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Comment by tptacek | Hacker News Reader

It's World of Goo, right? (The title could be clearer, for those of us who don't play).

Anyone played it? I was thinking about grabbing a copy for the boy.

It is World of Goo. I own it and love it, the game idea and environment are very nice, the physics engine makes the game truly interesting and trying to hit the "OCD" bonuses, which are advanced goals like collect 21 goo balls or complete the level under a certain time, are challenging in a thoughtful way.

You can try out the demo first to see if you like it, that's what I'd recommend. It's available on steam as well.

And let's not forget the user shared levels, available at http://goofans.com/ -- extending the playtime immensely.

Yeah, it's referring to World of Goo. It was one of the most enjoyable games I've played in years. If you want to try it out before you buy, there's a demo that spans the first chapter/~25% of the game here: http://2dboy.com/games.php

It isn't really 25% of the game if measured by playtime.. by a LOT.. or maybe i'm a dullard and spend way too much time trying to get the OCD rewards on the higher levels ;)

haha no, you're right, it's less than 25% of the content. It is a pretty generous demo, though.

There's a good demo at their site http://2dboy.com/games.php (you can also get it through Steam). The presentation is very slick (atmospheric, with a dark undertone reminiscent of the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), and the puzzles are interesting and varied.

> with a dark undertone reminiscent of the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I'm confused... I thought the Burton/Depp version was more recent than the Stuart/Wilder version? Or are you referring to the original novel?

Both movies had somewhat dark undertones. I know many people were freaked out by the Wilder "tunnel" sequence -- apparently enough to get the movie on Bravo's 100 Scariest Movie Moments list.

Don't forget the "We'll be chopped up by the exhaust fans unless we start burping" and the "fat kid gets stuck in a pipe until the pressure blasts him out". Oh, and Wonka's creepy counterspy guy.

I can understand that, but I read the novel in childhood. To me, the 70's film's scariness seemed superficial and insincere compared with the 00's version. (Which is not what you'd expect, given that I was still a kid when I saw the first film version.) Maybe it's just Depp's portrayal pushing the "creepy" meter to 11 is what did it for me. (Wilder's seemed resigned to each child's fate, while Depp's possessed morbid fascination with each "accident.")

I found Wilder to be significantly creepier than Depp

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