World of Goo 2

World of Goo 2 is a sequel that exceeds all expectations, with a ridiculous amount of creative ideas packed into its gooey shell.

86%Game Brain Score

gameplay, music

atmosphere, grinding

86% User Score Based on 361 reviews

Critic Score 87%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

World of Goo 2 is a single player and multiplayer casual simulation game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Tomorrow Corporation and was released on February 21, 2024. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

Use living liquid creatures to build bridges, grow towers, terraform terrain, and fuel flying machines. The world is beautiful, dangerous, and evolving.

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 361 reviews

gameplay30 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

Retains the charming art style, quirky story, and creative physics-based puzzle gameplay of the original World of Goo.
Introduces new types of Goo balls and several new gameplay mechanics that add fresh variety and challenge.
Excellent soundtrack featuring remixed and reimagined music from the original game, highly praised by fans.
Level design is generally clever and fun, with some chapters offering particularly unique and memorable sequences.
Includes a level editor and Steam Workshop support, allowing for user-generated content and modding.
Offers a satisfying sequel experience especially for long-time fans, with nostalgic callbacks and meta-narrative elements.

The game recycles many levels and concepts from the first game, making it feel more like an expansion or remaster than a true sequel.
Chapter 4 and the noir-style point-and-click sections are divisive and considered tedious or annoying by many players.
Removal of the whistle mechanic from the original reduces control and makes some puzzles unnecessarily frustrating.
The optional challenge objectives (OCD flags) are often very difficult, sometimes relying on exploitation and luck, which detracts from enjoyment.
Controls can feel clunky and imprecise in some situations; the undo mechanism involving chasing a bug is considered frustrating.
The story is less cohesive and less engaging than the original, with some parts feeling forced or lacking depth.
Performance issues and bugs have been observed by some players, including crashes and lag in graphically intense scenes.
The price point is considered too high by many, especially given the game’s length and recycled content.
Some players felt the sequel lacks the unique atmosphere, charm, and creativity that made the original a masterpiece.

gameplay
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
68%
3%
The gameplay of the sequel largely builds on the original with familiar core mechanics while introducing various new goo types and fluid physics, offering fresh puzzle dynamics and charm. However, some players find these new mechanics underutilized or disjointed, and note the removal of beloved features and a steeper difficulty curve that can feel frustrating. Overall, it delivers a fun, well-paced puzzle experience with creative moments, though it occasionally falls short of the original’s atmosphere and cohesive design.
- “Overall, it's everything I would want in a sequel; it introduces a variety of new types, each of which add a ton of variety to the already simplistic bridge building gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is so well paced and fun, and it really doesn't overstay its welcome whatsoever.”
- “World of Goo 2 could definitely be seen as an indulgent victory lap, but it uses the nostalgia I and many others have for the first game to subvert expectations in a very clever way, all while delivering one of the best gameplay experiences I've had in years.”
- “Big letdown when compared with the first game's chapter 4, in both story and gameplay.”
- “Sadly, it didn’t live up to the first part - the gameplay feels a bit clunky by 2025 standards.”
- “Many levels are simply copied from the original just with new mechanics added on top, some quirky goo types (like bone or pokey goos) are absent, the whistle is totally gone, many OCDs require flawless gameplay (and using a time-moth now counts as a move, so any mistake is a restart), and some levels are too long and overcomplicated even for casual completion.”
music
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The music in this game is widely praised for its quality, atmosphere, and emotional impact, often described as a highlight of the experience. However, many reviewers note that the soundtrack primarily consists of remixed and re-recorded tracks from the original game, leading to some disappointment over the lack of new compositions. Despite this, the arrangements and live instrument performances are appreciated, maintaining the charm and nostalgic value of the original score.
- “This series has my favorite music of any game I've ever played, coming out above even beautiful soundtracks like those of Super Mario Galaxy and Undertale.”
- “The music hits me like a truck, I sat in the menu listening to the 4th world's music over and over... like seriously, kudos to the music people and everyone who contributed to the live instruments!”
- “It's continuously creative, interesting, and challenging, with gorgeous visuals (comparing it to the first game is night and day), and a beautiful soundtrack of acoustic re-interpretations of the original game's OST.”
- “The only real letdown is the same soundtrack, really.”
- “The soundtrack is basically just a rehash of the first game's soundtrack.”
- “And the soundtrack just feels like they didn't even try.”
story
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
66%
12%
The story in this sequel is widely seen as less coherent and more forced compared to the first game, with many reviewers describing it as erratic, shallow, or lacking natural progression. While some appreciate its quirky humor, meta commentary, and occasional clever moments, others find extended cutscenes and narrative segments tedious or disconnected from gameplay. Overall, the story is considered a weaker element that doesn't match the original's atmospheric and subtle storytelling charm.
- “One of the best games of all time, I love its storytelling and gameplay.”
- “You could go through the entire game and not really get involved with the story, or you could go into the deep end with the different meanings behind the sign painter's signs as well as the overall story with different theories and whatnot.”
- “The references are great, the story is as weird as the first game, and the new gameplay mechanics are fun too.”
- “While I did understand the story, it didn't seem all that coherent - new story beats seem to happen 'because the plot said so' rather than having a natural progression.”
- “The story is not truly nonsensical, I guess, but calling it a 'story' is charitable - it's more like a sequence of unconnected events; chapter 3 ending leads into chapter 4, but everything else just kinda happens (chapter 4 seems to be building up to something, but then throws everything out of the window in the end).”
- “In World of Goo 2, while the humor is still there, the cutscenes are much longer, have no solid plot structure or clever commentary, and (spoiler alert!) a large part of one of the chapters is just a boring pulp fiction-ish visual novel without any real gameplay.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
53%
14%
The game's graphics have seen a significant upgrade from the original, featuring a charming, polished art style that enhances the overall aesthetic and gameplay experience. While it maintains the beloved visual charm of its predecessor, the improved graphics are praised for being sleek, creative, and perfectly suited to the game's physics and mechanics. Some players note the indie nature limits graphical complexity, but the refined visuals and cohesive art style contribute strongly to the game's appeal.
- “After 16 years since the original, 2d boy still delivers another astonishing game with new mechanics, better physics and a massive improvement on the score and graphics.”
- “It's continuously creative, interesting, and challenging, with gorgeous visuals (comparing it to the first game is night and day), and a beautiful soundtrack of acoustic re-interpretations of the original game's OST.”
- “Beautiful graphics, haunting soundtrack, creative puzzles and, strangely enough, one of the most surreal stories I've seen from a game in years.”
- “It's an indie game, so there is not much to say about graphics quality; however, I have a different problem with it.”
- “There are one or two new game mechanics and the graphics have been sharpened up a bit, but let's face it, it was always as smooth as a Frenchman's breakfast.”
- “Graphics.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
89%
11%
The humor in the original game is praised for its clever, meta, and endearing writing that enhances the fun and atmosphere. However, the sequel’s humor is seen as less effective, with longer, less structured cutscenes and less clever commentary, leading some to find it unfunny and dull. Overall, the original’s humor is well-loved for its wit and casual tone, while the follow-up receives mixed reactions.
- “The first world of goo is still a brilliant game, and one of the gems that introduced me to how good indie gaming can be by making a simple concept endearing, funny, enjoyable, and most importantly, fun.”
- “The first game had a few short cutscenes and was mainly built around atmosphere and gameplay; nonetheless, it still managed to provide a funny story with clever writing and meta commentary, some of which is even more relevant today.”
- “I'm still recommending it for its biting dark humor and a world I would never want to live in.”
- “It is not fun to play, it is not funny in writing - I have no idea what they were thinking.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The sequel maintains a creepy and atmospheric vibe reminiscent of the original, though some feel it lacks the original's unique blend of fun, melancholic, and unsettling tones. While the new game enhances mechanics and includes more content, it doesn't fully capture the distinct style and mood that defined the first title. Overall, the atmosphere is praised for its music, visuals, and storytelling elements, but it doesn’t quite reach the same emotional impact.
- “Even with all the polish, the creepy atmosphere that you come to love is still in this sequel.”
- “The first World of Goo surely looked cartoonish, yet the sprites and the color palette were sharp and rough, which gave it its own unique style and atmosphere.”
- “Another reviewer mentioned how much the atmosphere and mood defined the first game, and while this game follows that to a certain extent, it is not as impactful as the original.”
- “As much as World of Goo 2 recreates the game mechanics of the original and adds some new ideas, it fails to create the special atmosphere of the original.”
- “For me, the original World of Goo was not only about the game mechanics, but also the atmosphere it created: on the weird edge between fun and melancholic, simultaneously disturbing and yet soothing.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is often described as tedious, especially due to the removal of helpful features like the whistle and repetitive early chapters that drag on. Some mechanics, like goo cannons, can feel exploitative or monotonous, leading to a less engaging experience during longer play sessions. Overall, the grinding can detract from the story's impact and enjoyment.
- “They took out the whistle, and that makes the game much more tedious to play.”
- “New goo types are cool but the goo cannons are mostly tedious and often very exploitable to do things like get infinite goo balls.”
- “Chasing around time flies is tedious, especially if you have to go back a ways.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express strong emotional reactions, ranging from heartfelt joy and tears upon experiencing the game to a sense of wholesome nostalgia. However, some feel conflicted due to issues like artificial-sounding voice acting and tonal inconsistencies that temper their emotional engagement. Overall, the game evokes genuine emotional impact but has moments that disrupt immersion.
- “Anyway... in all honesty... I cried when I saw it at the Game Awards... and now I'm crying playing it because... at last... I got my hands on it.”
- “Wholesome moment seeing World of Goo 2 on my Steam store!”
- “Wholesome moment seeing World of Goo 2 on my Steam store!”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game retains the feature of revisiting levels to improve performance, but overall it suffers from poor optimization, with noticeable frame drops and struggles during levels with heavy lighting effects. Players hope for future updates to enhance performance.
- “You can always return to levels to improve your performance (this was already present in the original game).”
- “First of all, this game is poorly optimized and struggles to load levels with lots of lighting effects.”
- “Unfortunately, performance is pretty bad.”
- “Might repurchase again in the future if there are some performance updates, but I noticed a lot of frame drops while playing.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers a high level of replayability, surpassing its predecessor with numerous achievements and constant surprises that keep players engaged.
- “This lives up to the first game and even surpasses it in some regards, with constant surprises and a huge amount of replayability thanks to the many achievements to hunt.”