Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: thank goodness this was made

The most interesting and innovative game I’ve played this year

Thank Goodness You're Here! / Panic

Gaming comes in many forms, but we always look to smaller indie projects when we want to see innovation. While triple-A titles have been playing it safe with endless live-service slop, indies are coming out with the most surprising and interesting mechanics and themes. I am finding it difficult to compare Thank Goodness You’re Here! to any other video game. It’s more like the niche absurdist comedy pieces I personally like. Terry Gilliam’s brilliant animated shorts for Monty Python will be the most well known, but those familiar with Chris Simpsons Artist’s panels, or Bill Plympton’s films will also get the vibe. In short, Thank Goodness You’re Here! is weird in the best ways.

Thank Goodness You’re Here! tells the story of just a little guy who gets roped into helping the town of Barnsworth with varying results. Maybe you’ll be retrieving some normal milk for a milk-shy boy, ruining the lives of an underground society of mice, or getting the drunk cobbler to open up the butter shop. There are so many bizarre tales going on around the town of Barnsworth, some are part of the main adventure, but others you have to uncover. The charm is in its unexpected nature – the only thing you should expect is the highest jokes-per-minute ratio of any game. It’s as if they animated a Tim Vine set.

Thank Goodness You're Here! / Panic

Our wee man can move, jump and kick, and while the main story is pretty linear, there are small joys in punching things to see if you can witness something new. The gameplay is simple, though there are small puzzles as you figure out where to go and how best to help the townsfolk. It’s not really about the puzzles though, and yet the interactive nature of video games elevates it in interesting ways. When you mess with or help out the townspeople, you feel personally responsible, emotions that couldn’t be achieved if Thank Goodness You’re Here! had been an animated feature.

There are three main points that make Thank Goodness You’re Here! just so special. The first is the animation. The art style is so detailed and unique, and happy to break the rules in the name of humor. Our protagonist is roughly half the size of a normal person, but also small enough to be poured into a pint. The logical inconsistencies and charm in the little details of the animation bring everything together. You’ll find yourself enamored with everything, from the facial expressions to the small details in the world.

Thank Goodness You're Here! / Panic

Thank Goodness You’re Here! is a love letter to Barnsley and the people who live there. It’s clear the developers are writing from experience. The accents and manner of speech are perfect, and the triviality of their problems are extremely relatable. The humor is aggressively British, and it may not translate to other audiences, but you could learn a lot about the culture by trying it out. While many people think of Downton Abbey when they hear of England, Thank Goodness You’re Here! tells a story much closer to the truth, and showcases the sharp wit that comes from living in an area not home to the elite.

The writing is naturally what makes Thanks Goodness You’re Here! shine. Not only is each scenario perfectly absurd, but the character’s dialogue is first class. This can not only be seen in the charming cutscenes, but in the smaller interactions you’ll experience as you explore the world. You could get a lot of joy simply by watching someone else play, but the true appeal is in discovering all of the idiosyncrasies for yourself.

Thank Goodness You're Here! / Panic

Thank Goodness You’re Here! is the most interesting and innovative game I’ve played this year, featuring ideas and absurdist humor I have never seen in the thousand-something games I’ve completed. It’s a true slice of British culture, and a great insight into the things we find funny. It doesn’t have the mass appeal of triple-A games, but it is exactly the type of game that makes me excited that indies exist. People need to buy this entertaining curio so more developers will take a chance on games like these in the future.

Score: 9/10

Version tested: Nintendo Switch