World of Goo combines phenomenal gameplay, style, and production values to rip you through one hell of a game.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Good:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Fantastic gameplay that is rooted in simplicity.
> Phenomenal puzzle design that never fails to impress.
> Enjoyable soundtrack and sound design.
> Interesting storytelling with obvious dedication to presenting pet-peeves from the development team.
> Art is engrossing in moments but always interesting.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Bad:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Sifting through all of the Goo is frustrating.
> Music is sometimes dull.
> Only four worlds makes for a short game.
> Lack of Wii-specific controls is disappointing.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Goo Corporation has a monopoly over the lives of the people. A set of pipes have been placed for curious goo to travel through that leads to the corporation, a trap. This is the adventure of the multiple types of goo that you encounter and their stories and the stories of the corporation and those who control it. The goo has a secret though, they represent the small developers versus the Goo Corporation which represents the big publishers of the world.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gameplay: 9.5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Essentially, you do four things in World of Goo: point, click, drag, un-click. That's it. Rinse and repeat it because you will love it. The genius behind the gameplay is not what you, the player, are doing, but what everything else is doing. Goo is a living substance that moves and shifts while you attempt to build the perfect structures. Simple goo only sticks to other goo while a different goo slightly spreads out and sticks like foam cement while still others fill with air like balloons. There are over a dozen different types of goo and each one adds to the variety and and excellence of the gameplay.
The level design is what raises this game above and beyond most other puzzle games. Creativity and ingenuity combine to create something familiar yet completely new, sometimes having a simple goal of building horizontally and then other times having to work in circles to finish a goal. Hints of the terrain are given by the sign painter, a clever writer that adds a lot of humor to the game. Read the sign posts, it's worth it.
Despite all of its successes, World of Goo has a few problems. First of all, the goo that swarms the structures that you create jumbles together making it difficult to make pin-point decisions. The same problem occurs with the accuracy of where you want braces for your structures. While this has nothing to do with the accuracy of the Wii-mote, it is still a frustration. Second is the lack of Wii-specific controls. It would have been nice if 2D Boy would have used the + and - buttons for zooming capabilities. It would have been nice if the D-pad was used for more direct camera control. These are small complaints, but valid nonetheless.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Difficulty: Hard
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your goal is almost always understood and how to get to your goal is almost always known, but the execution of it is where difficulty comes in. Shifting strategies are always needed depending on what situation you get yourself into. Fast reflexes versus careful placement. A balancing act versus creating a lopsided figure. Gravity always has its effect and because of a good physics engine, you can predict exactly what will happen with your goo. Always stunning, always difficult.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Graphics: 9.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dramatic art oozes throughout this game. It is simple and yet powerful. Something incredibly sad comes through with the art ironically opposite to the art of the always-excited goo. The game has an excellent and powerful style and nothing more needs to be said about it.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sound: 9.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Much like the art, the music is incredibly dramatic. When dramatic art is shown, powerfully poignant music plays with it creating a beautiful affect. When drastic fast-paced gameplay is wanted, motivation comes in through the music, not a time limit. Sometimes, however, strangely slow music begins to play during parts that need more of a kick. The largest example of this is the Goo Corporation where you only build a tower. The music here is dreadfully boring.
The sound design is also very good. The goo has some genuinely funny noises and the surrounding sounds are all very well implemented despite the lack of them.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replay Value: 8.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A good six to ten hour game with incredibly addictive gameplay, a co-op mode, WiiConnect24 support with the tower mode, and the promise for future content gives this game some legs. Because the gameplay is not all puzzle based and instead also challenge based, replay value is greater than other story puzzlers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall: 9.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
World of Goo is WiiWare's best game to date. It has everything you could possibly want from a game and is better than most all Wii games. The gameplay is addictive, the art is intoxicating, the music is fantastic, and everything else in between is every bit as good including the story. 2D Boy has a message with this game and people need to hear it. Buy World of Goo and support these small development teams.