The Gunk

The Gunk is a wonderful game about good friends Rani and Beck. They have a small scavening business and harvest resources in order to sell them. The fascinating story begins as soon as you land on a planet full of disgusting gunk. Once you cleared it up you can see the fantastic and colorful world that is hidden underneath the slime. Soon they even found signs of an ancient civilization. They realized that they have to discover the secret of the colorful planet in order to remove the gunk and save the former inhabitants from the threat.

The Gunk is a visually appealing game that has its moments, but it lacks the innovation and challenge to leave an everlasting impression.

I really, really enjoyed my time with The Gunk; a fleetingly brief experience that left me feeling tranquil and at peace. It is rare a game can have an effect like that on me – what with the smorgasbord of violent games and intensity on offer around every corner. Do not let the quirky name put you off, The Gunk is more than deserving of a play during a lazy summer (or winter for you northern hemisphere dwelling folk) afternoon. Bugs and minor flaws do prove to be an inconvenience, although Image & Form Games have still managed to deliver a solid 3D platformer that’s worth a look.

The Gunk is a simple little platforming adventure full of malicious messes that are plenty fun to clean up.

There’s a lot to love about The Gunk even if the core gameplay rarely rises above being pretty OK. It’s a good adventure through a unique and pretty alien world, filled with character and life. Rani and Beck are a good team and their dialogue is great fun, even as the pressures mount on their relationship. The story of the alien civilization makes sense, and it’s good to play a game where the mysteries have clear solutions rather than get lost in heavy-handed world building. If the platforming and combat had lived up to everything else then The Gunk would be top-tier gaming, but even so it ends up being a playable adventure that will keep you invested to the final credit roll.

There is nothing special or complicated about The Gunk, but it proves to be a relaxing and light adventure that focuses on the manual removal of a toxic substance and the abrupt return of nature.

More seductive in its first part, The Gunk offers a pleasant exploration in sumptuous settings which lose their luster a little over the course of the journey; it also fails to renew itself in the challenges and puzzles it houses. This short adventure of 6 to 7 hours only is appreciated in the tranquility of its experience, its narrative potential and its beautiful dubbing. But difficult to be fully excited after spending long hours sucking up to abundant parasites.

The Gunk is a rather visually stunning experience with many drawbacks that prevent it from scoring higher. While it has some noteworthy high points, it also has some devastatingly low points that show that Image & Form Games are just dipping their toes into 3D world design.

Rani and Becks are an appealing duo to share adventures with, but they deserve something more exciting than The Gunk has to offer.