I am one of those people who loves to find an escape. I love finding a movie or a television show that will let me forget about global politics, school stress,  and anxieties — but nothing compares to the escapism that comes with taking the white-feathered reins of a goose and becoming a honking terror on the population of a small town in Untitled Goose Game.

The game lets players explore a quaint town as an average, everyday goose. The game begins simply, zooming in on the silent, innocent bird. Once you press the honk button the first time, you are taken on a tour de force of shenanigans and all forms of goose tomfoolery. 

The object of the game is to move from one area to the next by completing a list of tasks. Players are instructed to do everything from dragging the gardener’s rake from the shed to the middle of the lake, to stealing the eyewear of innocent civilians and running away with it.

The game is light and fun, offering no real consequences if you are caught and chased away by one of the villagers. Untitled Goose Game can be described as a stealth game, and many of the missions involve the goose slowly crouching to sneak past unassuming villagers. However, the game can also be played at a faster pace, with your goose’s wings spread out, tapping your honk button as fast as you can.

The game’s ridiculous premise is juxtaposed by the amazing complementary soundtrack and stellar in-game design and artwork. The way this game works with the lack of sound makes for a somber and unique experience. You may go minutes with only the tapping of quiet geese feet, but suddenly launch yourself into a violent outpour of honking and people chasing after you. 

The game uses a dynamic piano soundtrack, meaning that it will only come in when the goose is about to be discovered, or it will spike in speed and volume when you are being chased. Because of this, the game creates a continuous feeling of playful excitement. 

The glee you feel when stealing the keys from villagers and locking them out of their own lawns, hearing the pitter-patter of your orange webbed feet along with the crescendo of the piano score, is truly fulfilling. Untitled Goose Game allows us to indulge in a world where there are rewards for causing mischief. 

The game does have some shortcomings as well. With a price tag of $19.99, the game comes at a steep price for only a weekend’s worth of content. The experience can quickly become repetitive with only a handful of areas to roam around. Hopefully, with the renowned praise and online love from fans, we will soon get a full Goose Game in the near future. 

This game has definitely gained a following and is currently the best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch in the U.S., where one of the publishers tweeted an announcement for the achievement.

In a time when some games take more than 40 hours to finish the story and many more hours to complete every side objective, Untitled Goose Game finds incredible depth in its simplicity.