The title World of Goo is reminiscent of World of Warcraft, but the two are nothing alike except for the fact that they are both extremely addictive.
The objective of the game is to connect the goo balls so that they can reach a drainpipe that will "suck them up" to freedom. The small gooey blobs stick to each other if you drag them close enough together. This enables you to build a "web" of connected blobs.
Blobs that are not connected to the web move around on it. The catch, however, is that unlike sticks, the "strings" that connect these blobs are stretchy. They sway, sag, and even collapse, depending on how much weight each blob has to support. There aren't many difficulty options, but one can choose to play by the Obsessive Completion Distinction, which increases the number of mandatory goo balls that you have to save.
The game is hugely popular on the Wii, where one can play with other players. It was not developed by Nintendo but a private developer, and is available Wiiware. Wiiware is a system that allows developers to create downloadable titles for the Wii, which can be bought by users at an online shop.
Wonderful Graphics and Intriguing Music
The visuals in the World of Goo, like its music, is very original. A black silhouette is set against a colored background-- the atmosphere created is not necessarily dark, but rather mysterious. The music is quite unlike the standard arcade game-type music.
It is more lyrical and mystical like those tinkling Danny Elfman soundtracks for Tim Burton fantasy movies. It provides huge relief from people who are fed up with the upbeat electronic boinging, beeping, and pinging numbers that typically accompany arcade games. It would have been wonderful if the credits for the music were included at the beginning of the game.
A Lot of Good Will
For those on a low budget, the good news is that the entire first chapter-- some 10 games-- are available on the free demo. Since the entire game is 48 levels, the demo is quite long and it gives one a good idea of the game-- perhaps more than the developers should have given, because it leaves very little incentive for someone to buy the entire game.
Unfortunately, the game is somewhat story-based and there is little reason to go back and do levels you've already completed. Also, there were not as many levels as one would have liked; but since it is a Wiiware, it would be wonderful if the developers could upload additional levels for a small price.
A Little Talent Goes a Long Way
Surprisingly, World of Goo was developed by two people-- Ron Carmel and Kyle Gabler. The two of them make up an indie studio called 2D Boy, which is based in San Francisco. They don't actually have a physical office, however, working from coffee shops with free wi-fi, according to their website. (This website is also where you can download the demo.)
Both men were previously working with EA Games, so it's not like the game was an experimental product of amateurs, but they set a great example for developers, showing that people recognize a good game when they see one, regardless of who the publisher is.
Although most of the reviews of this game available online are for the Wii, the Windows version is actually quite attractive. Because it doesn't require furious clicking or interaction with other players, it is a great desktop game for when you get bored with work and want to take a break. Another amazing factor of this game is that it doesn't require any complicated controls or prior game-playing knowledge.
