Review: Ilomilo

CommentJanuary 11th, 2011 21:45

Ilomilo (eelo meelo) is a three dimensional puzzle game for the Xbox 360. It is a wonderful little gem of a game developed by Swedish developers SouthEnd interactive that will have you wearing an inquisitive smile as you contemplate the intriguing subtext woven into the game’s wonderfully childish presentation. Its target audience is not apparent however as its core gameplay insists on a slow methodical approach that asks of the player some tricky spatial awareness based challenges. However these are worthwhile challenges indeed and if you take a step back, grab a girlfriend or a little sister, it’s as easy as Buttercake!

The game itself revolves around a pair of thimble shaped woolly characters who are finding it very difficult to meet each morning for apple tea and maple leaf flavoured biscuits. The premise of the game therefore is to help these two pleasant misfits navigate large cube based puzzles so that they can meet and revel in each other’s company. It’s a bizarre concept that works surprisingly well and is really quite sincere and uplifting given that the majority of video games out there are targeted at young adrenaline seeking male teenagers eager to kill each other and blow things up. Ilomilo is a welcome change of pace that encourages you and a friend to talk, think and work through rewarding puzzles a lot of which are quite fiendish in design! Two heads are better than one here and this is the games real shining design element. The both of you are left with the engaging task somewhat similar to solving 1 side of a rubix cube, or maybe assisting each other in getting that tetris but now in a co-operative fashion!

The two player game however is turn based as with a game of Scrabble or Monopoly and this may sound frustrating to those angry at the idea of not having a split screen option but thankfully the games developers have included functions for the non active player to remain immersed in the experience. The non active player can control a buzzing fly to guide the active player in approaching different cubes or pickups. If the active player is taking too long to figure something out, the non active player can make musician cartoon characters appear to really infuriate and insist that the active player pass the helm of the ship over. It’s a bold move but even after a few bruises and teary scraps, the game will draw two players back into its despicably charming world.

One does however question the incredibly feminine visual style of Ilomilo and in questioning, may find a hidden narrative that deals with childhood emotions and experiences. The artistry of every level is no random un-involved showcase as you would find with say the latest Mario game or a Wii platformer for children. The games cutesy storyline is reflected accurately and poignantly because of the careful use of meaningful backdrops, nostalgic pick-ups, emotive music and more. Even the 6 sided cubes your little Swedish thimble trots over and back upon are created with great care. The first world is based on a morning in which the central characters agree to meet for apple tea and biscuits. The colours are of dawn and sunrise. The background is a dreamy cloud space interspersed with imaginative warm autumn trees and household items. With sounds of birds chirping and wind rustling the audio is then met with a xylophone introducing the first few notes of the levels upbeat optimistic chirpy soundtrack. The music is incredible and it is never tiring considering you’ve been stuck for 20 minutes trying to figure out one of the games seemingly insensitive puzzles. The music is a combination of folk instruments designed to appeal to the child at heart and is performed with accordions, violins, flutes, trumpets, a glockenspiel etc and all to an ear satisfying design. The inactive player can even attempt to play along with the levels music by using his drummer or trumpet musician cartoon character to annoy the active player quite comically. Music is to the fore here and its well appreciated.

Visually, Ilo Milo is a fully developed artistic idea brimming with ideas and sentiments and because of this, the world is very satisfying to sit back and involve yourself with, even when watching your partner stumble on their latest puzzle. The images presented among the dreamy cloudscapes are familiar to those with a childhood experienced in the 70s or 80s. Windmill wands, character cubes and woolly toys are animated with great care including materials used in patchwork, embroidery and knitting to name but a few. Players collect children’s jewellery, photographs, old vinyl records and other mementos one may attribute to a young person’s first fascination with the world before them. It’s a deeply nostalgic yet amazingly contemporary game that plays on beautiful feminine qualities like nurture, creativity and playfulness. To demonstrate this the friendship between ilo and milo is not to be sneered at for its simplicity, as it is used to great emotional affect like when world 2 begins, we learn how sad the duo are when faced with the realisation of leaving each other. They both cry so hard they form a lake into which they are swallowed into and thus separated. And so follows levels accompanied by underwater backgrounds, boat like cubes and sad downbeat music to tease your subconscious into the unfolding narrative you the player (and partner!) are invited to create for yourself.

Children’s storybooks, tones and themes have always been cherished by the once children now adults of our world. Many writers try to tap into this writing genre and hope to emerge with their own deeply psychological and multi layered tales like “Where the Wild Things Are” or Dr Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat”. The children’s storybook when created with deep care, respect and affection for its audience of all ages, is capable of delivering a massive emotional experience not found in adult literature. And so here we have a wonderful Scandinavian storybook video game, that will treat you kindly should you put down your guns, grab a good friend and pick up your knitting needles!

For a shocking 800 Microsoft points (under €10!) this game is a steal. Put on the kettle and ease into a 2 player Sudoku like experience.

TGL SCORE: 8/10