COCOON

Took me 5 hours to complete without a guide (did not find every hidden collectible) Impressive length of time for an indie puzzle game I completed it in an afternoon. I do not recommend this, as my memory started to get muddled 4 hour mark. But that's on me. I'd say you should give this 2+ sittings. Though, you could argue that it's a bit too long for what it is. But it kept innovating with its puzzles until towards the end, so I never felt like it was dragging until the end Very beginner friendly. Got insane mileage for something that uses only 1 button. The creativity, both in puzzles and worldbuilding (aethetics), is truly standout. I truly felt lost within worlds after awhile. Swooped right along. The graphics and lighting themselves though look like the generic "indie 3d puzzle game" style. Overall, I'd say it's a very good game. This is such a specific gripe (which should show you what a good quality game it is if I'm this far out), but I don't feel richer for having played it. Maybe because I've been playing it for hours. But very little of it will stick with me. I think that's because there's zero writing. It played smoothly and well. Cocoon is an excellent puzzle game, even though I didn't click with it myself It deserves its overwhelmingly positive reviews

Playing this game makes you feel smarter than you probably are, and it earns that feeling honestly. The core concept of carrying worlds inside orbs and using them as tools to solve puzzles inside other worlds is the kind of idea that sounds confusing on paper but becomes intuitive remarkably fast, and the way the game layers that mechanic over its runtime without ever losing control of it is genuinely impressive game design. There is no UI, no dialogue, no tutorial text. Just you, the environments, and the puzzles. That kind of confidence in the player is refreshing and the game backs it up by being legible enough that you rarely feel lost, just challenged. The moment something clicks after you've been sitting with it is a particular kind of satisfaction that not many puzzle games deliver consistently. The boss fights are a highlight in a way you don't necessarily expect going in. They're inventive and visually striking and feel like natural extensions of the world rather than interruptions to it. Each one is memorable in its own way which is harder to pull off than it sounds. The aesthetic does a lot of heavy lifting too. It has a sparse, alien quality that builds atmosphere without relying on story or exposition, and the sound design works in lockstep with the visuals to create something that feels genuinely cohesive from start to finish. Runs beautifully on Steam Deck, which for a game built around quiet focus and portability feels like the right way to experience it anyway. Jeppe Carlsen led the design on this and given what he built here, whatever comes next is worth paying attention to.

Перше, чим мене зустріла гра - неймовірні анімації. Просто кайф. Потім були чудові краєвиди, безліч простеньких головоломок і кілька босів зі своїми унікальними патернами. Проходиться все доволі легко й ідеально підходить для диванного геймінгу. Тексту нуль, тож не доводиться постійно вдивлятися в екран. Щоправда, кілька разів я добряче так тупив на рівному місці. Геймплей побудований навколо жонглювання маленькими світами. Кожен із них має власну механіку, і нові можливості відкриваються аж до самого фіналу. Проте іноді трохи втомлює постійно стрибати між цими світами й намотувати кола, щоб їх перенести. Загалом, гра викликала в мене сильне дежавю відразу з кількома проєктами: Journey, Limbo, INSIDE, NieR: Automata, Scavengers Reign та ще кілька. Лише потім я дізнався, що провідний дизайнер працював над гі*но Limbo та INSIDE. На щастя, ця гра значно краща за обидві. Щоправда, цього разу розробники зробили акцент на ізометрію. Через це, хоч краєвиди й виглядають шикарно, через low-poly графіку іноді можна втратити орієнтацію в просторі. У попередніх іграх ти просто рухався зліва направо. Ну і про музику казати нічого. Від кінцівки в мене аж мурашки по шкірі пробігли.

Don’t get me wrong, the game isn’t bad, it just didn’t click with me. The art style is fine, but I wasn’t really feeling it. The puzzles start off fresh, but after a while, especially near the end, they get repetitive and kind of annoying with all the backtracking and trial and error. And the ending? Super underwhelming. Overall, it left a sour taste, and I think this game is way overhyped.

Very cool game. The visuals, from start to finish, are mindblowing. The artistic direction on this game is nothing short of masterful. The music and sound design were wonderful as well, making this game feel really great overall. The main gimmick is super cool, and many of the puzzles introduced and utilized some very interesting mechanics. However, this game doesn't push it far enough! The puzzles in this game were good, but my god, this game had the potential to be one of the best puzzle games ever. That's not even hyperbole. Towards the end, some of the puzzles get wild, but the most interesting mechanics are only used once or twice and it really left me wanting for a real brain buster version of this game. Now, this game is clearly more of a thought experiment/art showcase/worldbuilding exercise, which I think it does very well. This would work well as someone's introduction to puzzle games, or if you want to experience some well done "aha" moments without it demanding too much of you, this game is great. 10/10 on music and art, maybe 6/10 on the puzzles (although there are a few 10/10 puzzles in there for sure), and a note to keep in mind that this game is pretty short. Overall I'd say it's worth it, though. TLDR: Devs! Add a puzzle DLC! I want more!

Disappointing and my first negative review. Pretty, but boring. Its hard to believe this game is as highly rated as it is (93% at time of review). Aside from the last 20% of the game all the puzzles are simple busywork tasks. The game doesnt trust the player to have puzzles that were more than a step or two. There was so much effort put into the game's art style and animations that it was baffling. Like the devs had an art style and cryptic story that they tacked a puzzler onto... I wish that the effort of the spectacle that was put into all these animations and room transitions were instead put into the puzzles themselves. Most of the time its AAA games that are style over substance but this is a rare indie equivalent.

Every action you make is extremely satisfying, the graphics are incredible and the puzzles are just hard enough. Everybody should play this game.

You know how cell phones are incredible not because people are skilled but because the designers made it so intuitive, toddlers can navigate cell phones? That's the devs in this game. There are no words directing you, no tutorial to read. I couldn't put this game down. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5