Öoo is a 2D puzzle platformer from NamaTakahashi who made the equally brilliant ElecHead (go play that also if you haven’t already). Like ElecHead, Öoo focuses on one central mechanic; in this case the ability to lay one, and then later, two bombs in order to overcome a flowing sequence of platforming challenges.
The game starts out with the protagonist, what I can only describe as some kind of Öoo shaped caterpillar, being swallowed by a bird and then delving into its innards in order to find a way out, Jonah’s whale style. Instead of relying on divine intervention through the act of prayer, the Öoo caterpillar must navigate a small labyrinth using its only means of escape – bombs.
During the final credits of Öoo, several games are listed as inspiration: Bomb Chicken, BoxBoy!, Celeste, Metroid, Yoshi’s Island, Cocoon and VVVVVV. A stellar list that includes a few of my own personal favourites. Whilst Bomb Chicken is probably the most obvious analogue, the manner in which Öoo ramps up and progresses is very BoxBoy!-coded. Your navigation through the belly of the bird doesn’t unfold through stumbling on new upgrades and abilities every few minutes like, in say, a Metroidvania (no shade, it’s my favourite genre), but instead stretching the game’s single mechanic to its limits. Thinking outside of the box, noticing subtle hints scattered throughout the world that are hidden in plain sight and discovering different ways to use your limited toolset. Every time you come to a dead end Öoo quietly ushers you with an unseen hand to other areas in order to learn how to use the bombs and the world around you in new and fantastic ways. Then you’ll come back to what you thought was a dead end and realise that you had all the tools you needed to overcome the obstacle all along, you just weren’t equipped with the requisite knowledge. These revelations are spaced so masterfully throughout Öoo’s four-or-so hour runtime and I don’t want to say more lest I spoil any of the game’s brilliance. Just know that it’s such a purposeful but subtle masterstroke of game design.
The platforming doesn’t require any kind of skill apart from a small handful of puzzles that require some timing, although these are never too precise. The game is also very forgiving; should your caterpillar fall into a pit of spikes or suffer any similar demise, you respawn immediately at one of the very generously placed checkpoints, which are clearly signposted by flags and found at the start of every puzzling section. This is because Öoo encourages you to use trial and error in order to puzzle your way through its various puzzles that typically involve traversing to out of reach platforms and collecting flies for frogs that essentially act as blockades throughout the world.
Öoo’s presentation leans into nostalgia with striking neon pixel art and a chiptune soundtrack with dreamy and otherworldly synth-like tones The animation and cutesy sound effects are equally brilliant and provide the Öoo caterpillar and overall game with so much character and charm. The best compliment I could give Öoo is that it feels like a lost GameBoy Advanced game and is certainly one of, if not my favourite gaming experience of the year so far.
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