Cocoon
About Cocoon đ
Steam Tags: Adventure, Puzzle, Puzzle Platformer, Exploration
System: PC, Xbox, Gamepass, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch
Developer | Publisher: Geometric Interactive | Annapurna Interactive
Age Rating: E
Price: US $24.99
Release Date: September 29, 2023
Time to Play: 3-5 hours
Steam Description: From Jeppe Carlsen, the lead gameplay designer of LIMBO and INSIDE â COCOON takes you on an adventure across worlds within worlds. Master world-leaping mechanics and solve intricate puzzles to unravel a cosmic mystery.
You may especially enjoy this if you like:
Puzzle games that inspire awe and wonder
Games without dialogue; that leave a lot open to interpretation
Donât mind bugs or bug-like beings!
INSIDE and LIMBO (the lead gameplay designer of those titles is the designer of this as well!)
Why Cocoon? â¨
Continuing with our trend of âthoughtful games with no dialogueâ â this one has no dialogue or text!
In addition to unraveling the story together, itâll allow us to explore what âeffective designâ looks like, specifically in puzzle games! (e.g. How do you know what to do as a player when thereâs no words? At what points are you confused?)
Itâs a short-ish experience (between 3-5 hours depending on your playstyle) that you can finish in one sitting, if youâre really into it!
Itâs available on Gamepass as well via Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
Content Warnings & Notes â
No major content warnings for this game. There are a lot of bug-like (biomechanical) beings as well as bug-inspired sound effects, so if this is something you donât enjoy, this may not be your jam.
As with any game, if you have a particular concern or would like clarification, please donât hesitate investigate it further or reach out to me at jenny@geeksandgrounds.com!
Geeks & Grounds Timeline đ
October 31 - November 14: Play the game until youâre done! The spoilercast will drop on Nov 14th. Estimate about 3-5 hours total to complete the game.
Cocoon Discussion Questions:
How can games effectively teach you how to play â without using words or explicit tutorials? Draw in examples from Cocoon or any other games you feel do a strong job with their design!
What are some traits we commonly associated with bugs? What can we predict or assume about this world and our main character because of the focus on bugs?
What do you think the guardians (bosses) represent? And what is their relationship to our character?
How does the game communicate what you need to do without dialogue or tutorials? Do you feel itâs effective?
What do you think is the story of Cocoon?
Do you think leaving the story so open to interpretation is effective? Or do you wish there was something a bit more concrete?
