Games by independent developers have started to gain more recognition over the past few years, a prime example of which is Braid, which came out on the Xbox Live Arcade earlier this year. Combining elements of platforming and puzzle game with an ingeniously varied time manipulation element, it made for a truly unique gaming experience. World of Goo, a downloadable PC game (that's also available on WiiWare) hasn't gotten quite as much attention as Braid but it's every bit as good; its physics-based gameplay is sure to give your brain a workout while the clever story, beautiful art style and standout soundtrack help to make this title a real gem.

The game consists of connecting little balls of goo together to form a structure that leads to a pipe and once the structure reaches its destination, the remaining goo balls that weren't used during construction are sucked up through said pipe. There is a set amount of goo balls that must reach the pipe however, so the trick is to build your gooey masterpieces with just the right amount of balls, otherwise you'll fall short of the goal. The concept is simple, but it's the variations of goo that keep the game interesting; eventually you'll come across goo that acts as a balloon and some that can catch on fire, among other types, and you need to take advantage of each one with the levels that are thrown at you.

This is one of the many areas where World of Goo excels; the level design is simple fantastic. One particular level that stands out sees you overcoming windy conditions and a dangerous windmill; compare this to another level where you have to explode a giant robot head (which is clearly stated in the level title, "You Have To Explode The Head") and the diversity in game design quickly becomes apparent - and there's always sure to be a challenge.

World of Goo is a puzzle game so you need to utilize your mental prowess to overcome each challenge; your goal may always involve reaching a pipe but how you get there can be tricky. It might be as simple as building a giant tower or as complex as using balloons to carry goo balls across gaps. Sometimes a level requires a certain amount of speed on your part too, which brings me to the one real negative with the game; the controls are solid for the most part but on occasion you might accidentally click on the wrong goo, which could ruin things in dire circumstances. Luckily there are little timebugs that can take you back a turn, which helps prevent any chaos.

Technically there is a story to World of Goo but it's not the traditional kind; you're thrown straight into the game with no back story or opening cut scene, but soon you learn (by playing the opening levels) that sleeping goo have been awakened by the sudden emergence of pipes. It's hard to explain the rest of the story since there really isn't a driving narrative but the real appeal comes from how it is presented; there are only a few cut scenes but interspersed throughout each level are little messages from the "sign painter". These range from philosophical statements to cryptic messages hinting at the story, such as "Everything changes in chapter 4". It's these little messages that peaked my interest, driving me to the next level or chapter so that I could find out what would happen next; it's one of those stories that's hard to explain and has to be experienced to understand its appeal.

Although the gameplay is what takes center stage in World of Goo, the visuals and soundtrack enhance it that bit extra to make it truly special. The game doesn't really utilize vivid colors yet it looks very cheerful at times; the hand-drawn art style perfectly suits the game and somehow give those little goo balls a sense of personality. It may not be the most technologically impressive game but the way the frame-rate never stutters with so much going on is quite an accomplishment. Even better than the visuals though is the outstanding soundtrack; if someone were to ask me what game had the best original soundtrack in 2008, I'd immediately say World of Goo. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that it's one of the best I've ever heard. Who would have thought that soaring classical arrangements mixed with some jazz and pop tracks would fit so well with a game about goo? Beautiful is the only word I can think of to describe it.

World of Goo is spread out among four chapters and an epilogue, consisting of forty-seven levels that will take around five to ten hours to complete, depending on your skill level. If you're taking a break from the main story then you can spend some time at the World of Goo Corporation; all of the excess goo that you collect through the pipe system is sent to the World of Goo Corporation where you can put them together to make the highest tower possible. The developer's website has leaderboards for the tallest towers, as well as the best performance in each level, based on the number of goo balls collected and time, so those who want a real challenge can try to obtain the OCD (Obsessive Completion Distinction) for each level, which adds a requirement to your time and how many goo balls you must collect.

The mind-boggling thing about World of Goo is that it was created by just two guys - Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel (who together are known as developer 2D Boy). The gameplay, art design, music... everything came from these two guys. They have crafted an original puzzle game that uses physics-based gameplay that is both challenging and rewarding, with wonderfully stylish and appealing graphics and music thrown into the mix, making this one that everyone should try. It might be a little bit on the short side but it's well worth the $20 to play one of the best games of 2008.

(World of Goo can be purchased for the PC on the developer's website or through Steam.)

Reviewed by Anthony LaBella for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).