Even some of the most inventive puzzle games today tend to have roots in previous games from other makers, but Gorogoa is the rare puzzler that feels extraordinarily original. It’s like a children’s picture book, complete with rich artwork and show-don’t-tell storytelling, only you’ll have a few panels onscreen at the same time—and they have layers.
You can move into and out of many of the scenes, pulling back or looking closer, and then the panels can interact with each other. For instance, you might drop one scene atop another to reveal a hidden item, or move a character from one panel to the next by putting him in front of a doorway. And all the while, the adventure unfolds. Gorogoa is charming and beautiful, and truly unlike any other game out there.