Inside is one of the two best horror games of the past decade (the other is SOMA) and Cocoon is a new game by the same designer. It’s not a horror game, though it does occasionally have a slightly unsettling atmosphere that I appreciate.
The world you explore reminds me of R-Type in its biomechanical design, and it feels both alien and videogamey. Puzzles are somewhat traditional in places but often feel unique and clever.
The orbs that you find in the game are both tools with unique properties and little worlds that you can jump in and out of, like a simpler version of Patrick’s Parabox. There are also occasional boss fights that are action puzzles somewhat along the lines of SNES Zelda.
I bought and completed this game on release day. Like Inside, it’s not particularly long but I think it’s just the right length for what it is and it’s definitely worth your attention.
If, like me, you reach the end and have missed a few of the hidden bonus puzzles and would like a more specific idea of where they are than the game provides but not a blatant spoiler, here is a list for you:
"Moon ancestor" locations
01 Off the Beaten Path - 14%
02 Mariner’s Breach - 24%
03 Mesh Network - 27%
04 End of the Line - 32%
05 Skin Deep - 46%
06 Different Destinations - 52%
07 Conduit - 63%
08 Cryptographer - 81%
09 The Space Between the Stars - 84%
10 A Perspective on Things - 86%
11 Loophole Maneuvers - 97%
i’d been interested in this, so turned on my xbox to add to wishlist and it’s on gamepass. i usually keep up on the new releases there, but that was a real nice surprise.
first 30 mins or so have been alright, i was hoping for a bit more non-linearity in regards to worlds/orbs but i’ll see where it goes.
The game is pretty linear. In fact, one thing it does is cut off areas and devices that are no longer relevant to you, so you won’t waste your time backtracking unnecessarily.
I also noticed that there are sometimes musical cues when you’re on the right track to solve a puzzle.
yeah, super linear, which is not the game i would have designed with these mechanics! even if i had felt pressure as the designer to make the game super accessible, i’d have least included some complicated post-story puzzles. but i guess that game has already been made, and it’s called Recursed.
it’s hard to criticize too much though because aesthetically it’s so nice!! even just moving around feels smooth and good. the little pitter patter of the protagonist’s feet is adorable. reminds me of knytt a bit; just good vibes.
