Good Job!

Even though good, solid local co-op experiences took a back seat within the gaming realm in favour of online for a number of years, the cooperative experience has made quite the comeback over the past five-or-so years. At the same time, graphics engines with a heavy focus on physics, such as Unity, have made their entry into the industry which has made it easier for developers to create more... well... physical games in which players get to experience controlling a character and seeing a ripple effect in the character's limbs and even environmental items, with obvious hilarity to follow.

If these two trends are combined into one game, you get Paladin Studios' Good Job!, which was revealed and released not too long ago for the Nintendo Switch. The premise is simple - you're the boss' incompetent son and you've been assigned the task of solving your father's office building's various problems, such as installing a printer, installing the projector for the company presentation, or getting all the employees into the meeting room when they'd rather lounge and scurry about. The problem is that daddy dearest has underestimated the scale of your incompetence, which is why you, and a friend of yours if need be, intend to cause as much chaos while doing your job as possible.

And that means using physics in a series of distinct levels, all divided up to the various floors of the corporate building, each sporting a different theme. Again, it's nothing particularly new to use slightly floaty physics to create chaotic and destructive moments that ultimately disrupt the workplace, but it works. Each level is seen from an isometric perspective, where you two have to work together to ... well, let's give you one example where you use a power cord like a gigantic elastic band and send an office printer at the speed of light through a wall. No, that doesn't sound boring, does it?

The premise is hard to fault, right? And it's equally challenging to fault the physics themselves, which provide the central foundation for the game's ultimate entertainment value. Every floor introduces new mechanics and systems that you must use to solve a seemingly basic task, and every time something new is introduced, it only adds to the chaos and the fun. For example, you start using the aforementioned elastic chords, but quickly your arsenal of mayhem-inducing mechanics involves forklift driving, crane operating, and much, much more. Whereas the open office landscape is deceptively simple at first glance, it does take a bit more creative thinking than you'd think to get from one end to the other.

It's quite relaxing and a lot of fun, especially due to the fact that the game rarely penalises you for going your own way. Your overall score is primarily determined by how much damage you've managed to cause, so you're encouraged to experiment, explore and destroy.

The levels also offer some extra treasures to smash, adding points to your score, as well as new cosmetics for your character to put on. That's right, there are no microtransactions here, just the joy of finding alternate costumes hidden about the place - what a new and exciting concept. That said, it's fun to find Viking helmets, dresses, angel wings and hefty gold chains around the place because they are often tucked away in easy-to-miss nooks and crannies.

Good Job! doesn't claim to be more than what it is - it's a chaotic, entertaining and simple physics-based game that'll exercise your brain a bit as you think of a solution to a problem. However, the game is primarily about having fun, laughing out lout with your friends and watching poor office workers get terrorised. It's also adorned with a magnificent art style that's apparently inspired by the classic WC and pedestrian crossing figures and accompanied by some real clichéd but charming office music.

Good Job! is fun and it's nice to look at, and if you're stuck indoors and you're looking for a cooperative experience to share with someone close to you, we wholeheartedly recommend it.