Video games today are usually known for their large battle scenes or stealthy attempts to evade and survive hordes of zombies. But every once in a while a game comes along and reminds you that some gaming calm and relaxation is also possible — and necessary.
Cleaning and tidying up can be very meditative, and no game better exemplifies that more than A Little to the Left. Released last year, the game is playable on PC, Mac and Nintendo Switch consoles.
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Designed by Annie Macmillan and Lukas Steinman in Nova Scotia, Canada, the game delivers a serene experience that feels much needed as we navigate hectic everyday lives.
With 90 puzzles to clear and five levels of difficulty, A Little to the Left can be cleared in about five hours. That isn't where the fun ends, however, as unlike most games, which can be forgotten once completed, this game can become a staple players return to when in need of a moment of Zen.
The basic objective of the game is tidying. You will be presented with domestic scenarios that require you to either put things in order or clean, all the while a playful but pesky cat is trying to sabotage your best efforts.
Whether it is putting coloured pencils in order or finding a pattern in everyday house objects, the game allows you to tap into the part of our brains that seeks satisfaction from completing chores, without actually doing them.
Procrastinating over housework is something many of us are guilty of doing. So, we can all use a reminder of how satisfying it is to finish a task and this game rewards innovation, as most puzzles and tasks can have more than one solution. There is no one right way so to speak, you just have to start and see what you can achieve.
Calming games have gained popularity in the past few years, with the pandemic providing people with ample time to explore what they enjoy and looking to find a quiet escape from reality.
At the start of 2020 there was an explosion of popularity for Animal Crossing on the Nintendo Switch, which resulted in a short-term shortage of the consoles.
What made Animal Crossing so popular was just how relaxing it is.
For new players, the amount of work and hours you have to put in a game like Animal Crossing could seem daunting, and that is where a game like A Little to the Left will be a good alternative.
You won't feel too pressured by progress, you can just pick it up when you feel like you need to clear your head.
In addition, if you’ve become addicted to the Wordle format of games in recent years, with new daily challenges, you’ll be happy to find out that this game has a similar feature called the Daily Tidy.
Knowing you can return every day to be tested and try to clear a new level will elongate the shelf life of this game even more than most disposable games today.
A Little to the Left is available on the Nintendo Switch store for £12.99 ($15.70) and on Steam for PC and Mac for £11.86 ($14.50)
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Racecard
6pm: The Pointe - Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
6.35pm: Palm West Beach - Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (T) 1,800m
7.10pm: The View at the Palm - Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.45pm: Nakeel Graduate Stakes - Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
8.20pm: Club Vista Mare - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,900m
8.55pm: The Palm Fountain - Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m
9.30pm: The Palm Tower - Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
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