You won’t understand a single spoken word at the start of Chants of Sennaar, but in this profound indie game, communication is everything.

Five different cultures reside in a massive structure reminiscent of the Tower of Babel—and the only way to ascend it is by deciphering each of their unique languages. Play hide-and-seek with a boy to learn which symbols mean “find” and “go.” Watch warriors move supplies in their fortress to pick up “big,” “small,” and “crate.” Signs and paintings are also clues—and speak volumes about each culture’s values.

Stylized graphics highlight each society’s distinct personality. The Bards—a cheerful bunch who love stories and music—chat in lush gardens and stage plays in a sprawling theater. The dour Alchemists dwell in shadowy rooms, conducting experiments with tools and machines.

Over time, the game reveals its true message: These cultures need one another to achieve greatness. As you watch the groups fruitlessly attempt to communicate, you realize your role is more than just translator; you’re an olive branch that holds the key to a better future.

Real-world communication can be challenging—and Chants of Sennaar is a helpful reminder that the first step to getting along is to simply listen.

Touch and hold anywhere on the screen to see what objects you can interact with in a scene. It might highlight a secret doorway or something hidden in a tree.

There’s a clever Easter egg in a room to the left of the fortress entrance. The coordinates being transmitted in binary over the radio are those of a small village in southern Mesopotamia’s Shinar region—the ancient home of the Tower of Babel and the inspiration for the “Sennaar” portion of the game’s name.

Developers Julien Moya and Thomas Panuel drew inspiration from sources far and wide when crafting Chants of Sennaar’s fictional languages, including bandes dessinées comics from the 1960s, ancient cuneiform, and Viking futhark runes.