Video Game Review: Untitled Goose Game

You don’t need a hunk with a gun when you can have a honk-ing good time with a goose.

This isn’t really the time of year when I play video games. Between studying for midterms, working on assignments and maintaining a social life, there’s not much time left to explore vast worlds, engage in fantasy violence, and get invested in the innovative storytelling of my favourite titles. However, this all changed when I noticed Youtubers like Jacksepticeye playing Untitled Goose Game. In this game for Mac, Windows, and Nintendo Switch, you play as a goose roaming a small village with the goal of accomplishing a list of tasks that all involve, in some way or another, giving the villagers a very difficult time.

When I first caught sight of that little white goose, with its charming honks, the soft pitter-patter of its webbed feet, and its ability to wreak havoc on a small village — I knew I had to play this game. I immediately bought it on the Nintendo Switch Store, and, by the end of the day, after finishing its 2-3 hours long campaign, I had the biggest smile on my face and a sore stomach from laughing very hard.

Untitled Goose Game is an insanely cute game in which the player causes absolute chaos. You can traumatize children, steal hats, break valuable objects, make people buy back their own stuff, trap them, and even injure them. Yet, all of this mayhem is framed around minimalist pastel visuals and an expressive classical piano score that perfectly accompanies the actions of the player. It all creates this hilarious, fun, and weirdly relaxing experience of a game. 

The game may be short, but it doesn’t overstay its welcome. I think that if the game had been longer, it would have gotten repetitive to go around to new locations and pester new people. The way the game is now, you can do a whole bunch of different tasks after finishing the story, which gives Untitled Goose Game some great replay value for hardcore gamers. If the 2-3 hours playtime sounds like it’s not enough for you, then you will appreciate the post-game content, especially since it’s even more challenging than the rest of the game.

I just want to say that this is a terrific game for bringing people together. I showed it to my friends at the get-together I hosted, and we ended up finishing it as a group. It was such a delight to share this funny little game with my friends, and I cannot recommend it enough that others do the same. The hilariousness of playing as a chaotic goose is something that just has to be shared with those near to your heart. So whether you’ve always wanted to play a game as a goose, or you just can’t get over the fact that such a game has been made, you should give Untitled Goose Game a try.