LOOM™

I actually got my name printed in the LucasArts newsletter when I made a comment about the cinematic quality of this game.

There are some games that entertain you, some that challenge you, and then there are the rare few that feel like they enchant you. Loom is one of those games. It doesn’t bombard you with combat or complex mechanics; instead, it invites you into a world woven with music, mystery, and quiet melancholy.
You step into the role of Bobbin Threadbare, a reluctant hero and the last of the Weavers, armed only with a distaff and the ability to shape reality through song. Magic here isn’t about casting fireballs or wielding weapons—it’s about learning the language of the world, unraveling its secrets one note at a time. The concept of playing melodies forward to create and backward to undo is beautifully simple yet deeply immersive, making every discovery feel like a whispered secret between you and the game.
The story unfolds like a fairy tale, tinged with sadness and wonder, full of lost legacies and an impending fate you can’t escape. The world is painted in soft pixel art, evoking a dreamlike quality that pairs perfectly with the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, inspired by Swan Lake. Even though the game is short, its impact lingers long after the credits roll, like a melody you can’t quite forget.
Loom is a game that speaks in whispers rather than shouts, one that leaves you feeling like you’ve experienced something fragile and fleeting, yet profoundly magical. It may be one of LucasArts’ most underrated gems, but for those who have played it, it remains unforgettable.

A magical and enchanting game, unlike anything I’ve experienced before in the genre. Loom focuses on learning different drafts—short musical sequences—to solve its puzzles. This creates a fresh, memorable twist on the point-and-click formula, and it’s the kind of game where you’ll want a pen and paper nearby; remembering all the tunes on your own is nearly impossible.
The story draws inspiration from "The Ugly Duckling" and "Swan Lake", with music from the ballet beautifully woven into key scenes. At the start, you can choose from three game modes: Standard, Extreme, and Practice. I played on Standard, but I’m curious to see how Extreme changes the experience.
For a game released in 1990, Loom has aged remarkably well, and its innovative mechanics remain worth playing today. With this, I’ve added another classic point-and-click from Lucasfilm Games to my collection. I recommend everyone try this gem—it’s relaxing and challenging at the same time.

Do I recommend Loom? Absolutely! It's a lighthearted adventure that wants nothing more than to give you a unique fairy tale with relatively easy puzzles and chill vibes.
Do I recommend this Steam VGA version of Loom? Meh, it's good enough but pales in comparison to the EGA version.
I played them both back-to-back before writing this.
What's different? A lot. Most notably the EGA version has the most gorgeous art ever to grace EGA. The VGA has more pixels and colors but looks bland in comparison.
The scripts between the two are slightly different with the VGA being adapted for voice. I think that, while the voice work is generally good, it sometimes mars the overall vibe of some scenes (the shepherds in particular). I liked what my brain invented better.
The VGA has better quality sound and music, but again, I liked the primitive bleeps and bloops of the EGA version. They just fit, especially the note sounds of the distaff, your main gameplay element.
There's also complete absence of music in a couple parts and the absence of close-ups of some characters in the VGA version.
So, should you want to enjoy a unique classic poink, consider getting the EGA version (legally available on archive dot org) and playing that. It's a very short game so playing both is certainly a viable option!
Pro-Tip: Keep a notepad handy to write down spells as soon as you learn them. They are kinda randomized and aren't noted in-game.

Once more, a reminder that it takes a simple pressure of Alt+S to remove that ugly "modern" filter.
Loom may have been the first title to make young me realize that yes, video games can be art. An highly experimental "anomaly" in the Lucasfilm/arts catalogue, concentrated on story and atmosphere rather than puzzles, it also features a very original approach to the latter, based on musical magic spells made up of four notes. Experimentation is key, as these spells are obtained from interactions with other objects, and also work played in reverse. It's short but it takes the player through some of the most "magical" locations drawn at the time, especially the glass city.
Unfortunately, the version offered here is the relatively worst of the existing ones. It's not about the VGA graphics, even if the higher quantity of details doesn't necessarily equal a better art direction, losing the sharpness and the amazing use of the few colors available of the EGA graphics, on top of all the close-up portraits. It's rather about technical limitations of the time that forced to cut content: as this version originally made use of CD audio tracks, to fit everything many dialogues ended up cut or simplified, and locations that had music now have silence or sound effects. This version is also is voiced but the voice acting is less than stellar, which makes for a further strike against the game's atmosphere.
Beside the simple beauty of the original EGA version, there's also a Japanese FM Towns version that mixes the best parts of it and the VGA version (close-ups in 256 colors!). Alas, unlike the release of Zak McKracken which includes its FM Towns release nothing of the sort has been done.
Another classic but not in its "optimal" form, so don't feel ashamed of looking up for those other versions online.

It took us months to beat this game as kids but now as an adult 2 hours or less. still as amazing as ever.

Loom was an unexpected treat. While the VGA PC CD-ROM version does not quite match the handcrafted beauty of the original EGA DOS release with its stunning 16-bit color, dithered backgrounds, and painterly aesthetic, it still preserves the game's most remarkable feature: its music-based interface. At a time when most adventure games relied on cumbersome text commands, Loom stood out as a seamless and elegant experience. It helped define the point-and-click adventure genre and set a new standard for Lucasfilm Games by removing the possibility of losing, encouraging players instead to explore freely and experiment without fear.

The story unfolds in a dark yet humorous fantasy world, told through beautifully composed MIDI adaptations of Swan Lake and presented with the charm of an interactive tapestry. Despite its age, Loom manages to surprise with clever humor; there is even a mid-story twist that genuinely caught me off guard and made me laugh out loud. Overall, it is a deeply enjoyable and unique experience that deserved the sequels it never received, even though it sold well and remains a timeless example of creative storytelling in games.