Between a giant chicken, a one-eyed woman, a disgruntled faunus, and a crocodile with homicidal tendencies, are we really sure that Coo is the strange one after all?
In this review, we return to talk about The Many Pieces Of Mr. Coo, a fascinating and surreal slapstick comedy created by Nacho Rodríguez, developed by Gammera Nest, and produced by Meridiem Games, released on September 7, 2023. For more information about the game, we recommend checking out our main coverage at the following link.
The Many Pieces Of Mr. Coo is undoubtedly an atypical video game where artistic expression takes precedence, and the concept of it being a video game product is perhaps more of an intelligent ploy to showcase the great abilities of its author, Nacho Rodriguez, whom we discussed in this interview.
We will delve deeper into this unconventional yet perfectly classic video game, analyzing the gameplay and other technical aspects.
Mr. Coo as an archetype of innocence
“Mr. Coo first appeared in 2004. I was making it for the love of art and little else.”
Attempting to provide a realistic description of the main character in our story, Mr. Coo, may seem futile; however, Mr. Coo bears the semblance of a human being amidst other characters, who exhibit more zoomorphic traits. Mr. Coo seamlessly integrates into this imaginative context, where comedy and absurdity reign supreme.
The predominant tones of The Many Pieces Of Mr. Coo are surrealistic. The dreamlike dimension in which we are immersed from the opening scenes prompts us to question the nature of storytelling.
In Nacho Rodríguez’s previous work, El Laberinto Esférico, our Mr. Coo ended up riding the same chick that we encounter in The Many Pieces Of Mr. Coo. Between 2008 and 2012, Mr. Coo remained in a sort of suspended space-time, a limbo, or perhaps a paradise, where nothing happened, yet our protagonist lived happily, riding the chick, as if in a meditative state of emptiness.
To exit this paradise, this void, Mr. Coo must eat an apple, akin to the Biblical narrative, thus commencing his adventure, wherein his first attempt involves trying to surpass a red tent, reminiscent of a theatrical setting. However, he fails until the elements themselves emerge, heralding the “show.”
Mr. Coo’s act of eating the apple symbolizes the inherent human desire to venture beyond one’s comfort zone and embrace adventure. In a more philosophical sense, akin to Prometheus with fire, with the apple, humanity chose knowledge, relinquishing eternal bliss in Eden.
Once the apple is eaten, Mr. Coo essentially obtains what he desires, and this occurs at the game’s onset. Yet, the arrival of another character, the fearsome and malevolent crocodile, complicates matters, dismembering our poor protagonist.
Drawing from the game Lost Vikings, wherein three Vikings must collaborate, Mr. Coo, whose body has separated into three pieces, must coordinate his dispersed parts to progress through his adventure and overcome the obstacles before him, ultimately restoring his original form by reuniting his pieces.
The crocodile, akin to the apple, serves as the catalyst for initiating the adventure, disrupting the natural order of things, which another character, represented by the old man with a stick, strives to maintain. Consequently, the old man becomes the crocodile’s natural adversary.
This innate propensity for risk-taking is characterized by a fear of change and a subtle desire for things to remain as they are. Mr. Coo embodies the archetype of innocence, an entity that appears in his world without knowledge or purpose, encountering obstacles and difficulties without malice or specific intent.
The plot dynamics, in reality, are straightforward. What makes Mr. Coo’s story special is undoubtedly the philosophical undercurrent behind it.
As mentioned earlier, the characters, as well as the entire context, are characterized by dreamlike and symbolic elements, such as the female figure with a single eye, which embodies both sinuous and fierce qualities.
It is a culmination of elements that seemingly lack logical connections, yet individually serve as metaphors for something ancestral and profound, thereby perfectly coherent and harmonious.
Surrealism is the natural language of cartoons
“As an animator, the first lesson you learn is that you have to draw a lot.”
Nacho Rodríguez’s style is absolutely unique in the gaming industry, but if we look a bit further, especially into the past, we see those traditional traits that have shaped the history of classic Western animation.
Nacho himself reminds us that Bruno Bozzetto is among his main sources of inspiration.
However, The Many Pieces Of Mr. Coo’s style is evidently the result of an original idea, which has sprung to life from numerous influences, but above all, from the imaginative mind of its eccentric creator.
Creating a simple character is a strategy to tackle the monumental work behind classic animation, but it also provides the opportunity to enjoy a particularly expressive style, as seen in Mr. Coo. Even without words and with minimal silhouette and facial features, Mr. Coo can communicate every single emotion dynamically and profoundly.
“Surrealism, for me, is just the natural language of cartoons because transformations and fantastical elements are what cartoons can do naturally.”
These words from Nacho perfectly encapsulate what The Many Pieces Of Mr. Coo has achieved: a universal experience, both comedic and profound, which, with its different layers of interpretation, is appreciated by everyone, thanks in large part to its meticulously crafted yet essential style.
Let’s put Coo’s pieces back together
The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo presents itself with a rather classic and well-executed gameplay formula, , featuring the typical point-and-click mechanics of the genre. Players are tasked with solving puzzles of escalating difficulty to guide Mr. Coo to safety and recover the pieces of his body.
The goal is simple; interact with the environment (or with Mr. Coo himself), touch the required objects, and manipulate them until the solution to the dedicated puzzle is found. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
The mechanics and controls at the core of The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo are simple, intuitive, and, most importantly, easy to learn and master. But don’t be fooled. This doesn’t mean that the gameplay will be trivial or easy to read. The puzzles, particularly in the later stages of the adventure, will gradually become more complex and challenging, requiring players’ close attention to small details to be understood and solved.
However, do not despair, nor cross your bridges before you come to them. Indeed, for those who find the puzzles too outlandish or difficult to understand, you can always rely on the “book of hints,” a useful illustrative manual “hidden” in various parts of the setting, providing valuable hints on how to find a solution to your problem, with a list of instructions of truly commendable craftsmanship and and neatly packaged. It’s worth noting, though, that the book only covers some parts of the puzzles, particularly the most complex ones identified by Nacho. Otherwise, you’ll have to figure it out on your own. Yet, once you’ve grasped the surreal nature of the puzzles and their tragicomic twists, you won’t need the book anymore. Trust us!
During our time with the PlayStation 5 version of the game, we found the puzzle-solving experience overwhelmingly positive, and we didn’t encounter any major bugs, except in a particularly advanced stage of the game where, despite our efforts to advance both Coo’s legs and head in another scenario, only one part of his body actually moved, while the other remained literally blocked. To overcome this problem, we simply had to close and restart the game.
In terms of the game’s longevity, the experience lasts approximately an hour and a half (about two hours to earn the platinum trophy), which we find fitting and consistent with Mr. Coo’s concept and storyline. Extending the experience further would have only served to unnecessarily lengthen the story and make it repetitive and predictable. The good balance between storytelling and puzzles, particularly the excellent variety of the latter, makes The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo a great gaming experience that players can choose to enjoy all at once or in small daily doses.
A quirky and hilarious adventure suitable for everyone
The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo is exactly what it seems: an interactive visual adventure, wild and surreal, that needs nothing but animations to tell its story. Despite the absence of any text or spoken dialogue from characters throughout the entire experience, this absence doesn’t weigh at all. Instead, it infuses a unique tone into the adventure, making the language of the protagonist and his quirky friends somewhat universal, turning players into true interpreters of Mr. Coo’s universe.
The narrative component and artistic direction stand out as the most distinctive and recognizable features of Nacho Rodríguez’s work. However, regarding the storytelling, we would have appreciated a bit more calmness from Nacho in the concluding segment of the adventure. Particularly, the ending felt overly rushed, which is a pity, considering the promising direction the story was taking!
Nothing to complain, however, in terms of aesthetics and animation, where Nacho demonstrates his excellent skills in the field of art design. The settings and scenarios are nothing short of astonishing, with a cast of characters that is truly out of the ordinary.
As for the sound department, the short and simple OST present in the game offers some interesting accompanying tracks to the various sound effects, perfectly in line with the surreal context of the game. Among these, the pounding motif we can hear in the main menu stands out, and later on during the adventure. However, apart from some compositions, we feel that more could have been done in this regard, especially regarding the musical accompaniment and the soundtrack.
So, who do we recommend this game to? Everyone, without exception. From teenagers raised on milk, cookies, and cartoons, to older individuals who grew up with ’70s and ’80s animations and appreciate the work of authors like Osvaldo Cavandoli and Bruno Bozzetto. And yes, even to your children, especially if played in the company of you, their parents.
Hoping that Nacho finds these suggestions inspiring for the sequel, which, barring sensational twists, will be made, we would like to remind you that The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo is available for purchase on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One.
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The Many Pieces of Mr. Coo
PRO
- A beautifully imperfect point-and-click adventure.
- Excellent selection of colors, details, nuances, and objects that lend it a one-of-a-kind art style.
- A cast of characters as quirky and nonsensical in concept as they are perfectly executed in practice.
- Excellent variety and structure of puzzles.
CON
- A less hurried ending would have been preferable.
- Many good, indeed splendid, ideas in the narrative that haven’t always fully expressed their potential.
- OST and sound design are quite forgettable, despite some good ideas.
8/10
