World of Goo

So every once in a while I go through the blog and do things like optimize post tags, review drafts, identify new design needs, etc. In doing so, I often end up going through some of my older posts. This time around while doing that, I stumbled upon an unfulfilled promise.

If you remember back in December I was very much on an iPad gaming high. I talked about Infinity Blade and Chaos Rings, and then I promised to talk about World of Goo the following month... but I never got around to it. So here are my thoughts on World of Goo.

Frankly, World of Goo for iPad has been a letdown for me in a way that is difficult to articulate. On the face of it, I think 2Dboy did all the right things. I think the game looks amazing, it sounds fantastic, and it even plays well, as many others around the world would agree. So what's the problem?

The problem is this: When I play games on my iPad and indeed any mobile device, I usually don't want to think. I want to relax.

Unlike gaming on traditional game consoles where I aim to engage myself, when I game on mobile devices, I often want to do much the opposite. Be it on my iPad, or my iPod touch, or even my HTC incredible, I find that when I play games on them I am usually looking to kill time or to unwind. This means that games such as World of Goo which require strategy and some forethought become less and less appealing the further I progress in the game.

Because as I advance through the levels, the game becomes more and more difficult - and the more difficult it is, the less likely that I will continue playing it. As a result, World of Goo got shelved barely 3 weeks after I purchased it. Every now and again I have another go at it - and soon after I return it back to the "shelf" feeling frustrated, and angry.

Now here's where it gets complicated. My two most played games on the iPad so far are Scrabble, and Plants vs. Zombies. Both of which it can be argued require some strategy, and both of which it can be argued require some forethought. So what is it really about World of Goo that gets on my nerves? I honestly can't say.

What I can say is this: That World of Goo definitely seems like a great game for anyone who loves strategy games. For me however, it requires too much brain power; and it has so far caused me more frustration than it is worth.