World of Goo Review

February 1, 2009    Category: Nintendo DS, Wii Gaming, Wii Help, Wii Reviews    No Comments »

The video game market is being divided into two sectors right now. On the first hand, blockbusters, increasingly expensive labors and resources, imposed at the top of gondola by the marketing machine. On the other hand, independent games made by a handful of enthusiasts without money, but with love. Among those titles, there are sometimes a little jewel products. This is the case of World of Goo, just bringing a breath of fresh air on WiiWare, and it’s a great game!

Developed by 2D Boy, a young studio consisting of two developers (!), this puzzle-game might well have joined the overwhelming mass of anonymous, like too many titles of the genre. But it would not rely on the talent of Ron Caramel and Kyle Gabler, who clearly know what makes a good game; it is primarily a solid concept. The World of Goo is childish: you must bring a number of small black balls, the famous Goos, to the output of each level; a principle as old as Lemmings. However, the Goos are amazing: they are able to create links between them, much like atoms in a molecule. In assembling, it becomes possible to create structures such as towers and bridges, which allow you to overcome obstacles. So, the basics are easy to learn, especially since everything is done in a few movements with the Wiimote.

Kyle Gabler, the artist of the duo, has done an outstanding job. We will not speak here of dynamic lighting and bump mapping, just crude artistic talent. The world of Goos is a little jewel of inventiveness, even if we can see some influence by places. However, World of Goo has a charm.

The Wiimote is enough to move Goos and form a structure; we immediately understand how it works. But 2D Boy has managed to transcend this simple principle with a clever level design, which never ceases to surprise us as we progress in the game. The gameplay is surprisingly so deep. This is high art.

World of Goo offers 50 levels and it takes about 8 hours to be done with all of them. However, it can be very pleasant to return and try saving more Goos to build the tallest tower, to get the awards or just for fun to browse this haunting world.

Whether in music or small noises made by the Goos, everything is really cute, adorable. The sound is a frank success. A puzzle-game with a real story and not an indigent story, is it possible? Yes, World of Goo proves it. Yet the narrative is very brief, since it is largely through signs … But it works and it disappears quickly in the sweetness of this funny and poetic world.

World of Goo gives us a real lesson in game design and creativity, in words of art. What remind to the most jaded of us why we love video games. There is still hope in this formatted world and it feels good. What more, if not thank you 2D Boy?