The Gobliiins series occupies a curious place in adventure game history. Never quite as celebrated as some of the genre’s biggest names, it nevertheless built a loyal following through its surreal humour, unconventional puzzle design, cartoon-like animations, and memorable cast of bumbling goblin heroes. Gobliiins Collection brings together the first five entries in Pierre Gilhodes’ long-running series, spanning more than three decades of game design evolution. On PlayStation 5, the result feels less like a simple retro compilation and more like a playable museum piece, showcasing both the strengths and shortcomings of one of puzzle adventure gaming’s strangest franchises.
What immediately stands out is how distinct these games remain even today. Rather than focusing heavily on dialogue trees, inventory management, or sprawling worlds, most of the series revolves around compact puzzle screens where solutions must be uncovered by experimenting with multiple characters and their unique abilities. The formula encourages creative thinking and often rewards persistence, but it can also test the patience of modern players. Many puzzles operate according to a delightfully absurd internal logic that frequently prioritises humor over clarity, creating situations where success feels equally likely to come from inspiration or stubborn trial and error.
That challenge is part of the collection’s appeal, but it is also one of its biggest barriers. The earliest games in particular can feel unapologetically archaic, with obscure solutions and occasional moments where progress stalls completely. While the later entries smooth out some of these rough edges, the collection never fully escapes its old-school roots. Gobliiins was designed during an era when experimentation and failure were expected parts of the experience, and that philosophy remains intact here. Those willing to embrace that mindset will likely find plenty to enjoy, while newcomers may occasionally find themselves reaching for a guide.
The transition to console controls is largely successful, though not flawless. Character switching and action selection are sensibly mapped, making it easy to juggle the different abilities required for puzzle solving. On PlayStation 5, the control scheme generally gets the job done, but some of the older games still reveal their mouse-driven origins. Interactions can occasionally feel imprecise, leading to moments where the intended solution is known but the game fails to recognise an input as expected. The issue becomes less noticeable in the newer entries, where larger environments and more readable interactions help the series adapt more comfortably to a controller.
Visually, the collection offers a fascinating timeline of changing design trends. The original trilogy remains the highlight, with expressive pixel art, bizarre character animations, and an unmistakable visual identity that has aged remarkably well. Gobliiins 4 stands out for different reasons, representing the franchise’s move into early 3D and arguably serving as the collection’s least graceful ageing experiment. By contrast, Gobliiins 5 feels like a welcome return to form, combining modern presentation with much of the charm that made the earlier games memorable. The audio is equally enduring, filled with quirky vocalisations, playful sound effects, and memorable music that still helps define the series’ personality decades later.
Beyond the games themselves, Red Art Games has put genuine effort into making this feel like a celebration of the franchise. Interviews with the seriess’ creator Gilhodes, artwork galleries, music playback options, recreations of original packaging, and multiple versions of several games add welcome historical context. The one notable omission is the lack of manuals or substantial onboarding material, something that feels particularly noticeable given how opaque some of these puzzles can be. For a collection aimed at preserving gaming history, leaving newcomers to figure out the basics largely on their own feels like a missed opportunity considering how many of today’s gamers won’t be familiar with the unique brand of gameplay design of these games.
Gobliiins Collection ultimately succeeds because it understands what fans want from a retro compilation: authenticity, preservation, and respect for the source material. The games remain as eccentric, charming, frustrating, and inventive as they were decades ago. Not every entry has aged equally well, and the learning curve can be steeper than modern audiences might expect, but the package as a whole offers an entertaining look at a wonderfully peculiar corner of adventure gaming history. For long-time fans, it’s an easy recommendation, while curious newcomers willing to tolerate a few old-fashioned frustrations will discover a series whose sense of humor and creativity remain surprisingly timeless.
Score: 7.7/10