Review: World of Goo
At a Glance
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How to Save and Pause:You have your choice of three profiles, but your progress is only recorded after you complete a level. To pause the game during a level, bring up its menu by clicking on the button in the lower right. Time needed per session:Some levels could take multiple attempts or a moderate amount of time to solve, so give yourself 15 minutes to half an hour per session.
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Does this game pose issues for Christian players?
 | No - this is a great game for Christians While there is a bit of gross humor, there's nothing here that's really objectionable. |
Screenshots
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/world_of_goo_0.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/world_of_goo_1.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/world_of_goo_2.jpg)
Game Overview
World of Goo is a classic - if sticky and sometimes gross - physics puzzle game. The basic idea is fairly simple: each level provides you with a handful of Goo Balls, and you stick them together in order to build a bridge to the pipe at the end of the level. Once enough Goo Balls have been sucked into the pipe network, the level is over and you get to move on to the next one.
As you advance through the game, you'll encounter new "species" of Goo Balls. Each species interacts with your constructions in different ways, giving you new options for overcoming the level's challenges. For example, the pink rubber Goo Balls will expand into balloons once placed. Once inflated, they'll provide some lift and help keep things from falling. Another useful Goo species are the fuzzy green ones - unlike the typical black Goo Balls, they don't become fused to the pile once placed, so you can stick them someplace, then go back and move them somewhere else as needed.
Of course, you won't just be building bridges - the levels also contain dangerous hazards that can pop any Goo Balls that are unfortunate enough to touch them. These include spikes, rotating gears and saws, and even fires and explosions!
Surprisingly enough, this game does have something of a story. The Goo Balls you're playing with are curious about the world, and as you solve levels, they travel to new places and the World of Goo Corporation develops new Goo-based products. This goes a little haywire in the later chapters, as the wild Goo has a tendency to get into unexpected places.
Overall, World of Goo is a fun little game that's worth playing through at least once.
As you advance through the game, you'll encounter new "species" of Goo Balls. Each species interacts with your constructions in different ways, giving you new options for overcoming the level's challenges. For example, the pink rubber Goo Balls will expand into balloons once placed. Once inflated, they'll provide some lift and help keep things from falling. Another useful Goo species are the fuzzy green ones - unlike the typical black Goo Balls, they don't become fused to the pile once placed, so you can stick them someplace, then go back and move them somewhere else as needed.
Of course, you won't just be building bridges - the levels also contain dangerous hazards that can pop any Goo Balls that are unfortunate enough to touch them. These include spikes, rotating gears and saws, and even fires and explosions!
Surprisingly enough, this game does have something of a story. The Goo Balls you're playing with are curious about the world, and as you solve levels, they travel to new places and the World of Goo Corporation develops new Goo-based products. This goes a little haywire in the later chapters, as the wild Goo has a tendency to get into unexpected places.
Overall, World of Goo is a fun little game that's worth playing through at least once.
Points of Interest
OCD challenges
While every level requires you to gather up a certain number of Goo Balls, this is actually the minimum amount: you can always collect more. In fact, if you collect enough Goo Balls, you'll be rewarded with that level's OCD flag, which can be seen on the level map. To see how many Goo Balls you'll need to earn a level's flag, enter the level, view the menu, and select "OCD".
Skip levels to progress the story
If you end up getting stumped by a puzzle, you have the option to skip it and come back to that level later on. This way, you can just enjoy the game's story without getting bogged down by the game's difficulty.
Saved goo can be played with
All of the Goo Balls that went into the pipe at the end of a level are transferred to a special holding area where you can play with them at your leisure. The only real objective in this area is to build a huge tower of goo, but it's completely optional.
Steam community features
Both Steam trading cards and achievements are available for this game, with only one of the eight achievements being earned through normal gameplay. If you want to earn the others, you'll need to complete the OCD challenges for every level in each world, and that'll take a lot of effort.
Considering that only 1 in 6 players have completed the story, anyone stubborn and skilled enough to earn every achievement in this game deserves to be proud of their accomplishment!
Considering that only 1 in 6 players have completed the story, anyone stubborn and skilled enough to earn every achievement in this game deserves to be proud of their accomplishment!
Concerns and Issues
Very mild violence
As mentioned above, the balls of goo aren't invulnerable. Getting tossed around doesn't bother them, but they can be popped or burst by various hazards, and sometimes this is even required to complete the level.
A little gross humor
Special mention should go to the white transparent goo, which can't form structures because it can only dangle like drool.