Game of the week: Gorogoa

Technically, Gorogoa came out last week, while I was writing my overview of Oddworld: New n' Tasty, but the game is truly a masterpiece and I couldn't live with myself if I skipped over it for a second time.

Although Gorogoa went live just under the wire, it's easily one of my favorite games of 2017, and you can bet your bottom dollar I will be telling everyone I know to play it.

$4.99 - Download Now

Big concept

I think the most difficult part about trying to tell you how fantastic Gorogoa is to play, is that the concept behind the game sounds unbelievable. A hand-drawn puzzle game where you're tasked with moving people, buildings, fruit, and various other objects across four comic book-like panels that transcend time and space. Is your head spinning yet? Add in the fact that there is absolutely no dialogue, the game starts with no instructions or tutorial, and you have yourself one confusing game to pitch to somebody.

When I first looked into the game this past weekend, I was even unsure of what I was getting myself into; it was only after I played Gorogoa that I understood it was all part of the beauty. Sure, throwing you into a puzzle game with absolutely no instructions on how the gameplay mechanics work sounds frustrating, but the game does such an amazing job at letting you learn the mechanics on your own, you won't even feel frustrated. The entire design of the gameplay feels very natural and when you solve one piece of the puzzle, you feel like you learned something about the game at the same time.

Stunning artwork

A lot of the beauty in Gorogoa comes from the hand-drawn artwork that was all done by the game's creator Jason Roberts. Not only is every panel you come across in the game extremely intricate, every minor detail could be important.

Solving all the puzzles throughout the game forces you explore every inch of each image, tapping on everything you think might be important, or dragging every element across the screen to see if the image will split in two. Every time I looked at a panel. I saw something new, so when I found myself stuck on a challenge it made exploring the images in front of you fun and exciting.

High praise from the industry

I'm not the only one who thinks this game is fantastic. In fact, Ryan Cash — the founder of Snowman, the development team behind Alto's Adventure — tweeted about how much he loved the game.

This is just one example of the high praise Gorogoa has been receiving, and if there's anything I have learned in my time as a gamer and game reviewer, developers usually have the best game recommendations!

Play Gorogoa

Typically, I don't give out ratings to the games I highlight every week, but I'm breaking my rule and telling you that Gorogoa is a 10/10.

The entire time I played the game I was in a constant state of amazement and what was happening before me. This is a must own game for any iOS user, and offers a well-design, impactful, and beautiful gameplay experience.

$4.99 - Download Now

Have you played Gorogoa?

Let me know in the comments down below what you think of Gorogoa!

Other games this week

Sonic Runners Adventure: Everyone's favorite hedgehog and his trusty friends will be running on an iPhone screen near you! $2.99 on the App Store.

Bridge Constructor Portal: It's time to start thinking with portals! This hilarious combination of Portals game play mixed with bridge constructor. $4.99 on the App Store.

Games available for pre-order

Apple you can now pre-order games so you can download them automatically when they launch. Every week I'll give you a quick rundown of the titles you can pre-order!

Thumper: Pocket Edition: The "rhythm violence" game that will have you speeding along to the beat! Expected to launch January 24th, 2018. $4.99 on the App Store.

Anithero — Digital Board Game: Become the ultimate thief by using your stealth, cunning, and the odd murder or two. Expected to launch January 2nd, 2018. $3.99 on the App Store.