World of Goo :: Playstation 3

The drudgery of game reviews can sometimes be just that, lackluster, uninspired games make the whole process fog the mind. Sometimes the clouds part though and the sun bakes away the fog and a beautiful world is shown. 2D Boy is that sun and the world they have shown me, the World of Goo, is the summation of what makes games a unique and wonderful medium.

On the surface, World of Goo appears to be a simple but elegant puzzle building game. Each stage consists of using the goos available to get to a goal. This can be as simple as constructing a bridge, or as complex as infiltrating a factory. There are numerous species of goos and each has many subtle characteristics and physics that the game will teach with each seemingly more impossible task.

2D Boy clearly houses the greatest in level designers. With the simplest of camera cues and layout, the levels each clearly (as they want) give the player all they need in explanation without throwing out mounds of textual clarification. The level design communicates not only goals, but strategies as well. They communicate only enough that you feel quite witty upon completion and never as though you are having your hand held. This level of communication and proper technique building allows World of Goo to constantly change what you expect from the game play and never grow stale.

World of Goo has an art style and graphic sensibility that make playing such wonderful levels all the more pleasurable. The art shifts just as easily as the levels, going from bright colorful meadows to the darkest cold plateaus, while still maintaining a sense of cohesion. This shifting of art is not simply the flexing of a creative muscle, but a method of portraying emotion without words. Much of the story of World of Goo is communicated without words, and is done successfully.

To assist in this communication is an amazing soundtrack that already I have been hunting for, wishing for it to accompany my ears through this writing. The music appropriately fits every moment, from a boisterous opening theme to some beautifully haunting pieces. The music making talent should be tremendously applauded for mastering a full bodied accompaniment to such an abstract game idea.

The single player can be completed around the six hour mark, but this does not bring the World of Goo to a close. Every stage in which you exceed the required goal earns you additional goos in a sandbox realm where the goal is simply to build up. In the sky you see clouds with the names and nations of origin of gamers from around the world. The real challenge comes from building your goo tower taller than anyone else. This competition is much more addictive then you might expect. Unfortunately, my cloud is a little too low in the atmosphere, but give me time.

Welcome to a world unlike any other. A world where what it requires from you changes from moment to moment. A world where what you draw from it is constantly being redefined. A world that brings every piece, sound, look, and play together as an entire cohesive package. A world where artists follow a vision they care about to release a rare piece of work. Welcome to a World of Goo.