Posted in: Games, Review, Video Games | Tagged: Double Fine Productions, game review, GNOG, Ko-Op Mode, puzzler

Playing Like A Toddler But Solving Like Sherlock In 'GNOG'

Published Tue, 02 May 2017 18:45:01 -0500

When you get a puzzle game that makes you rethink the way you approach puzzles, it can be an awesome experience. My first impressions of seeing GNOG footage from E3 in 2015 was that it looked like an adult version of a baby walker, complete with sounds and things to activate that would keep a dedicated person busy for hours. So I was really stoked to get a copy of the game for review as it was released to the PS4 this week.

GNOG is an interactive puzzler where you control a 3D object that serves as the level, which contains multiple puzzles and only one solution. You'll move the box around with your controller to look over all the sides and find clues on what to do to activate a certain mechanism on the object. Some are pretty easy to figure out, others can be a lengthy challenge—but everything has a solution if you just look for it and don't become discouraged. Everything is setup as if you're opening a brand new toy to play with, complete with plastic tag on the top to hang from a hook. After completing a box, you'll be able to move onto a new one in a row of challenges

The levels themselves are fun and entertaining. One of the early levels puts you in a submarine where you need to unlock certain valves to create a face on the back of the box. Part of doing this is taking a deep-sea diver and having him explore the ocean to find clues to unlock the valve. But you get the left eye from this puzzle, which helps you determine what else you need to look for to make it work. The genius behind the levels is that it makes you contemplate how the level works in principal before you can start working on the puzzles, so you can test things out and screw up before figuring it out.

The colors and design in the game are beautiful. The right kind of paint on the right kind of palate, the colors pop with a combination of base primaries and neon fixtures. There's a lot to the design that's overlooked like the use of negative space to make what seems like a very basic design look much more complex. But that doesn't mean these are super-basic creations—a lot of these levels had a key design in mind to make them feel authentic and not just some random object in your hands.

GNOG is a perfect puzzle game that anyone can grasp. There's something to be said for making a game adaptable to all ages while still presenting a challenge, and this nails it perfectly. There's also an option to play this using the VR equipment, which will add to the challenge as you fiddle with the box in the middle of a room. I don't really have any issues with the game at all, other than I wish there were a lot more levels.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!