Untitled Goose Game is the perfect storm of internet stardom, indie creativity, and pure dumb fun. First revealed in a Nindies Showcase, Untitled Goose Game immediately captured the attention, and hearts, of gamers everywhere. The game remained in the spotlight until it’s release. It was launched with love and great reviews. During the 2019 Game Awards, HouseHouse even premiered a short spoof in collaboration with Disney and the Muppets! It’s a wonder that this exists and I absolutely love the culture surrounding it!
You are a goose. There is no plot, there is no set-up. It’s time to go cause harm and check items off of your to-do list. Controlling the goose is very simple. You can interact with items, run, lower your head to hide, flap your wings, and honk. You will use all of these tools in a variety of ways to mark items off and progress! When you’re running, you’ll turn sort of in a drift. It’s hard to explain, I’d compare it to early tank controls. You can turn easier by slowing down. I really liked the feature! It gave an extra element to running away!
Untitled Goose Game is, at its core, a puzzle-stealth game. You have a very limited set of abilities, but near endless amount of tools. You can use almost every item in the world to further your goal. None of the puzzles are too complex, but there aren’t too many that they give for free either. I felt the game struck a pretty great balance! There are quite a few puzzles, especially in the fourth area, that require too much waiting. There isn’t any indication you’ll have to wait so much. It’s just boring to do all around.
I can’t talk enough about the presentation. The art style goes for a “toy” look that gives off a child-like sense of wonder! The music is dynamic and will usually ramp up when you’re caught in an act! The entire game uses a simple piano, but it can genuinely come off as terrifying! Even the sound effects are brilliant. When you mark something off the to-do list you genuinely mark it off! Down to the sound of a pencil going over paper! There’s something so distinct about this art style that I think it’s already a modern classic.
The game is incredibly short. I beat the main “story” in just over two hours. After viewing the credits, you’re given access to two more lists. The “to do (as well)” list sees you taking on tons of challenges that involve items from all five areas. The “to do (quickly)” challenges are small timed events that will test your control of the goose! The timed challenges didn’t do anything for me. They just didn’t hold my attention. The other extra items offer a few more hours of gameplay that many will hold dear!
Untitled Goose Game is an incredibly concise experience. It’s a wonderfully crafted burst of comedy and challenge, but it’s no more complex than the surface looks. I would highly recommend this to those who aren’t too familiar with puzzle games. Maybe, even having it be a kid’s first! For as great of a laugh as it was, $20 can be a bit steep. If you’re on the fence, you should probably wait for a sale. Don’t forget to waddle down and pick it up on the next chance you get!
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