Critical Play – Puzzles

Gorogoa, created by Jason Roberts, is a puzzle game primarily available on PC. It caters to individuals who enjoy a unique approach to puzzle-solving and appreciate a mysterious storyline accompanied by amazing artwork. It’s a single-player game that presents players with a set of really interesting mechanics. Players have three main actions at their disposal. Firstly, they can zoom in or out by clicking on the plus and minus icons, allowing for a closer inspection of certain puzzle elements Secondly, players can interact with specific objects that have a glowing halo, indicating their significance within the puzzle. Lastly, players manipulate the four picture pieces, rearranging them strategically to navigate the game and progress the narrative. The ultimate goal is to rearrange the pieces on the four-piece board, enabling the characters in the game to locate the five color fruits and solve the mystery surrounding the enigmatic creature.

When compared to other puzzle games, Gorogoa stands out as a truly unique experience. The inclusion of four images that players must manipulate to progress the narrative sets it apart from conventional puzzle-solving approaches. Despite its novelty, Gorogoa retains the core concept of environmental manipulation to solve puzzles, providing a familiar foundation for players while introducing them to new challenges and perspectives.

Throughout the game, players encounter recurring loops, such as the butterfly attracted to light or matching stars to lights. These repetitions provide a sense of familiarity while simultaneously presenting players with new challenges, making the puzzle aspect of the game both interesting and engaging. The manipulation of overlapping pieces also adds an extra layer of dimensionality to the puzzles, enhancing the game’s complexity. Furthermore, Gorogoa’s status as a PC game grants it a distinct advantage. The game utilizes a cursor, which changes when hovering over certain objects, providing essential contextual and environmental information necessary for effective navigation. This feature eliminates potential confusion and helps the player’s overall understanding of the game world.

One particularly memorable mechanic in Gorogoa involves a dropping ball that passes through the puzzle pieces. Players must swap out the pieces strategically to ensure the ball remains within the frame, adding an element of skill and timing to the puzzle-solving process. This innovative mechanism highlights the game’s ability to push boundaries within the puzzle genre.

Additionally, Gorogoa excels in storytelling without the use of words. As the main character reads various “books” throughout the game, the pictures and illustrations within these “books” effectively convey the plot and guide players through the storyline. The simple goal of finding each color fruit provides clarity and direction, ensuring players always know what they need to accomplish.

About the author

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.