Cocoon

Cocoon is one to remember. This puzzle adventure builds on ideas from Limbo and Inside and creates a mind-bending, world-warping adventure unlike either of them.

From its puzzles to its visuals, Cocoon is a beautiful and superbly designed game that delivers a meaningful message in a subtle way.

Worlds sit within worlds in this properly magical puzzle adventure.

A puzzle adventure of rare ingenuity that thrives on its tactility as much as its design.

Geometric Interactive has created an impossibility with Cocoon. It’s a joyful, improbable experience that will leave you transformed.

"It all evokes the same galaxy-brain mind-bending puzzles of Portal, Superliminal, Marquette, and Viewfinder"

I don’t know that I will ever fully understand what transpired during my molecular journey on Cocoon’s alien world, but its imagery and puzzles will stay with me for some time.

Masterful geography makes this world-hopping puzzler not only a series of clever problems, but a grand exploration of a wonderfully realised cosmic universe.

The thing I loved most about playing Cocoon is how often I found answers without even seeking them. It’s so keen to share its secrets with you that it works harder at creating the illusion of being lost or stuck than it does at actually trying to stump the player or leave them feeling stranded. Like a complex sequence of sleight-of-hand coin tricks, its overwhelming layers are only there to disorient you long enough that you feel surprised and delighted when the object is revealed again. And Cocoon’s tricks are ones I won’t soon forget.

In a year packed with brilliant games, Cocoon manages to stand out thanks to its unique mechanics and some of the best level and puzzle design we've seen in years. It holds your attention with an intriguing sci-fi world, challenges you with puzzles spanning multiple worlds, and keeps you hooked with accessible controls and minimalist presentation. With only the most minor grievances holding it back, we're confident in saying this is up there with 2023's best.