From one man indie team Jason Roberts, here’s the 2017 artistic puzzle game Gorogoa. Clap your hands together, readers! Clap!

It’s a two-by-two grid image manipulation game that plays out like a mini-movie. And it’s quite the marvel to behold, truly!

Manipulate it, Gorogoa, For Art’s Sake!

Okay, so this is a step above the legendary Mario Paint and is leaning towards artistic video games such as Monument Valley II.

Although a short experience at around 30 minutes, the twisting and clever layout of Goroga is what makes it work like a treat.

You’re presented with four tiles. These present a series of images, which you manipulate by zooming in or out—these present a series of images, which you manipulate by zooming in or out, but you also get cut away pieces you can overlap across other tiles.

And it’s by shifting and moving them around (often simply by experimentation) that you can unfold the game’s narrative.

The joy of Gorogoa is working out the abstract puzzles and progressing onward, as they are clever and ever intriguing.

If you want to play the thing, it’s on Steam, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and good old smartphones.

As this is kind of one of those games for non-gamers. It tempts you in with its peaceful, abstract, arty looks. Then proceeds to dump an interesting story in.

It’s about a boy who encounters colourful monsters to the backdrop of dramatic landscapes, some of which are ravaged by war.

As you solve puzzles, the game depicts the boy growing older and reflecting on his younger days. Relevant right now, given the events in Ukraine.

Below is Gorogoa in full! If you fancy watching it play out.

It’s one of those games you can just watch unfold, rather than play. As Roberts did initially intend the game to be an interactive graphic novel.

But it’s also a game we recommend you play. Even if you just have a smartphone, give it a whirl and enjoy the artistic delights.