COCOON is one such game.
COCOON is genuinely on my list for thevery best Xbox gamesof the year.
If that’s all you need for a recommendation, go play thisright now.
Within the first few seconds, you’re introduced to the stunning animations and visuals of COCOON.
Disclaimer:This review was made possible by playing COCOON through Xbox Game Pass.
No companies saw the contents of the review before publishing.
What is COCOON?
COCOON is a departure from Carlsen’s previous games, focusing almost entirely on its unique puzzle mechanics.
It’s also available throughXbox and PC Game Pass, andXbox Cloud Gaming, as a day one addition.
Honestly, there’s nothing to complain about here.
Yet, it ran flawlessly on myXbox Series Xwith not a single dropped frame or stutter.
Were there visual glitches or missing textures?
Were cinematics broken or flawed in any way?
Did I notice any bugs at all?
No toall of this.
There’s no such thing as a completely perfect game launch, but COCOON comes pretty darn close.
There are diverse environments to explore, from barren deserts and alien worlds to biomechanical factories and cryptic facilities.
Each of these environments is connected through the orbs, mysterious objects that contain entire worlds.
Visuals, animations, audio COCOON is gorgeous in every way a video game can be.
Within the first few seconds, you’re introduced to the stunning animations and visuals of COCOON.
Animations in general are what tie COCOON together.
Sound design is also top-notch.
Interacting with one machine actually gave me goosebumps because of how the sound it made.
So much of COCOON is elevated by motion, such as the gorgeous animations in this section.
To summarize: COCOON is gorgeous in every way a video game can be gorgeous.
There is no dialogue in COCOON.
In fact, there’s not a single written word in-game, either.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
There are no characters, no conversations, no backstories.
The story is enigmatic and mysterious, but it never feels empty.
I loved every moment.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
The puzzles revolve around the orbs, each of which contains a new world and possesses a unique ability.
There’s nothing frivolous in COCOON everything can be used, but it’s rarely obvious in what ways.
As the game progresses, the puzzles steadily become more complicated and abstract.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
you could’t accidentally fail, only realize that your idea won’t work.
It’s brilliant, and perfectly counters the biggest frustration with many puzzle games.
This is Portal-level good.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
If you do get totally stuck on a puzzle, there’s no option for tips or hints.
I’d just like to see more investment in this area fromeverydeveloper and game.
COCOON review: Should you play this?
(Image credit: Windows Central)
And those puzzles areglorious.
Other times, I was forced to pause and rethink my efforts.
It’s an unforgettable experience that I strongly encourage everyone to seek out.
(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
(Image credit: Windows Central)
There is little combat in COCOON, but each world guardian is wholly unique and is a puzzle in itself.
Slowly unlocking more of this unbelievable universe never fails to be satisfying.
A little more investment in accessibility would open up the doors to so many more players.
COCOON is one of the best games of 2023. Full stop.
