LostInTechnology

Independent Gaming: World of Goo

Posted on 04. May, 2009 by Luis Sandoval in Miscellaneous, Software

It’s not often that a game is released that challenges all aspects of our physical being. Sure there are great blockbusters like the Halo series, or perhaps the latest in a longstanding franchise like Mario or Zelda series. But on the surface most of these games are visual and entertaining. There is limited need for cerebral innovation on the gamers part, and engagement is limited, yet we have a passion for these games and rightly so. While those games have a place in my heart and perhaps my entertainment set, there are other games that are simply…majestic. World of Goo is one of those games.

World of Goo engages the mind, the eyes, your ears, and sends sensations running through you that are simply epic. The game is massive in scope and design and riddled with the simplicity of use. The key to this game being able to wrap your mind around the countless puzzles that come your way, but chances are you’ll be so enraptured by the design that you’ll quickly forget you’re actually doing work.

This game was first announced as a Mac application but is now cross platform. As a Mac user, I find the gaming categories rather limited, but as I stated before, there are time when real gems make it our way, and this is one of those rare gems.

World of Goo Close-up

World of Goo is exactly what you think, a world of goo, blobs to be exact, of many colors. It’s a world designed to challenge your concepts of physics and can flip your world around by giving you a gaming experience similar to the breakthrough game Portal. This particular game is not for the quick gratification gamer. You’re really going to put your brain cells to work attempting to figure out what the goals are. As the game progresses you will be given tasks that will be harder and harder to achieve, and in some cases the goal is not even obvious.

By sticking your “goo-blobs” together you will build bridges, ladders, towers, and all kinds of odd structures to make it to your goal. It’s a game where one mishap and it may result in you restarting your game. Yes, the frustration level seems minimal since every experience is different, and the game itself is fun.

The world does not lack in imagination, and the levels are done with obvious precision. There are a total of 4 Chapters, 40 missions in all, and the satisfaction of completing them is unbeatable. This game seems to have come out of now where from indie game developer 2D Boy. But the development did not stop at the visuals, the music that accompanies the experience is spot on with what you would find in a big budget movie. Gamers will find themselves swept away with the symphonic suite that will make the game more than just an experience of observation, but an experience of living it.

You and The Goo

I highly recommend you pick this game up. The price tag is $20, but it’s value in terms of gameplay far outweighs the money you will spend on this title. The game is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. You can even get the game on  your Wii, which I hear is amazing playing with the wireless device.

The game itself has won two prestigious awards at the Independent Games Festival in the Best of Design Innovation category and the Technical Excellence category. Join the waves of players that are already playing this masterpiece of a game and share your thoughts with us here.

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Tags: 2dboy, games, gaming, independent, world of goo