World of Goo Impressions

Lee · Post by **Lee** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:43 pm

Sounded like my kind of game and the trailers looked pretty cool so I decided to purchase it.

Atmosphere is great. It really is like being in a Tim Burton game. Music is nice, the Goo is cute. The little cut scenes, ummm, not sure what to say about them, don't have it all figured it out yet, but I like where it is going.

There doesn't seem to be time limits so far, which is a huge plus to me. Although you are timed and I guess your score can be sent to a leader board but I haven't checked that out yet. You just build towers and bridges to get to get to the pipe at the end. Any extra bits of goo you didn't use to build are sucked up into the pipe at the finish area (the pipe). Each level requires a certain amount of goo to be sucked up. So the basic idea is to build stable structures as economically as you can. If you don't get it right the whole thing will come crashing down. Along the way there are various obstacles you have to build around.

Any extra goo is sent to a freestyle play area where the object is to build the highest tower you can. Other peoples towers are symbolized by clouds, so you get a sense of accomplishment by building higher than the clouds you see. This is all easier said then done since if you get it slightly unbalanced it will all come thundering down.

Seems like a nice little puzzle game so far. Very well done and polished. Only drawback is you can't change the resolution so it's not as sharp as it could be.

ChrisGrenard · Post by **ChrisGrenard** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:23 pm

As is evidenced by my site, I *love* World of Goo. World 2 in particular is neat, I think.

tals · Post by **tals** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 6:36 pm

Really enjoying it here - my 12 year old daughter is also loving the game. Great music and high production values from this small developer.

Tals

Padre · Post by **Padre** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:14 pm

A strong candidate for my game of the year.

Beautiful, twisted, clever, charming, slick, fluid, effortless in play but no less enjoyable for that. Inspired.

Buy it.

ChrisGrenard · Post by **ChrisGrenard** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:20 pm

It looks like myself and some other users were able to twist the arms of the developers enough that we're getting a demo as of tomorrow. I'll be mirroring it to help out, so I'll post it here when it goes up.

Padre · Post by **Padre** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:35 pm

Yay for demo!

I'm trying and retrying the level on World 3 where

Spoiler:

Chaz · Post by **Chaz** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:42 pm

I just played through most (I think) of world 1. I really like it so far. The Tower of Goo level was fairly tricky, in no small part because of the fairly misleading hint sign that says to build as fast as you can. While that might enable you to get the most goos out, it also takes a ton of dumb luck. I spent a long while trying to click quickly only to realize that a larger, better planned structure would work better.

I have some niggles, like I wish that you could scroll the level with the arrow or WASD keys, and having different resolutions would be nice. Apparently you can muck in a config file, but that seems to cause problems.

That said, I like everything else. It's like Pontifex with better art direction and a ton more variety. I can't imagine playing this on the Wii. Even though the Wiimote is far more suited to this than the PS360, this was definitely developed for the PC. Definitely recommended. Also, it's available on Steam as well.

ChrisGrenard · Post by **ChrisGrenard** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:43 pm

World of Goo Demo! Hosted by yours truly.

ChrisGrenard · Post by **ChrisGrenard** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:45 pm

Also, Chaz, take your time on the base, but when you're within about a screen length of the top just start building fast and use the suction from the pipe to hold your structure up.

Lee · Post by **Lee** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:48 pm

ChrisGrenard wrote:Also, Chaz, take your time on the base, but when you're within about a screen length of the top just start building fast and use the suction from the pipe to hold your structure up.

I just quit that level in frustration, because like Chaz I was trying to build quickly from the beginning like the sign said.

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 1:32 am

I'm not really into physics/builder games, but I love the art design and music so I may get this anyway.

Padre · Post by **Padre** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:12 am

Freezer: this game totally isn't about the mechanics. While building stuff out of triangles is a fair bit of what you actually do in the game - the variations on the formula are profound and frequent. Each level has a different concept, and they tend to become larger and larger departures from the premise as the game goes on. There's always something new.

And it's just gorgeous and captivating and weird and has the best original music in a videogame since... yeesh, I dunno.

tals · Post by **tals** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:19 am

ChrisGrenard wrote:World of Goo Demo! Hosted by yours truly.

What does the Demo contain out of interest - is it chapter 1?

Tals

Padre · Post by **Padre** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 2:45 am

Yes, it's chapter 1.

tals · Post by **tals** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:12 am

Padre wrote:Yes, it's chapter 1.

That is a seriously good demo then! Well recommended.

ChrisGrenard · Post by **ChrisGrenard** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:21 am

Yeah, I don't want to say much about it, but the game is much more diverse than I would have thought going in. It's one of those games, like Portal, where you get done and want more game to be there. And, so I've been told, that's how you want your audience to feel.

ScaryMike · Post by **ScaryMike** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 5:29 pm

Chaz wrote: I can't imagine playing this on the Wii. Even though the Wiimote is far more suited to this than the PS360, this was definitely developed for the PC. Definitely recommended. Also, it's available on Steam as well.

I'm playing it on the Wii and loving it (just started chapter 3). I can't compare it to the PC version, as I don't have it. I'll try out the demo and see if I can do a comparision report.

But its pretty much perfect on the wii, in my opinion. With the one exception that I can't figure out how to quit the game without powering off the machine. There is no exit menu! (that I can find).

Lee · Post by **Lee** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 7:57 pm

ScaryMike wrote:But its pretty much perfect on the wii, in my opinion. With the one exception that I can't figure out how to quit the game without powering off the machine. There is no exit menu! (that I can find).

You can't you just hit the home button on the remote like every other game?

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 9:20 pm

Try the home button on the Wiimote, Mike.

Well the OOFE hit me and I picked this up tongiht--just finished Chapter 1. Very neat game.

ScaryMike · Post by **ScaryMike** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:19 am

Lee wrote:
ScaryMike wrote:But its pretty much perfect on the wii, in my opinion. With the one exception that I can't figure out how to quit the game without powering off the machine. There is no exit menu! (that I can find).
You can't you just hit the home button on the remote like every other game?

Yeah. I'm slow.

ScaryMike · Post by **ScaryMike** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 11:43 am

OK. After playing the Wii version(to completion), and the PC demo, here are my comparison thoughts.

They are virtually the same game. The biggest differences are as such:

1. On the PC you have better precision of goo placement. For example, its easier to place a goo ball at its furthest distance possible. The mouse is a easier device to use than the Wiimote for this. The difference is small enough as to not really matter to much.
2. You have the option to submit scores to a leader board on the PC.
3. You can see names of players in "Wold of Goo Corporation" part of the game. The floating clouds in the Wii version have no names (only heights and country), as the game doesn't allow you to name profiles for some reason.
4. Wii has mutiplayer mode for up to 4 players. No mutiplayer on the PC
5. The Wii version is 5 dollars cheaper.

Anyhow, I'm not advocating either as better than the other. I only got the Wii version because I knew my wife would enjoy it (and she doesn't use the computer for games).

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 3:06 pm

This game is so clever and so much fun.

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 11:35 am

I had no game time this weekend, but I'm going to buy this when I get home tonight.

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:53 am

I got the game and played through most of the first chapter. It was extremely enjoyable and kind of relaxing. The art and music are top notch.

I am Freezer-TPF- and I approve this message.

lch · Post by **lch** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:57 pm

I hope you're all aware that this is "just" a beefed-up version of the FantasticContraption engine.

ChrisGrenard · Post by **ChrisGrenard** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 10:57 pm

lch wrote:I hope you're all aware that this is "just" a beefed-up version of the FantasticContraption engine.

Gonna have to disagree with you there. You may as well say that this game is just Armadillo Run with goo.

Just because "physics" are involved to not the same game make.

Chesspieceface · Post by **Chesspieceface** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:43 pm

ChrisGrenard wrote:
lch wrote:I hope you're all aware that this is "just" a beefed-up version of the FantasticContraption engine.
Gonna have to disagree with you there. You may as well say that this game is just Armadillo Run with goo.

Just because "physics" are involved to not the same game make.

Yeah I hadn't heard of that browser game so I just spent 45 mins with it, its fun... but its nothing like WoG aside from being a physics puzzle game in general.

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 11:43 pm

Goo has been around longer anyways. I saw it three years ago here. I've got a couple of fun time wasters from that site.

lch · Post by **lch** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:11 pm

I didn't want to undervalue the World of Goo, which seems to have lots more nice things in it, just wanted to point out that some of it can already be gotten for free as a browser game on the internet.

ChrisGrenard · Post by **ChrisGrenard** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:16 pm

lch wrote:I didn't want to undervalue the World of Goo, which seems to have lots more nice things in it, just wanted to point out that some of it can already be gotten for free as a browser game on the internet.

No, none of it can be gotten from that game. They're totally different. And I say this as someone who has played both to completion.

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:22 pm

ChrisGrenard wrote:
lch wrote:I didn't want to undervalue the World of Goo, which seems to have lots more nice things in it, just wanted to point out that some of it can already be gotten for free as a browser game on the internet.
No, none of it can be gotten from that game. They're totally different. And I say this as someone who has played both to completion.

I haven't finished both - I'm halfway through Goo, and too dumb to get through Fantastic Contraption - but Chris is correct. They both fall within the same genre, physics-based puzzle games, but they are completely different games.

ChrisGwinn · Post by **ChrisGwinn** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:26 pm

So..... My dad wants a Wii for Christmas. I don't know if he's owned a video game since a golf game on the 386. We'll definitely get him Wii sports, and probably a fancier golf game, but I really want to get him something cool but not remotely hardcore. He enjoys building things, but has no grounding in video games.

Would this be a good choice? The other leading contender is Boom Box.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:37 pm

I think it could work. The requirements to beat each level aren't too brutal (OCD awards are another story, but they're optional).

Tscott · Post by **Tscott** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 12:29 pm

I bit the bullet on this. Finished the demo a couple days ago- the Tower of Goo level was the big hold up in finishing it- and the final level of chapter one was the one that sealed the deal for me.

I wish it was a little more customizable (music volume control, screen resolution) but overall it's an impressive game so far.

One problem, sometimes when I'm backing out to the main menu, I get a screen that just has music playing and blobs zipping off to the right and I can't escape from it unless I ctrl-alt-del. Anyone else see this and know what's going on?

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 1:01 pm

The look, feel, and sound of this game reminds me a lot of Psychonauts.

tals · Post by **tals** » Sat Oct 25, 2008 4:04 pm

I'm currently on chapter 2 doing the red carpet level. The sound/music and graphics are spot on.

Red Carpert Sound track - sound track only so no spoilers, the actual thing with flashes going off etc is brilliant
" target="_blank

Haven't been so immersed in a puzzle game since Portal. Wheras Armidillo run frustrated - World of Goo never does

Tals

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:36 pm

I had a lot of fun with the demo last night and just now. Maybe if it drops to $10....

Sepiche · Post by **Sepiche** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:20 am

I'm not usually a puzzle guy, but I grabbed this and finished it the day I got it. Really cute little game. Needs more content, but it was fun. The only level I got stuck on for any length was the level where you had to destroy the large head. Even once I figured out the trick it took a little time to get that one just right.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:20 pm

FWIW, there is talk of add-on chapters via DLC. I could see paying $5 for new chapter(s).

tals · Post by **tals** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 7:41 pm

Zaxxon wrote:FWIW, there is talk of add-on chapters via DLC. I could see paying $5 for new chapter(s).

I'd pay $5 a chapter if they were to this level of quality