Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 41
  2. Negative: 1 out of 41
  1. Dec 17, 2021
    90
    Image and Form swaps 2D for 3D, but still delivers an excellently crafted game with a captivating story and heartfelt characters.
  2. Dec 16, 2021
    90
    The Gunk is a satisfying puzzle-adventure game where two down-on-their-luck space scrappers must help save an alien planet from a destructive black goo. The combat in The Gunk does feel frustratingly underbaked, but solid story pacing and excellent puzzle challenges help overshadow the struggle.
  3. Dec 16, 2021
    90
    This is an astonishingly immersive and good-natured fable, and we relished returning to it whenever we were away. It may not be long, it may not do anything groundbreaking, but The Gunk radiated good feelings whenever we picked up the pad.
  4. Jan 2, 2022
    81
    The Gunk invites us to a world of science fiction, surrounded by adventure, exploration and platforms. It is a sincere game, without great pretensions, that only wants to show its art, world and sensations when playing it.
  5. Dec 20, 2021
    80
    A short, sharp 3D action-adventure that keeps things simple in a gorgeous world and makes a great case for Game Pass as a delivery vehicle for bingeable and low-investment experiences.
  6. Dec 16, 2021
    80
    The Gunk is a fun and engaging indie title with a simple and addicting gameplay. The environmental puzzles are many and always different, well implemented within the experience.
  7. Dec 16, 2021
    80
    Short as it may be, my time with The Gunk has been wonderful. Image & Form’s move into the 3D realm has solidified it as a truly talented developer – and this may just be its best game yet. Beautiful, satisfying and engaging from start to finish, The Gunk is definitely worth getting stuck into.
  8. Dec 16, 2021
    78
    The Gunk is an enjoyable adventure with beautiful visuals, whose core gameplay mechanics fall a bit short.
  9. Feb 2, 2022
    75
    Though it doesn't have all the perks and features of bigger games, The Gunk remains gorgeous and engaging. A short but sweet adventure full of puzzles and fantastic scenery.
  10. Dec 29, 2021
    75
    The Gunk is a simple and short proposal, but it knows how to entertain with a gameplay focused on exploration.
  11. Dec 19, 2021
    75
    The Gunk is a little hidden gem that, despite not feeling innovative or deep, is able to entertain and move the player.
  12. Dec 17, 2021
    75
    For all the neat freaks out there, this one’s for you.
  13. Dec 16, 2021
    75
    The Gunk is a difficult game to label, but an easy one to enjoy. Whether you’re sucking up a load of the titular gunk to help bring an alien world back to life, or listening to an engaging back and forth between the game’s main characters, there’s plenty to like here, even if it doesn’t quite live up to its early potential.
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  1. Dec 22, 2021
    A very interesting trip to other planet, with tons of exploration and some bits of action and puzzles.
  2. Dec 16, 2021
    As the journey shifts and becomes a bit darker, there's a real flash of steel at the core of it all. If you've played the SteamWorld games, you'd probably expect this, but it's still a delight to see a game like this built with such craft and obvious humanity. I started The Gunk worrying about how one of the great 2D design teams would cope with three dimensions. The truth is they cope so effortlessly that I just spent the next four or five hours gloriously lost in what they had built. [Eurogamer Recommended]
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 175 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 98 out of 175
  2. Negative: 33 out of 175
  1. Dec 17, 2021
    2
    Don't have Russian language. Pls we want!!! Пожалуйста добавьте русский язык, хватит игнорировать наш рынок. Нам уже очень надоело играть вDon't have Russian language. Pls we want!!! Пожалуйста добавьте русский язык, хватит игнорировать наш рынок. Нам уже очень надоело играть в игры что без субтитров, что без озвучки #XboxNeedsRussianVoice Full Review »
  2. Dec 17, 2021
    1
    Boring and Cringy..The graphics are ugly and so are the character and world design..There is no map leading to constant back tracking...It'sBoring and Cringy..The graphics are ugly and so are the character and world design..There is no map leading to constant back tracking...It's just boring, you solve basic suck up stuff puzzles and get lost... Main character is cringe to listen to and gross to look at, her hair looks like logs of poop and her skin is bruised and greasy.. Artisticly, overall this game is incredibly ugly and off putting. Well there goes another great studio that once made great games until they partnered with Xbox and their games became junk...I think there is an issues with studios getting to do whatever they want and not needing to impress players to make money that ruins these studios...All Xbox wants is Game Pass fodder and the security of being already paid and under the Microsoft bank blanket means these people don't have to try, they get paid and keep their jobs weather their game is good or bad. Full Review »
  3. Dec 18, 2021
    10
    A nice surprise. The game looks beautiful, and it's very relaxing. A new great game on Xbox