GNOG is a strange, bright, colorful and weird game. It is set in a world of toys and secrets where you pull, pull, click, grab, poke, spin and point at each of the available toys. You’re going into this experience with no instructions and no set goal, which makes the whole thing a very interesting and mysterious proposition. Want to learn more? Then read our GNOG review!

 

How do you pronounce GNOG? The G is silent, so you pronounce the game as ‘Nog.’ This is a weird game from KO-OP Mode and Double Fine Presents, and it is presented to us with charming and colorful cel-shaded graphics. It is now available for PlayStation 4 with a PS VR mode thrown in for good measure.

You are presented with a series of toys that are actually puzzles. You first open each box by pulling on the arrow and lifting the lid, and then you will be tasked with completing the puzzle by using the pull, click, spin, grab and poke mechanics to solve the puzzle at hand. There are plenty of buttons to press and the solutions are not exactly easily apparent. The first one was relatively easy since I only had to press a few buttons, pull on this and tweak this and tweak that to complete it.

Each one you open is a self-contained puzzle box where you have to use sight and hearing to figure out what to do next. You explore each toy by using the DualShock 4 to move around the multi-coloured cursor around each puzzle. Oh, and there are also people inside the puzzles, and they will usually need to be taken into consideration for you to make it to the end.

Each puzzle is often two-sided, allowing you to flip it around with the buttons, switches, and whatchamacallits at your disposal. Once inside the puzzle, you must take every element into consideration to be able to find the right solution to the conundrum at hand. For example, on one level there is a counter with a wheel, and if you spin it, the toy will change, and the look of the puzzle on the opposite side will be different.

I love puzzle games, and GNOG ended up being something completely unique and different from what I usually get to play. It has great and colorful graphics, a nice variety of puzzles and a good mix of music tracks that will keep you focused on the things you can interact with. I really can’t talk more about the game without considerably spoiling its toys and puzzles, but rest assured there is a nice variety to keep you entertained for a while. Will you be able to find all the solutions? Are you good enough at puzzle games? Then be sure to give GNOG a go on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR!

Disclaimer
This GNOG review is based on a PlayStation 4 copy provided by Double Fine Presents.