Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel

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Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel is a single player action game with comedy, kids and science fiction themes. It was developed by Cyan Worlds Inc and was released on January 18, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

You're an Osmo, a strange creature indeed. You explore the galaxy in your spaceship, and the planets you encounter are almost as bizarre as the Osmos themselves. There are seven worlds presented for your consideration, each more goofy and peculiar than the last. Cosmic Osmo is a game about exploration and discovery, not winning or challenges.

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Single-Player

Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel screenshot

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews

humor7 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Unique and imaginative world design that offers a whimsical and surreal journey through bizarre environments.
Charming and nostalgic experience, perfect for introducing children to computer games and exploration.
Lighthearted atmosphere filled with humor and memorable characters, making it enjoyable for both kids and adults.

Extremely simple gameplay with no clear objectives or challenges, which may not appeal to players seeking more depth.
Dated visuals and interface that can be clunky, making it difficult to play on modern systems.
Frequent technical issues, including glitches and crashes, detracting from the overall experience.

graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The game's graphics feature a charming and whimsical hand-drawn style, primarily in black and white, which some players appreciate for its nostalgic value. However, many reviews note that the visuals are dated and lack modern enhancements, reflecting the game's age since its 1990 release. Despite this, the simplistic monochrome design is still considered enjoyable by fans of retro aesthetics.
- “The visuals are charming and whimsical, with a distinct hand-drawn style.”
- “The visual art style with 1-bit color (black and white alone, no grays) is simply gorgeous.”
- “The graphics were definitely a good idea as, even though they look dated, the black and white simplified style makes sure they still work perfectly and look decent on modern systems.”
- “The visuals, while charming, are obviously dated.”
- “The game is ancient, featuring monochrome graphics, locked resolution... and unfortunately, despite this being launched on Steam, the developers expended no effort modernizing the game.”
- “I see others played it long ago, and still enjoy it, which is fine, but I just can't get past the one-bit graphics.”
gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The gameplay is characterized by its extreme simplicity and lack of challenge, focusing on exploration and discovery rather than complex mechanics or puzzles. While it may not appeal to players seeking depth, its whimsical world design and lighthearted nature offer a nostalgic experience, particularly for younger audiences learning mouse control. However, technical issues such as broken animations and unresponsive clicks can detract from the overall experience.
- “While its simple gameplay and dated presentation might not appeal to everyone, its unique world design and whimsical atmosphere make it a worthwhile experience for those interested in gaming history or looking for a relaxing and lighthearted adventure.”
- “Gameplay consists of transitioning between static screens, clicking on various hotspots on those screens to solve puzzles and further the family-friendly adventure.”
- “The art is simple, but effective; the gameplay is amusing, and it's very good for teaching young children mouse control.”
- “The gameplay is extremely simple, with little in the way of challenge or direction.”
- “There isn't much to the gameplay, aside from clicking around to different places, exploring little worlds, and watching a bunch of weird things happen.”
- “Animations and audio are broken all over the place, and in some situations, this can impede gameplay as certain clicks won't register while a broken sound effect is attempting to play.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
60%
30%
The game lacks a traditional storyline, puzzles, or villains, focusing instead on random exploration without a clear mission or plot. While it draws inspiration from Myst, players seeking a coherent narrative or engaging challenges may find it disappointing, as the bizarre world often feels aimless and unengaging.
- “It's a non-story point and click adventure by Cyan Studios, who also made Manhole, Spelunx, and later the Myst games.”
- “Cosmic uses the same concept as Myst does, except there is no plot for this game.”
- “If you're looking for those Myst games with more detail and a coherent storyline as well as exploration, then this one is not exactly what you want.”
- “The storyline makes no sense, and the bizarre world wavers back and forth across the line between boring and creepy (and not in a good way).”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the nostalgic sound design while others criticize the lack of a cohesive soundtrack, noting that the music stutters and can be unnerving. Players express a desire for a more polished musical experience and hope for the soundtrack to be made available as downloadable content. Overall, the game's sound design is seen as a blend of innovative and flawed elements.
- “I don't know what it was like to code games in 1989, but these guys are all-star musicians and visionary dreamers.”
- “I could be wrong about this, but I believe this is one of the first games to ever ship on a CD-ROM, weighing in at something like 80MB of 1-bit content, plus the soundtrack.”
- “There is no music, only sounds.”
- “At points, I even found this game to be unnerving due to the surreal structures and lack of music in most areas.”
- “If anyone from Cyan is reading this, please make the soundtrack available as DLC or something.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its wacky and quirky scenes, offering a blend of timeless, quotable moments that resonate with both children and adults. Players appreciate the seamless travel between planets and the amusing interactions with characters, creating a light-hearted and surreal experience that appeals to the inner child in everyone. Overall, the game's comedic elements are a standout feature, contributing significantly to its charm and enjoyment.
- “So many funny scenes and great implementation.”
- “Pretty wacky and hilarious.”
- “"Hello, alien!" A timeless classic, full of moments of quotable humor that will lodge in your memory for decades to come.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is characterized as lighthearted and whimsical, providing a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Its unique world design and distinctive black-and-white coloring contribute to a charming ambiance that stands out in contrast to modern games, appealing particularly to those interested in gaming history.
- “The game's atmosphere is lighthearted and playful, making it a relaxing and enjoyable experience.”
- “While its simple gameplay and dated presentation might not appeal to everyone, its unique world design and whimsical atmosphere make it a worthwhile experience for those interested in gaming history or looking for a relaxing and lighthearted adventure.”
- “The game has a unique atmosphere I haven't seen in modern games; the black and white coloring really adds to this.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences significant stability issues, including frequent glitches, freezes, and improper quitting. Despite these problems, players find the nostalgic value and adventure worth the frustration.
- “This game is incredibly glitchy and freezes constantly, making it frustrating to play.”
- “The game crashes frequently and doesn't quit properly, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “Despite the nostalgic value, the instability and frequent bugs make it hard to enjoy.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel is a action game with comedy, kids and science fiction themes.

Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel was released on January 18, 2022.

Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel was developed by Cyan Worlds Inc.

Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its humor but disliked it for its graphics.

Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel is a single player game.

Similar games include The Manhole: Masterpiece Edition, Samorost 3, Riven, Obduction, Machinarium and others.

Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel

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