Gorogoa

Gorogoa is an innovative and visually striking puzzle game developed by Jason Roberts and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game was released in 2017 for Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, and Nintendo Switch, with later ports for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Gameplay

In Gorogoa, players explore a hand-drawn world through a unique interface that consists of a grid of four interactive panels.

• Panel Interaction: Each panel contains a detailed, hand-drawn illustration that players can zoom in on, move around, or even combine with other panels to create new pathways and solve puzzles.
• Visual Storytelling: The game tells its story through a series of intricately detailed, gorgeously illustrated scenes that players must navigate and interpret to progress.
• Non-linear Progression: Gorogoa's puzzles often involve manipulating panels across different times, spaces, and perspectives, creating a mind-bending, non-linear experience.

The game's stunning, hand-drawn art style is a key aspect of its appeal, with intricate details and beautiful use of colour that draw players into its mysterious and surreal world.

Development

Gorogoa was developed primarily by Jason Roberts over a period of seven years. Roberts, a software engineer and artist, began working on the game as a side project, creating its distinctive art style and puzzle mechanics.

The game's development was a labour of love for Roberts, who taught himself game development and spent countless hours refining the game's puzzles and illustrations.

Reception

Upon release, Gorogoa received critical acclaim for its innovative puzzle design, stunning artwork, and unique storytelling. Critics praised the game's ability to create a sense of wonder and discovery through its cleverly designed puzzles and beautiful, surreal world.

The game won several awards, including the Excellence in Visual Art award at the 2018 Independent Games Festival and the Best Mobile Game award at The Game Awards 2018.

Fun Facts

• Gorogoa's name comes from a fictional creature that Jason Roberts imagined as a child, described as a "many-limbed monster goddess" that inspired the game's surreal and mysterious atmosphere.
• The game's art style was influenced by early 20th-century illustrators, such as Gustave Doré and Aubrey Beardsley, as well as the architectural drawings of Italian artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi.
• Gorogoa features a haunting and atmospheric musical score composed by Joel Corelitz, known for his work on other indie games such as Hohokum and The Unfinished Swan.
• The game's puzzles were designed to be challenging but fair, with each solution requiring a unique perspective or insight that players must discover through experimentation and exploration.

Gorogoa stands as a testament to the power of a singular creative vision and the potential for video games to be true works of art. Its success has inspired other developers to push the boundaries of what is possible in the puzzle game genre and beyond.