Some classic game series remain easy to revisit because their ideas still feel modern. Then there are games like Gobliiins, titles so unapologetically bizarre that they almost feel disconnected from gaming history altogether. They do not follow conventional storytelling logic, traditional puzzle design or even standard comedy structure. Instead, they inhabit their own strange little universe, filled with screaming goblins, surreal humour and environmental puzzles that often feel like fever dreams brought to life. That wonderfully chaotic identity is exactly what makes Gobliiins Collection so compelling.
Released by Red Art Studios and Red Art Games, this anthology brings together the first five entries in Pierre Gilhodes’ legendary point-and-click franchise, introducing modern improvements to help newer audiences approach these classics. For longtime fans, this is a nostalgia bomb loaded with archival extras, alternate versions and restored presentation. For newcomers, it serves as a fascinating time capsule from an era when adventure games were willing to be messy, experimental and completely unafraid of confusing the player. Most importantly, the collection never tries to sanitise what made these games memorable in the first place.
The Gobliiins series has always thrived on unpredictability. One moment you are solving a relatively straightforward environmental puzzle, and the next you are watching a goblin accidentally explode because you clicked on the wrong object. That constant balance between logic and absurdity gives the anthology a personality that still feels refreshing decades later.
Gameplay
At the heart of the series lies a deceptively simple concept. Players control one or more goblin characters, each with unique skills and interactions. Success depends on understanding how those abilities combine in increasingly bizarre environments filled with traps, jokes and hidden solutions.
The original Gobliiins remains surprisingly challenging even today. Oups, Asgard and Ignatius must work together to cure King Angoulafre after he is driven insane by a cursed voodoo doll. One goblin uses magic, another relies on physical strength, and the third interacts with machinery or environmental objects. Individually, they are limited, but together they create an entertaining puzzle-solving dynamic built around experimentation and timing.
What makes the puzzles stand out is how little the games care about traditional logic. Solutions often follow cartoon rules rather than real-world reasoning. You stop asking what makes sense and start thinking about what feels funniest or most chaotic. Once you adapt to that mindset, the games become significantly more enjoyable. Until then, they can occasionally feel like they are actively mocking you.
Gobliins 2 refines the structure beautifully by focusing on the duo of Fingus and Winkle. Their contrasting personalities create more focused puzzles while delivering some of the funniest interactions in the collection. The smaller cast helps streamline progression and gives the adventure stronger pacing than the original game.
Then there is Goblins 3, which dramatically expands the formula with larger environments and more ambitious storytelling. Blount, the eccentric reporter at the centre of the story, injects fresh energy into the series, while the branching puzzle structure fosters a broader sense of exploration. At times, the scale can feel slightly overwhelming, particularly when solutions grow increasingly obscure, but the creativity on display constantly pushes you forward. Even when frustration appears, curiosity usually wins out.
The Evolution Across Decades
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Gobliiins Collection is watching the franchise evolve over more than thirty years of gaming history. Each entry reflects not only technological change but also shifts in adventure-game philosophy and visual presentation.
Gobliiins 4 immediately stands out for its transition to full 3D graphics. Released long after the original trilogy, it feels like a product of a completely different gaming generation. The exaggerated animations and cartoon visuals retain charm, but the move away from pixel art sacrifices some of the timeless expressiveness that defined the earlier games. Still, there is something admirable about how committed the game remains to the series’ absurd identity.
Rather than trying to modernise the humour or tone, Gobliiins 4 embraces the same ridiculous energy that made the originals memorable. The result feels awkward at times, yet strangely lovable for that very reason.
Thankfully, Gobliiins 5 delivers a triumphant return to the classic 2D style. Reuniting the original trio for another wildly absurd quest instantly restores the visual charm many fans missed. The hand-drawn presentation looks fantastic, the humour lands naturally, and the updated puzzle structure feels more accessible without sacrificing the franchise’s strange personality. It genuinely feels like a celebration of everything that made the series beloved.
Presentation and Atmosphere
The visual identity of Gobliiins remains one of its greatest strengths. Every environment bursts with personality, from twisted fantasy castles to bizarre underground chambers filled with strange creatures and interactive objects. The exaggerated animations lend even simple actions a playful sense of life. Characters rarely stand still. They twitch, panic, celebrate and scream constantly, creating an almost theatrical quality that keeps every screen visually engaging.
The sound design deserves equal praise. The series uses exaggerated vocal effects, chaotic musical stings and cartoon-inspired audio cues to reinforce its surreal tone. At times, the soundtrack feels completely unhinged, jumping between playful melodies and bizarre sound effects without warning. Yet that unpredictability perfectly matches the overall atmosphere.
The anthology also includes a full soundtrack player alongside archival galleries, creator interviews and historical material exploring the franchise’s development. These extras transform the collection from a simple compilation into a meaningful preservation project. For retro gaming enthusiasts especially, the documentary content offers fascinating insight into Pierre Gilhodes’ creative process and the unconventional thinking that shaped the series.
Quality of Life Improvements
Thankfully, Red Art Games has approached the collection with respect. Modern control improvements make navigation smoother on consoles while preserving the original gameplay flow. Save systems and interface refinements reduce some of the harsher frustrations associated with older adventure games without fundamentally altering the experience.
Of course, some frustrations remain unavoidable. These are still games from an era when puzzle design occasionally prioritised experimentation over clarity. There will absolutely be moments when players become stuck because they overlooked a tiny interaction or misunderstood the game’s bizarre internal logic. Yet even in those moments, the collection rarely loses its charm. That charm carries tremendous weight throughout the experience.
Final Verdict
Gobliiins Collection is messy, strange and occasionally infuriating. It is also imaginative, funny and bursting with personality in ways modern adventure games rarely dare. The anthology succeeds because it understands that preservation is not about smoothing away imperfections. It is about protecting identity. These games still feel delightfully chaotic because Red Art Games wisely resisted the temptation to modernise their eccentricities. That decision makes all the difference.
Whether you are revisiting these adventures from childhood or discovering them for the first time, the collection offers a fascinating journey through one of gaming’s most distinctive puzzle franchises. Some puzzles may test your patience, but the creativity behind them remains impossible to ignore. Few games feel as genuinely unique even decades later.
Gobliiins Collection lovingly preserves one of adventure gaming’s strangest and most charming franchises. Chaotic, creative and full of personality, it remains a wonderfully weird experience from start to finish.
