World of Goo 2

Goo-d enough for two

- KERRY BRUNSKILL

IT HAS BEEN 16 YEARS since World of Goo squidged its way into our hearts and hard drives. The much-loved physics-based puzzle game was one of modern indie gaming's earliest and biggest successes, but a lot has changed since then.

Polished games from unfamiliar studios with barely a dozen staff members aren't some headline-grabbing curiosity anymore. They're absolutely everywhere, all the time. They're often discounted, bundled up, and at times even given away for free. Who needs more World of Goo, then, when the original was lovely and creative, and very much done and dusted years ago? Me, actually. I do. We all do, really.

Playing this game is a lot like catching up with an old friend. It looks, feels, and plays in much the same way it did before. Everything from the artistic stage select design to more than a few goo types, environmental hazards, and puzzle pieces call back to the original gooey head-scratcher.