World of Goo 2

World of Goo 2 is a physics-based puzzle game about building 2D structures one goo ball at a time, sometimes precarious, sometimes steady, to reach the exit pipe. Through creative experimentation, players have to figure out how to best use the limited number of goo balls available to reach their goal. As this is a structure-building game, players are taught to think methodically when allocating the correct number and type of goo balls to solve increasingly tricky puzzles.

This game is a sequel to one of the earliest indie games released on Steam: World of Goo, with very similar gameplay. You build towers and bridges by dragging silly goo balls and snapping them to ever-expanding structures. It’s physics-based, with both simulated gravity and elasticity applied to the constructions that you create. Sometimes the structures fall or break from too much weight, so you need to rework them and use the terrain to your advantage. Finding out the perfect balance is key to reaching the end of each level.

Goo balls are color-coded, each with different abilities. Most of the goo balls from the original game return in this sequel, like the green ones that you can unsnap and reposition, but there are some new ones too. The most novel mechanic of World of Goo 2 actually comes from liquid goo, which adds even more physics goofiness. Strange bird-like heads can either spew the black liquid or convert it into familiar goo balls. Not to mention more mechanical twists down the road that test your lateral thinking.

You can get slightly creative and fool around with the system, giving it a sandbox-y feel. But the solutions to each level are rather straightforward. You mostly need to get a good reading of the environment and use the unique abilities of the goo balls in your possession. Then it’s all about execution, which is rather permissive.

World of Goo 2 has additional objectives for players who truly seek a challenge: retrieving an expansive number of goo balls, completing the level within as few moves as possible, and completing the level within a time limit — all significantly increasing the difficulty of most levels.

Though the game allows a degree of flexibility, inputs can be delicate sometimes, and the undo system is somewhat unwieldy. Also, there’s no settings menu at all, making accessibility rather limited. Within its gooey goodness, World of Goo 2 actually features an oblique story about industrial and technological pitfalls, mostly told through cutscenes and wooden signs with a mix of childlike wonder and irony.

This description was written by Hira.