I'm not usually a big puzzle game guy but this game's beautiful and timeless. The puzzles and the variety of mechanics that they introduce as the game goes on increase in complexity but it never feels completely hopeless. And that's not to say you won't be stumped by some of these stages. I just think the freedom in the goo mechanics makes coming to a solution feel very natural, you're able to experiment a lot. The levels never feel samey or repetitive. In a lot of puzzle games I'm dreading the next stage but it's always a treat to see what's next in this one.

The story is simple but it presents itself in a very grand way despite also not taking itself very seriously. It's got a very unique feeling and the OST really helps double down on that feeling along with the art direction. I actually own the soundtrack on vinyl, it's so good with a lot of variety, all very distinctly World of Goo. I especially love "Red Carpet Extend-o-Matic" and "Screamer"...and every other song too. (The composer put up the whole ost for free download on his website btw) It's impressive how memorable so much of the game is to me even 15 years later.

There's also an optional area all the extra goo balls go to. With the goal of making the tallest tower you can. Not sure if the floating clouds showing other player's tower heights as you go are still working in any way, but I always really enjoyed this distraction and it encourages you to find better solutions in the levels to get more goo for your tower.

This game's best played on the Wii or Steam given it's made for pointer controls. Though you'll of course have to hack it into your Wii at this point unfortunately. It's on the switch as well and the gyro really isn't half bad but it's of course no match for using a mouse. Regardless, this is about as good as a game in this style can be. WORLD OF GOO 2 HYPE

Alright World of Goo; you asked for the truth, now here it is.

I love you: you're beautiful, you're charming, and I can't fucking stand you.

Some may look at your art style and see it as derivative, the amalgamation of Invader Zim-ian quirky-and-edgy joy through the scope of Newgrounds circa 2007, but I love it all the same; It reminds me of the best of times and the worst of times all same.

Even your music, simple and stylistically homogenous as it is, still brought a smile to my face...

No, I'll tell you the reason I truly can't stand you anymore.

I wish there was a nicer way to say it, but... It's your physics. Uncooperative, clunky, grueling, by any other name the word is just as true: My time with you was one of constant struggle. I would labor on marvelous constructions, towers to symbolize all you stood for, and a meager misplacement would have minutes of work, as many as five, or ten even, crumbling to the floor.

First, I blamed God, for forsaking me once more; then, my crosshairs were directed at gravity, the loathsome force; but eventually, I knew the true patron of my patronization.

It was you, World of Goo.

My towers, my creations, meant nothing to you. You would scoff at my attempts, laugh at my failure, and refuse to even glance my way at my myriad victories. It was you -- It was always you.

So knowing this, I have no choice but to part ways with you, wistful World, glorious Goo, Opulent of. You give me no choice, and your bitter banter at my behest broke my brain. Our time was short, but a single second longer in your company could only spell disaster...

Farewell,
Roxy S. Gaming

The game is oozing with style and originality - even all these years later it's still pretty much a one of a kind game. The presentation is unique, the design is full of surprises, and yet... the game itself is borderline unplayable. Pretty much any functionality you'd expect from a "bridge building simulator" is just not there. You can't move the screen with WASD or arrow keys, only by moving the mouse to the far ends of the screen. You can't revert a move with a click of a button, you have to find a flying bug (the amount of which is randomly limited on every level) on screen and click on it. Choosing which piece of goo you want to pick up is all wonky if there are a lot of them in one place and it can take a while before you manage to get the one you want, which also results in errors in your buildings which just shouldn't happen. The OCD (additional challenges for every level) are available only in a special tab in the menu and not anywhere on screen. And as a cherry on top there is no options menu, so you can't change screen resolution or the language.

I don't know, maybe I'm complaining a bit too much but there were MANY points throughout the game where these small things were really taking the joy out of the game for me. I was a bit surprised when they annouced the sequel a while back, because I think what this game could really benefit from is a remaster or even a remake. But I then looked into it and it turned out there actually is a remaster. A fucking Netflix Games exclusive remaster, so essentially a mobile exclusive. And you know what? Maybe that's the way to go. I honestly think the Steam version might just be inferior to the mobile (and ideally the WII) ones. The wonky controls (at least partly) seem to be the weird result of an attempt at porting the mobile version to PC with little to none adjustments. So unless you have a way to "properly" experience the game, I would treat the Steam version more like a historical artifact of sorts, as despite its shortcomings it's still one of the most important indie games in gaming history.