World of Goo: Electric Boogaloo

Previously:

While fun, the mechanics are nothing compared to the aesthetics.

The visuals, sound and plot all come together to create something that teeters between wondrous and heartbreaking like so many kids movies from our childhood. I can't adequately explain the tone of WoG nor how it achieves it so I guess that's all.

I've been regretting ending the WoG review like that, but I've only just realised just how much of a dick move it was. I had forgotten the above line where I said that I hadn't described the best aspect of the game yet and then proceeded to not do so. It's the equivalent of a TV series or a movie building up to a climatic showdown and then having it occur, offscreen. And what kind of bastard would something like that?

Not me, which is why I'm going to make that extra effort and finish what I started.

WoG has a adopts a cartoony visual style, to the point were people are deliberately drawn as though done by a child. Early levels are bright, pleasant and reminiscent of the first world in many Sonic games:
But as you advance...
...things get...
...darker...
...and more surreal.
The music follows a similar progression: early music is fast paced and exciting but in later levels it becomes haunting or just plain weird (screaming children feature in one song).

As for the plot, don't expect much. There is a vague goal in each chapter but you probably won't know until you've finished it. There being only two actual characters present in the game doesn't help matters along.

But it doesn't matter because the plot isn't what matters in WoG, it's all about the tone. And that is tongue-in-cheek self-aware humour, with the occasional bit of tearjerking depression.
It really says something when someone like me is slightly moved by animated goo balls. Years of gaming have resulted in me having a psychopathic but practical approach to gameplay where I won't hesitate to murder my way to victory. But in WoG, the joyful squeals of the little goos as they gleefully sacrifice themselves managed to get to me.

Okay I kind of trailed off there and now I've lost my train of thought, but that's alright because I'm essentially out of things to say. I wish I could think of a decent way to wrap this up though.