Double Fine bringing toy box puzzler Gnog to Steam next month

Gnog is a 3D puzzle game built around monster heads and tactile, toy-like doodads. It's coming to Steam next month courtesy of developer KO_OP and publisher Double Fine. Gnog does not yet have a price point on Steam, but judging from its earlier PlayStation 4 release, it will cost $14.99.

"Inspired by real-world toy designs, every Gnog head is a miniature world to discover," its Steam page reads. "Grab a bookcase and spin it to reveal a hidden pile of coins, slide levers to navigate a damaged ship through outer space, crank a wheel to cook a stew on the stove—each playful interaction generates lively feedback and surprising consequences."

There are nine levels in total, each with unique objectives and objects. The 'Purp-L' level, for instance, is based on a monster whose head "doubles as a synth" which you can use to remix the level's music. Another level, 'Vort-X,' challenges you to experiment with and repair a spaceship, then pilot it home.

Where levels are tightly themed, Gnog's music is purposefully dynamic and "evolves with each level." It dips and swells in time with your actions, bursting as you poke and prod and swaying as you flip and fold. The soundtrack was composed by musician Marskye, who is also handling the music for Boyfriend Dungeon, a curious hybrid of dungeon crawlers and dating sims.

While Gnog supports VR play, its creators say it's also an enjoyable experience on traditional screens. VR users will also be able to "seamlessly switch" between playing on their HMD and playing on their monitor.

An exact release date for Gnog has not been given beyond November 2017. In the meantime, have a gander at these level teasers.

Austin freelanced for PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and has been a full-time writer at PC Gamer's sister publication GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a staff writer is just a cover-up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news, the occasional feature, and as much Genshin Impact as he can get away with.