We could have uploaded this preview as a headline alone, but then we don't think Push Square users would appreciate a three-word article. Cocoon is absolutely incredible, and it is easily the best thing we played at Summer Game Fest Play Days. Beating out heavyweights like Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Mortal Kombat 1, and Sonic Superstars, it's our Game of the Show. Cocoon will be something special when it hits PS5, PS4 — the opening 45 minutes confirm as much.
From Danish studio Geometric Interactive, the team made up of former Playdead (Limbo, Inside) leads has a top-down experience for the ages in its hands. You play as a small beetle that can carry and transport entire worlds on its back, and you will use them to solve puzzles across multiple layers. Immensely satisfying and gripping, it demands attention without ever saying a word.
The concept isn't the easiest to explain, but essentially, you're able to dive into orbs and solve environmental puzzles inside them. Once the task is complete or you've made enough meaningful progress, you can jump back out into a wider universe and carry the sphere on your back. The orb — containing a whole world — can then be used to solve other puzzles in this bigger space; for example, it can be placed on floor panels to activate bridges leading to even more worlds to dive into. As the opening sequence progresses, puzzles ramp up in difficulty, introducing more orbs to explore and bring back into the main area for puzzle solving.
It's really something you need to try for yourself to fully understand what Cocoon is doing, but it's an utterly captivating experience with so many aha moments in its opening act alone. The fact there are so many more hours to go after our demo instantly makes it one of the PS5, PS4 games we're most excited about right now. We're confident the title will join the upper echelons of the indie scene, with the likes of Hollow Knight and the very games Geometric Interactive helped create.
The puzzles themselves aren't particularly complex — at least in the initial 45 minutes — but there's such a captivating nature to it all that it hardly matters. Cocoon isn't meant to be a game that frustrates you for hours on end, but rather a journey with minor roadblocks that can be overcome with just a bit of thinking. As such, you're always in the mood for more from this mysterious world. With a beautiful art style to boot, it's a setting you can appreciate visually just as much as you can conceptually.
As long as Cocoon builds upon its ideas in the hours that follow its SGF Play Days demo, it'll be competing for awards no matter what year it releases. Hopefully, a public demo will be released at some point, but please trust us on this one: Cocoon is incredible.
Are you at all interested in Cocoon? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments 15
Ok.. you have my attention. I must say it does look nice.
Limbo and Inside are both wonderful games so I'm glad this is shaping up to be of the same quality. This may very well be one to keep an eye on.
Interesting. I wasn’t quite interested in it, based on what I’ve seen, but given the caliber of the staff on it, I was going to give it a shot on Gamepass. Looking forward to seeing more then and trying it for myself!
Looks interesting but this article needs to cut the hyperbole. (It'll be up there w HK) wait n see maybe.
Ok, I'm interested! Feels like a game I'd want to play on Switch, but still really appreciate hearing about it here.
Just watched the Play Days developer video with gameplay and narration, and wow yeah, looks phenomenal. The music and atmosphere is haunting and the gameplay looks VERY unique. I can see why Liam was raving about it—you do need to see it in motion. Nintendo Life has the video here:
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/06/cocoon-is-an-atmospheric-world-hopping-adventure-from-former-limbo-and-inside-devs
Hope they release a physical edition at launch!
I'm sure it will be good, but for me these smaller/indie games are never more than a nice in between if I can get them for free (like Planet of Lana) when playing large 100+ hour games and needing something simple to recharge my batteries. They're not the sort of games that justify owning a PS5/Series X.
I thought this would be about a load of old fogies who discover eternal youth from aliens.
@liamcroft
So what has happened to Playdead, do you know?
I periodically check their website to see if any news has come of the game they announced years ago.
Can't wait for this game. Looks great.
Ok on my radar, although as someone basically said, for me this is a snack, not a meal.
You've convinced me to add this to my wishlist. I find these days I have a lot more fun with these indie/aa games for their condensed quality and gameplay innovation.
Just feeling so burnt out on the AAA gaming space.
I'm not big on games that are extremely puzzle focused. That became quite clear when I ended up not liking Immortals Fenyx Rising as much as I thought I would, but the way the puzzles are described in the preview here has me intrigued. The fact that they don't get in the way of the enjoyment and aren't too demanding should be really helpful. It is annoying when puzzles get so complicated latter in games to the point you have to go onto YouTube to figure it out. Basically, with Cocoon I should be able to really enjoy the experience instead of dreading the next puzzle.
Just the mention of it being made by some of the Limbo/Inside people has me excited
Annapurna doesn't miss, they manage to always sign up the best indies
@Darude84 Was it supposed to justify the new consoles? Seems like this game is exactly what it should be and what you would like it to be — a palate cleanser. I'm sure the developers know that.
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