete, fully defined feature set with 650+ words, multiple environments, and no mention of future content or planned additions.
store metadata · Mar 31, 2025 source content shipped
medium
Version 1.06 patch fixing dictionary search, audio, puzzle clarity, and minor issues. Most recent developer communication on record.
news post · Apr 28, 2025 source development ongoing
low

Media

Details

Developer
Publisher
Erik Andersen
Achievements
16
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Playable
Players
Single-player

About this game

Have you ever wanted to learn Japanese? Have you tried studying but feel like you aren't getting anywhere?

In So to Speak, you use context clues to guess the meaning of what you see and hear. Unlike other games and tools, meanings aren't revealed immediately. Every word is its own puzzle - to proceed, you must connect it to nearby objects or text with the same meaning. For example, you can drag a Japanese sign for "entrance" onto an actual building entrance located nearby or the English word "entrance" in the game's description of the entrance.

The game is a love letter to the Japanese language and the experience of wandering alone in another country. There are no drills, no fights, no minigames, and no distractions. The entire game is a series of situations, and each one helps you discover the meaning of something new.

Features:

  • Learn more than 650 words covering topics such as travel, nature, family, colors, numbers, time, and directions.

  • Explore cities, rural areas, gardens, and temples filled with signs and conversations to decipher along with clues to help you.

  • Grow your knowledge from simple words like "car" and "tree" to complex sentences like "The parking lot is for convenience store customers only."

Last evaluated Jun 22, 2026
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