Cocoon Review

From the visionary mind behind the immersive and eerie puzzlers Limbo and Inside emerges an intriguing, mind-bending game, this time in three dimensions. Upon crash-landing on a peculiar and unknown world, and emerging from my protective cocoon, I embarked on a short yet captivating journey to unravel the world’s cryptic mysteries, uncover hidden secrets, and confront menacing foes. Little did I know at that time that what appeared as a vast world would soon unveil an entirely new perspective.

Cocoon boasts a clear vision, evident in the thematic consistency of its puzzles, sound design, and overall tone and presentation, and has a distinct identity and personality. It’s a game that immediately evokes a sense of smallness. However, this feeling of insignificance is magnified when the “world-hopping” mechanic is introduced: there are not singular worlds, but multiple ones, nested within each other. Exiting each world transforms it into a portable sphere, with its unique powers essential for solving Cocoon‘s many intricate puzzles.

And indeed, the complexity escalates significantly as the game progresses. Initially simple and straightforward, the puzzles become increasingly intricate towards the end. Each puzzle is introduced in isolation before being intertwined with other game mechanics. Take, for example, the “shooting” power of the white orb. Once this mechanic is introduced, the player must navigate a series of tasks that grow in complexity: direct shots at black crystals, indirect shots by bouncing projectiles off panels, shots via movable panels, and more. At a certain point, I found myself arranging orbs within each other strategically so that a projectile could penetrate the world orb and strike crystals within it.

Despite the mind-bending multi-world mechanic always being at the core of Cocoon‘s puzzles, each puzzle sequence remains consistent within itself. This sense of puzzle isolation is why no puzzle, however complex, feels overwhelming. I always understood my objective and grasped the fundamental approach needed to solve the puzzle at hand, never remaining stumped for too long. It was merely a matter of determining the correct order of execution. Thus, I never experienced frustration; instead, I felt a sense of excitement and progression as I tackled each complex puzzle on my own.

This is Cocoon‘s brilliance. Not a single written or spoken word is uttered in the game, nor does a visible, intrusive tutorial pop-up disrupt the experience. Instead, Cocoon communicates what the player needs to know organically, exclusively through its presentation and design. Players always discern which elements of the world around them are part of a puzzle’s solution and which are not. The constraints of a puzzle are always clear, allowing one to focus solely on unraveling its solution.

Despite the absence of the need to repeatedly bash your head against a wall, which could have led to a dull or underwhelming experience, Cocoon still frequently elicits a “wow” moment after solving a puzzle. There’s a satisfying sense of progression, with established mechanics continually evolving. Ultimately, there’s a delightful interplay between multiple mechanics without ever feeling confusing or overly complex.

Another factor that contributes to Cocoon‘s clarity and manageability is its clear visual presentation. The game is visually stunning, with animations enhancing the overall enjoyment. However, the primary focus lies in the game’s use of distinct and clear colors and shapes to construct its world, featuring strong contrasts that prevent anything important from being obscured. Moreover, gameplay boasts a mechanical simplicity: all actions (aside from movement) are executed with a single button. This simplicity adds to the game’s beauty and helps players maintain focus while avoiding unnecessary complexity. Additionally, the protagonist can move swiftly enough that failing to solve a puzzle and needing to backtrack to try again never feels frustrating. Although it might seem like a minor detail, I personally appreciated the brisk movement speed.

In addition to the regular puzzles, Cocoon includes five distinct boss fights. Each fight revolves around a unique mechanic that may or may not be used outside of battle, occasionally creating a slight disconnect. While the fights are generally straightforward and easy to overcome, they offer a refreshing change of pace. However, the fifth boss introduces finicky shooting mechanics that feel somewhat out of place in this game.

Audially, Cocoon maintains a discreet atmosphere. While the sound effects are excellent and complement the gameplay effectively, the music itself tends to stay in the background, and is primarily used to accentuate significant reveals and discoveries. Furthermore, subtle yet distinct sound effects play when a puzzle is solved correctly, providing the player with confirmation that they are on the right track.

Regarding the story, Cocoon is inherently cryptic, but it could improve in conveying a more engaging narrative. The plot remains enigmatic, and Cocoon fails to evoke the emotional depth it could have achieved. Although collectibles — in the form of Moon Ancestors — are not abundant, they are not particularly well hidden and ultimately contribute little to the overall experience of the game.

Similar to its predecessors, Inside and Limbo, Cocoon offers a relatively brief yet densely packed experience, with minimal downtime. Sections seamlessly flow into one another, and I found myself propelled from puzzle to puzzle with hardly a moment to catch my breath. However, without fail states — aside from boss encounters — and with no time pressure, I never felt rushed or overwhelmed. The generous placement of checkpoints further mitigates any sense of urgency, ensuring that leaving the game at any point doesn’t result in significant progress loss. Nevertheless, I wished Cocoon would indicate when a new checkpoint has been reached.

While, in my case, the short duration was a welcome aspect of the experience, for some players, Cocoon may be a tad too short, leaving them yearning for more.