Worldless
Review

Worldless (2023) is a running and jumping game where you explore a strange, shapeless world and fight monsters in turn-based combat. Starting almost formless, you steadily gain a plethora of abilities to dash, glide, jump and run through the levels, and a range of attacks and dodges to overcome enemies. It's an unusual combination of peaceful platforming and fast-paced combat that underlines the tension of a disembodied hero slowly finding their form.

You play a being who exists in a void before space and time are defined. You journey from formless confusion to a well-defined fighting gladiator. But the void is filled with other beings, who also want to make it to the next plane of existence. Some offer valuable advice that shapes who you are, and others believe their superiority has automatically granted them a place in the next plane.

To progress you run and jump over obstacles and pitfalls, and use your special abilities like gliding and dashing to avoid more dangerous obstacles. Combat is turn-based and requires you to choose the best attacks for your current foe, then time them expertly to maximise damage. As you delve deeper into the abyss, you learn valuable lessons and gain vital new skills that aid both traversal and combat to broaden the options for how to progress.

The result is a game that combines the test of tough turn-based fights with the exploration and traversal of platforming to tell a unique story of self-discovery and betterment, all while retaining the fun challenge inherent in the gameplay.

Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Worldless 15 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 2 weeks ago.