Untitled Goose Game Review (Nintendo Switch)

The goose is on the loose and it’s making headways on the Nintendo Switch as well as in the mainstream media. Untitled Goose Game is the hit sensation that has captured the hearts of all gamers across the internet. From being photoshopped into other games to being a topic on NPR Radio, this goose is spreading its feathers for all to see. Yet, is this game worth the hype and what even is it? The first part of the question is easier to answer in that yes, this game is full of hilarious shenanigans that are sure to keep you entertained for awhile. It’s a rather short game but does feature everything you would want in a goose adventure like this.

Quackful Hijinks

House House’s Untitled Goose Game lets players become one with a goose. It’s a goose that is nothing short of a jerk. The main objective of the game is to complete a series of tasks all revolved around terrorizing a small town. First, you’re messing with a farmer as he tries to plant some crops and get some work done. Next thing you know, you’re in a town square making a small child’s life miserable. Tasks can range from making a picnic from stolen goods, stealing a kid’s glasses, and even trapping people in a garage. Completing them often requires stealth or the high-speed action of running away. These are all things that make this goose a town terror but can become quickly beloved by the person controlling it.

All jokes aside, this is an incredibly fun game that has some creative gameplay features. Controls are simple but there is enough to make certain actions more complex than others. Players can use their goose’s honk that is able to make NPCs spooked or draw their attention. They are also able to expand the goose’s next to grab items off the floor or on a shelf. This helps makes the gameplay tailored to how the player wants to approach this title. It can be played stealthily or chaotically but is up to the player to decide which works best.

Varying Puzzles

Completing one of the five areas relies solely on the player completing a To-Do List. As previously mentioned, these can all range on what they are with one always being a gathering of materials. The difficulty, as a result of this, also ranges as it can be tough to figure out how to complete these. It can create quite a bit of frustration as you don’t know which way to approach situations. How do you get the farmer to change hats? Or how do you get an NPC to buy back their own items? These aren’t straightforward and take a bit of playing around with the formula. NPCs have specific routines and things they do that the goose has to take note of. The human characters around the community do certain actions that trigger these events so keep an eye out on how this can work.

Since the NPCs are responsible for how events can play out, it can be a bit perplexing on how to continue. I constantly found myself asking “What am I supposed to do to complete this?” It’s not something that falters the game though. It just adds a bit of complexity and variety to it that is much needed. These puzzles are fairly simple though. They aren’t incredibly complicated similar to those seen in games like Valve’s Portal series. It’s complex enough to warrant some thinking power but it is never enough to feel overwhelming. You won’t be stressing out trying to complete a task. Even messing up won’t do this because the world finds a way to reset a mistake which can also open up new opportunities.

Post-Game Content

It should be noted that this game is fairly short. Only lasting around 2-3 hours, completing all of the main tasks is quick and simple. Each area lasts about 30-45 minutes if you’re just finishing up tasks but the main fun is the havoc. Speeding around the respective areas and making the humans’ lives a living hell definitely is hilarious and adds to the total gameplay. Not doing this clocks the game at just a few hours but messing around in this sandbox can nearly double the time. Time doubles when causing the chaos but the player never feels it due to the enjoyment that is being felt.

After this title is completed, there is still plenty to do afterward. This game turns itself into a New Game Plus experience where challenges are harder and more complex. It also follows the characters after they’ve dealt with the hijinks of the goose, so you can see the effects of your actions. There are also tasks that require the player to speed run through the main story. Having to rush and complete all of the original tasks in a timely manner requires precision and makes this game add a new layer of difficulty. All of this helps make this title get the most bang for your buck. Even though it lasts a few hours, it’s very much possible to take a lot longer to 100% everything.

Untitled Goose Game presents itself as a silly title full of hijinks but is executed exceptionally well. It is well-deserving all of the hype and attention behind it due to its incredibly creative concept and addicting gameplay. Honking around and causing chaos will make you keep coming back for more. Although the title is a bit short, there is plenty of post-game content to make this more enticing. House House has created one of the most memorable indie releases this year and is one of the best Nindies the Switch has to offer.

Thank you to House House and Panic Inc. for providing us with a review code!