ilomilo Preview - XBLA

Reunite Two Lost Buddies - ilomilo Preview

Quirky puzzlers are popular these days, with games such as Scribblenauts featuring a cutesy appeal while retaining a fun and challenging gameplay style. Previously released for Windows Phone 7, ilomilo is a colorful puzzle game where your goal is to reunite main characters ilo and milo who are separated within each of the game’s levels. The game has already received praise in its original mobile format. How is the title shaping up now that it’s on its way to Xbox Live Arcade?

A Story of Friendship

The plot in ilomilo is fairly thin and doesn’t get extremely deep throughout the experience. Basically, two best friends continue to find themselves separated from one another. Despite their bond, they are repeatedly placed on opposite ends of their land. It is your job to reunite them by helping them navigate through puzzle-like levels. You are frequently treated with cutesy cutscenes that describe the two characters’ friendship, but the story never gets overly complex. Ultimately, the theme of ilomilo is a consistent feel-good buddy tale that’s lighthearted and fun.

Play Alone or with a Friend

You take turns controlling ilo and milo through 49 different levels. At the start of each level, both characters are at opposite ends, and it is your job to bring them together. This is done by guiding them through pathways and hitting switches that open up roads for each of the characters. You’ll find that whenever one character can’t go any further, the other character must be utilized to solve a puzzle, hit a switch, or place a block on the path to get across.

The game isn’t a very lengthy affair, but there are some optional objectives that should keep dedicated players busy for some time. Hidden in each of the levels are creatures known as Safkas. Locating the three hidden Safkas in each of the game’s stages and taking them to the goal unlocks bonuses. Additionally, you can score more content in the form of unlockable characters and items if you also own A World of Keflings and Raskulls.

But the coolest feature of ilomilo isn’t the unlockable content or the inclusion of other indie game characters (Super Meat Boy and World of Goo cameos). Those things are pretty sweet, but what makes ilomilo such an interesting game is the addition of co-op play. You can team up with a buddy and cooperatively tackle the game’s many levels. As is the case in the single-player mode, ilo and milo must take turns moving around the map.

ilomilo Preview - Early January Launch

If you’re into quirky puzzlers with a charming look, be on the lookout for ilomilo. The game’s level and art design are sure to please many gamers, and the cooperative multiplayer mode is a really cool addition to the package. ilomilo, which is currently available on Windows Phone 7, will launch for Xbox Live Arcade on January 5.