Gobliiins Collection PS5 Review: Hilarious Goblin Chaos

Developer Red Art Studios (with original games primarily by Coktel Vision / Pierre Gilhodes), and Publisher Red Art Games bring this point-and-click trip down memory lane to the PS5 with bonus features to boot!

The Gobliiins Collection for PS5 is a lovingly assembled compilation of five zany point-and-click puzzle-adventure games spanning over three decades. Created by the visionary Pierre Gilhodes, the series follows quirky goblin (or goblin-like) characters on absurd quests filled with surreal humor, environmental puzzles, cartoon logic, and plenty of slapstick chaos. Whether saving a mad king, rescuing a prince, exploring labyrinths, hunting for a lost aardvark, or battling potato-transforming invaders, the games emphasize teamwork, experimentation, and delightful unpredictability over conventional storytelling or realistic solutions.

The Gameplay ...

Gobliiins

The first game in the series, introduces the core formula with three heroes including Oups, Asgard, and Ignatius, each possessing distinct abilities (magic, strength, and item/machinery interaction). Players switch between them in single-screen levels to solve environmental puzzles, often requiring precise timing and coordination. The gameplay is pure trial-and-error cartoon mayhem. You can expect goblins screaming, exploding, or comically failing as you manipulate bizarre objects in a quest to cure King Angoulafre. It's the rawest and most challenging entry, with limited feedback that rewards persistence and creative thinking.

Gobliins 2: The Prince Buffoon

This second entry refines the duo dynamic with Fingus and Winkle. Puzzles here build on the original's teamwork but feel tighter, with stronger narrative drive as the pair hunts for the missing prince across fantastical lands. It strikes an excellent balance of absurdity and accessibility.

Goblins 3 

The 3rd installment centered on eccentric reporter Blount amid a war between kings over a mysterious Labyrinth, it offers greater exploration, branching elements, and a broader sense of adventure. Creativity and humor shine through, marking a peak in narrative scope for the early series.

Gobliiins 4

Series entry number four represents a bold shift to full 3D graphics. Following Tchoup, Stucco, and Perluis on a quest to recover King Badigoince's missing aardvark, it retains the series' ridiculous energy and exaggerated animations but trades some pixel-art charm for a different visual style. Puzzles and humor stay true to the formula, though the transition feels a bit awkward by modern standards, but is still endearing in its commitment to chaos.

Gobliiins 5: The Morgloton Invasion

Down to the final 5th entry you'll find that it returns to it's hand-drawn 2D origins. Bringing back, in it's return, Oups, Asgard, and Ignatius who are destined to save the kingdom from a mad scientist and potato transformations across 16 levels, it captures the classic feel with updated polish, accessible yet inventive puzzles, and vibrant visuals. Many consider it a strong celebration of the series' strengths.

The Extras ...

This is far more than a simple port bundle. Red Art Games includes multiple versions of the first three games (e.g., MS-DOS, CD-ROM, Mac variants) for purists, a comprehensive music player with tracks from every iteration, an art gallery with original illustrations and design documents, 3D models of classic packaging, and an exclusive mini-series featuring a new interview with creator Pierre Gilhodes. Quality-of-life additions like improved console controls, better saving, and interface tweaks make these classics more approachable without diluting their eccentric spirit.

The Presentation ...

The collection preserves the series' wildly expressive visual identity including exaggerated animations, twitchy characters, and surreal environments bursting with personality. The soundtrack and sound design are noteworthy as well with chaotic musical scores, cartoonish vocal effects, and unhinged audio cues perfectly match the absurdity. The dedicated music player is a bonus for immersion.

The Verdict ...

The Gobliiins Collection is the complete package deal. It contains 5 full games upgraded for modern consoles plus extra content for people who enjoyed the originals back in the day. For those new to the experience you will be brought up to speed through the additional bonus content, and the games, themselves. Overall the value prospect is good for this affordable retro collection. If anything it's worth a trip down memory lane or a worthy new discovery for those who weren't old enough to game at the time of the original releases. The humor, and antics of the Gobliiins will definitely make for a rather entertaining adventure should you be willing to see it through.

In my personal opinion. this collection is best suited for fans of classic point-and-click adventures, retro enthusiasts, puzzle lovers who enjoy surreal humor and experimentation, and anyone seeking a whimsical escape from modern gaming norms. Newcomers willing to embrace its quirks will find a charming, laugh-out-loud time capsule, while veterans get a definitive, feature-packed edition. Highly recommended for those who appreciate games that dare to be weird.