Atop my back, the world gently jostles. An orange orb contains within it a whole planet. I am an insect, possibly organic in nature, or mechanical, or both. I am no Atlas, and yet this feat of impossible strength is not beyond me. I place the orb on a pedestal and kneel before it, launching into the air before diving headfirst into this other world. Orange orb becomes orange world, and within it, there are more mysteries.
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Cocoon is the debut game from Geometric Interactive, founded by former Playdead employees Jakob Schmid and Jeppe Carlsen. Carlsen was the lead gameplay designer for Limbo and Inside, and his influence is prevalent here, albeit with about 100% more color and 85% less horror. (There is still the occasional undulating biomass.) Similar to Limbo and Inside, Cocoon is a short but memorable experience, a single-button puzzler with evocative visuals that starts quietly and ends on a spectacular crescendo.
It is difficult to say with precision what Cocoon is about. Metamorphosis, perhaps, but also stasis. Order and disorder. The cosmos and the biosphere. The end, the beginning, and their interrelation. Entirely wordless, Cocoon’s narrative is evocative but elusive. Everything is gesture and implication. What is parasite and what is symbiote is left for you to decide. It’s the rare game that leaves
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