The Art of Crafting Mind-Bending Challenges: Delving into Jeppe Carlsen's Puzzle Design Philosophy for Cocoon

In late September, Geometric Interactive released their debut game Cocoon to great critical acclaim and overwhelming praise from players. This indie title is available on all major platforms, including Xbox Game Pass, and introduces a captivating mechanic where players can manipulate game levels as objects, nesting them within each other like Matryoshka Dolls. With its surreal and innovative gameplay, Cocoon stands out as a compelling and original puzzle game that appeals to a wide range of players.

We recently had the opportunity to speak with Jeppe Carlsen, the lead developer of Cocoon and the acclaimed puzzle platformer Limbo. Carlsen shared insights into his approach of designing unique, satisfying, and mentally stimulating puzzles. The success of Cocoon not only showcases Carlsen's exceptional game design skills, but also establishes it as an accessible and wholly original gaming experience.

Daydreaming Over Research

Carlsen suggests not seeking inspiration from other puzzle games or conducting extensive research. Instead, he recommends engaging in personal contemplation and allowing oneself to daydream while walking around, focusing on puzzles.

Carlsen believes that Geometric Interactive's commitment to solving design problems independently, instead of seeking outside inspiration, brings a strong sense of coherence to the game. Cocoon offers a focused and engaging experience, with precise pacing and puzzles that hold true significance. Carlsen's emphasis on satisfying pay-offs ensures that these puzzles provide a sense of achievement, whether it be through progress or an enlightening moment. These moments, combined with the joy of exploration, create an unforgettable experience for players. Surprisingly, Carlsen admits that he doesn't personally play many challenging puzzle games, as the frustration of solving difficult puzzles doesn't offer enough reward.

Accessibility Offsets Complexity

"The true essence of Cocoon lies in its captivating core concept and the remarkable impact it has on gameplay, which may only be fully comprehended when players personally immerse themselves in the experience. However, once players become acquainted with the enchanting globes that hold captivating new environments and offer unique ways to navigate, the game's progression feels effortless and instinctive.

"Thus, it became evident to me that the greater the complexity desired, the importance of ensuring simplicity also becomes paramount. When crafting intricate puzzles, it is imperative to balance their complexity by incorporating accessibility."

Cocoon's controls are as simple as an Atari 2600. With just a single stick and interaction button, players can pick up objects with a tap or activate switches and enter different worlds with a longer press. Through the clever use of repeated design elements, such as orbs always being interactive and keys obtained through puzzle sequences with environmental hints, players can navigate complex interactions without the need for text or cinematic explanations. This game successfully merges minimalistic controls with intricate puzzles.

The range of mechanics that emerge from this seemingly straightforward control system is astounding. By the end of Cocoon, players will not only be able to warp through and pack up entire universes but also create matter, teleport, and manipulate the solidity of certain objects with a simple button press. Even the boss fights in the game are elaborate, despite the absence of health points or the death of characters. Carlsen hopes that even those who don't typically enjoy puzzle games will find the game's streamlined yet conceptually rich gameplay captivating.

Escaping the Computer

Carlsen emphasizes the importance of taking breaks from using a computer to allow ideas to develop and become something extraordinary. He conceived the idea for Cocoon long before he began working on the game, and over the years, he continued to refine and be inspired by the concept. Carlsen also acknowledges the difficulty of creating meaningful and memorable puzzle experiences solely using a level editor.

This thoughtful research approach has proven to be fruitful, as Cocoon has received acclaim from players and critics, currently boasting "Overwhelmingly Positive" user reviews on Steam. Despite its success, Carlsen has no plans to add more content to Cocoon. However, Geometric Interactive is eagerly looking forward to starting their next project.

Cocoon is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.