The Gunk

 Xbox Series X
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 175 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 98 out of 175
  2. Mixed: 44 out of 175
  3. Negative: 33 out of 175

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  1. chenocorp
    Aug 22, 2023
    5
    Destaca el estilo del planeta a explorar, a nivel de jugabilidad nada nuevo, y con poca elegancia.
  2. ayazovic
    Aug 1, 2023
    8
    It was a really nice experience in its beautiful atmosphere. I really liked it. It was very chill. I suggest you to play it in a napping position. However, there were some bugs and glitches. Those were not a game breaker but definitely needed to be fixed ASAP.
  3. notifycritic
    Jun 22, 2023
    7
    Tem uma jogabilidade bacana
    Tem bons gráficos no Séries S Mas acredito que a história poderia ter sido melhor.
  4. Renzoamorin
    Jun 13, 2023
    8
    Excelente juego para ser un indie, gran ambientación y gameplay adictivo, una historia sencilla pero interesante al mismo tiempo.
  5. Kaykat
    Jan 31, 2023
    7
    I actually enjoyed this game a lot. It's short (around 4hrs) but genuinely fun. I feel like it could have been a bit more challenging in places and there are a few glitches that need sorting out, plus I couldn't manage to get to one hundred percent due to there not being enough resources to upgrade everything fully which feels like a flaw.
  6. d3uzZ
    Dec 27, 2022
    5
    Симулятор уборщика грязи, один раз пробежать можно
  7. Stan_Osbourne
    Jun 1, 2022
    4
    One of those games, the release of which was waiting for a long time, but when it came out and I played it, I was extremely disappointed. On the one hand, everything looks very nice and the optimization did not let us down. But here's the plot and gameplay - complete darkness. Two friends, and the one for whom we play, and the one that the captain of the ship are boring and not at allOne of those games, the release of which was waiting for a long time, but when it came out and I played it, I was extremely disappointed. On the one hand, everything looks very nice and the optimization did not let us down. But here's the plot and gameplay - complete darkness. Two friends, and the one for whom we play, and the one that the captain of the ship are boring and not at all interesting, the general plot of the game is dull, and the gameplay ... Well, we run, we routinely clean it from dirt, we fight with very rare opponents. Zero variety and dynamics.

    Of course, indie projects are good, especially when budgets go to optimization and graphics, but why do I need a game without good gameplay - I don't understand. I do not recommend it. Glory to Ukraine!    … Expand
  8. zezeljmare
    Mar 20, 2022
    7
    EN:
    Visually beautiful game, but the mechanics of the game are not overly innovative, and after a while it becomes repetitive. Solid voice acting and storytelling.

    SRB:
    Vizuelno lepa igra, međutim mehanika igre nije preterano inovativna, i posle nekog vremena postaje repetativno. Solidan voice acting i priča.
  9. RobPlaysGames
    Mar 13, 2022
    5
    Aggressively average in every regard. The core gameplay loop barely evolves past the beginning of the game, upgrades are so shallow they had to make the ability to run unlockable, the characters are bland at best and obnoxious the rest of the time, and there is zero challenge to be found in the puzzles, platforming or combat; the only time I got briefly stuck in the entire game was whenAggressively average in every regard. The core gameplay loop barely evolves past the beginning of the game, upgrades are so shallow they had to make the ability to run unlockable, the characters are bland at best and obnoxious the rest of the time, and there is zero challenge to be found in the puzzles, platforming or combat; the only time I got briefly stuck in the entire game was when you are dropped in a featureless wasteland and essentially have to guess the direction to walk in.

    Expected much better from the Steamworld devs.    … Expand
  10. timhanz
    Mar 4, 2022
    9
    This game was just mindless fun. Really enjoyed the story. Could have had a few more mechanics, but overall one of my favorites in awhile.
  11. NextPlayer_it
    Mar 3, 2022
    7
    The Gunk è un titolo che, per quello che offre, possiamo definirlo godibile.
    È un titolo indie che nel suo piccolo si può apprezzare soprattutto per la trama davvero coinvolgente.
    Pecca un po’ nel gameplay dato che non ci sono così tante cose da fare alla fin dei conti, ma rimane un titolo a cui ci si può giocare senza avere grandi aspettative. Risolvere gli enigmi e spazzare via il    The Gunk è un titolo che, per quello che offre, possiamo definirlo godibile.
    È un titolo indie che nel suo piccolo si può apprezzare soprattutto per la trama davvero coinvolgente.
    Pecca un po’ nel gameplay dato che non ci sono così tante cose da fare alla fin dei conti, ma rimane un titolo a cui ci si può giocare senza avere grandi aspettative.
    Risolvere gli enigmi e spazzare via il Gunk restano le cose fondamentali che possiamo fare per salvare il pianeta, rendendo il gioco abbastanza avvincente!    … Expand
  12. SamM2104
    Feb 23, 2022
    7
    I finished this in December but have to say that it was an enjoyable story with good mechanics. However, although the mechanics and physics may be cool, I don’t believe they used the mechanics to their full potential.
  13. Yoiga
    Jan 29, 2022
    9
    Muy bueno, puede ser lento al principio, pero a medidas que avanzas y descubres la historia se hace mucho mas interesante.
  14. Filmanwalt
    Jan 26, 2022
    6
    Charming and short Gamepass game. It took me 4 hours to play the game and I enjoyed the title throughout. It is not intoxicating but very pleasant to play and really chilled. Great melodies, nice and personable style and a good setting by Rani and Becks.

    Both characters work well together and the rest of the world is also nicely presented, the alien language sounds really cool. It    Charming and short Gamepass game. It took me 4 hours to play the game and I enjoyed the title throughout. It is not intoxicating but very pleasant to play and really chilled. Great melodies, nice and personable style and a good setting by Rani and Becks.

    Both characters work well together and the rest of the world is also nicely presented, the alien language sounds really cool.

    It could have been harder in a few places, had a bit more variety in enemies and gameplay, and was a bit trickier overall. Backtracking could also have been incorporated here.
    I could always get rid of the dirt now.

    The base is right, 6/10 smudge blisters.    … Expand
  15. Jt0429
    Jan 25, 2022
    9
    Pros-
    Rani and Becks are lovable characters and are well written
    A captivating story that builds up a good mystery Engaging loop of collecting resources and upgrading Unclogging the gunk is so satisfying Puzzles are smartly designed Areas are well designed and encourage exploration Exploration is constantly rewarding Scanning objects in the environment never gets boring A    Pros-
    Rani and Becks are lovable characters and are well written
    A captivating story that builds up a good mystery
    Engaging loop of collecting resources and upgrading
    Unclogging the gunk is so satisfying
    Puzzles are smartly designed
    Areas are well designed and encourage exploration
    Exploration is constantly rewarding
    Scanning objects in the environment never gets boring
    A surprising amount of environmental diversity
    Looks gorgeous thanks to amazing art design
    Great soundtrack

    Cons-
    Movement feels too cumbersome
    Some minor tech bugs like pop in and frame drops    … Expand
  16. dynamiczero
    Jan 25, 2022
    4
    The Gunk feels like a mid-point game to get some cash between the really important games. It's really beautiful, yes, and that's it. The gameplay is nothing new and the only cool unique mechanic is never used for anything groundbreaking. The characters are the blandest space-scrappers you can find out there, and neither them nor the world is even half as interesting as the one found in anyThe Gunk feels like a mid-point game to get some cash between the really important games. It's really beautiful, yes, and that's it. The gameplay is nothing new and the only cool unique mechanic is never used for anything groundbreaking. The characters are the blandest space-scrappers you can find out there, and neither them nor the world is even half as interesting as the one found in any of the Steamworld games. A bit buggy and very boring. Also, some animations in the environment look weird, and the facial animation is the worst I've seen in years, it doesn't feel even fully functional.

    It's a game. Not a good one, not a really bad one. Just meh. Mediocre.    … Expand
  17. Kingkaszii13
    Jan 16, 2022
    7
    Dobra gra na jeden dzień ewentualnie weekend, warte do sprawdzenia, sama rozgrywka jest przyjemna i jest dobra odskocznią. Polecam bardzo dla graczy którzy lubią eksplorować
  18. churros
    Jan 13, 2022
    8
    Pros:
    + beautiful scenery
    + fun dialog
    + relatable characters
    + ambient soundtrack

    Cons:
    - boring combat
    - shallow mechanics
  19. BradMorgan
    Dec 30, 2021
    8
    The Gunk is a peaceful and colorful game in which you explore a beautiful world. It's not a big game that you should expect too much from but at the same time, the game has not let go of me from start to finish because of the fantastic art style, the dreamy music, and the fun (but sometimes monotonous) gameplay. Removing the gunk and turning each area into a vibrant ecosystem is addictiveThe Gunk is a peaceful and colorful game in which you explore a beautiful world. It's not a big game that you should expect too much from but at the same time, the game has not let go of me from start to finish because of the fantastic art style, the dreamy music, and the fun (but sometimes monotonous) gameplay. Removing the gunk and turning each area into a vibrant ecosystem is addictive and the puzzles are fun. The story isn't great but mysterious enough to keep it interesting. It is a great experience in Xbox Gamepass!

    Pros:
    - Art Style
    - Music
    - atmosphere
    - Removing the gunk
    - Save points. Never irritations because you loose progression.

    Cons:
    - Gameplay feels a bit monotonous at times    … Expand
  20. Karottedraak
    Jan 6, 2022
    7
    Vacuum cleaner simulator with a great story attached. This game once more made me realise how much a clean artstyle can carry a game. As the gameplay of this game is not much its satisfying and okay to just clean gunk up but most of my enjoyment came straight from the artstyle and story.

    To be honest playing this game as a 23 year old made me sad not having this as a kid. Great game for    Vacuum cleaner simulator with a great story attached. This game once more made me realise how much a clean artstyle can carry a game. As the gameplay of this game is not much its satisfying and okay to just clean gunk up but most of my enjoyment came straight from the artstyle and story.

    To be honest playing this game as a 23 year old made me sad not having this as a kid. Great game for kids but decent and enjoyable for adults.    … Expand
  21. ossimoro
    Jan 4, 2022
    10
    Great game from the creators of steamworld series, enjoyable characters and nice mechanics.
  22. Bellinzona
    Jan 4, 2022
    10
    Nice platform, underrated, very colourfull and funny, good characters and story, absolutely recommended.
  23. robbster
    Dec 30, 2021
    8
    Extremely chill, colorful game. Really brought me into a good vibe during this dreary and colorless winter.
  24. scorp332211
    Dec 27, 2021
    9
    This is the 2nd surprise indy game that I’ve actually liked this year- the other being Kena Bridge of Spirits. The Gunk’s graphics remind me a little of Kena, but not quite as good. This is one of the most chill games I’ve ever played. The gameplay is interesting. It’s pretty mellow up until the end with some boss fights. It took me about 9.5 hours to complete- so not as short as some haveThis is the 2nd surprise indy game that I’ve actually liked this year- the other being Kena Bridge of Spirits. The Gunk’s graphics remind me a little of Kena, but not quite as good. This is one of the most chill games I’ve ever played. The gameplay is interesting. It’s pretty mellow up until the end with some boss fights. It took me about 9.5 hours to complete- so not as short as some have said. With this being on Game Pass- you really can’t go wrong. I highly recommend it & I’d play it again sometime in the future.… Expand
  25. mongz79
    Dec 27, 2021
    6
    I'm not sure why there is so much love, or hate for this game. I see a lot of very low scores, because there is no Russian localization or voice acting. I cannot believe that Microsoft has not addressed this issue yet, but this game does not deserve a 0 or 1. Neither does it deserve a 9 or 10. Most games don't. It also takes away from the legitimacy of user scores on this site. I don'tI'm not sure why there is so much love, or hate for this game. I see a lot of very low scores, because there is no Russian localization or voice acting. I cannot believe that Microsoft has not addressed this issue yet, but this game does not deserve a 0 or 1. Neither does it deserve a 9 or 10. Most games don't. It also takes away from the legitimacy of user scores on this site. I don't think most people understand that. This game deserves a 6 or 7 out of ten. I really enjoyed the beginning portion of the game. I don't think the game looks amazing, but I liked how it looked and liked sucking up all of the gunk. But aside from that, the game is very shallow. The characters aren't very fleshed out, and the locations just didn't flow well. Unfortunately, by the end of the game, I was very glad to be done. It had gone from 'pretty cool' to just overstaying its welcome. I'm not sure if a sequel will ever be made,
    but I would wait for reviews before I tried it out. It shows promise, but it falls very short of being memorable with what is currently on offer.    … Expand
  26. Yourmumsbills
    Dec 26, 2021
    0
    This was one of those games i had been keeping an eye on, with hopes that it would be another interesting and enjoyable indie title. Sadly The Gunk is neither interesting or enjoyable. The best way to describe it would be, Bland. It's not bad as such but it's just boring. The environments look pretty but there is very little to do in them, the two main characters are incredibly dull to theThis was one of those games i had been keeping an eye on, with hopes that it would be another interesting and enjoyable indie title. Sadly The Gunk is neither interesting or enjoyable. The best way to describe it would be, Bland. It's not bad as such but it's just boring. The environments look pretty but there is very little to do in them, the two main characters are incredibly dull to the point that you very quickly stop caring about anything they are saying. And the gameplay is just repetitive, unoriginal and dull.… Expand
  27. Theesc
    Dec 25, 2021
    8
    The First 3D game from the creators of the acclaim series Steamworld Dig. The Gunk is an interesting concept and idea that has a lot of potential. However, its falls short in the length, combat, and puzzles to make this game as good as it should have been. I still really like the game and have hope for the future of this series.

    The story of the Gunk is a fairly simple but enjoyable,    The First 3D game from the creators of the acclaim series Steamworld Dig. The Gunk is an interesting concept and idea that has a lot of potential. However, its falls short in the length, combat, and puzzles to make this game as good as it should have been. I still really like the game and have hope for the future of this series.

    The story of the Gunk is a fairly simple but enjoyable, and overall does the job in making you care about its two main characters Rani and Becks. You play as Rani a space explorer who lands on a remote planet in hope of making a big discovery to make a lot of money. Instead, you come across this foam-like goo called "The Gunk" this gunk is the main draw of this game as it has you cleaning up areas of this goo to restore the land to its former glory. In the process you discover the history of the planet and how the planet ended up covered in Gunk.

    The gameplay revolves around you going around exploring this foreign planet and cleaning up the gunk. There's a satisfying feeling of accomplishment akin to cleaning a room in real life. The combat in this game is very simple and limited. Only 3 different enemy types of in the game and all are fairly basic. Combat essentially just sucking up enemies and shooting them out. You gain upgrades by collecting materials on your journey. Upgrades are nice with things like a trap to lure gunk monsters and a stun shot. but most are pretty basic and would have been nice to have more impactful and variety to make combat more diverse and engaging.

    Overall, it's a fun idea and has an interesting world and characters you wish you had more time to expand on those ideas. With the main story only being about 4-6 hours at most it leaves you wanting more from the story and characters. What the game gives you is great. It just leaves you wishing they expanded on the core mechanics. I'm hoping, they learn from this game because it has a great game build off for future games.

    Gameplay: Very fun and satisfying sucking up and cleaning the gunk but basic combat and simple puzzles hold the game back
    Graphics: I really enjoyed the Planet they created very cool to just look at with great art and locations. would be nice to explore different locations, Basic character models leave a little to be desired at times
    Story: Enjoyable and fairly basic and safe story but does the job and keeping you invested in the game
    Music/Sound: Not many loops or sound effects more atmospheric and relaxing and I the voice acting for Becks and Rani are great
    UI/Menus: They do the job and present everything with you need nothing complicated or annoying
    Overall: Real Score 7.8    … Expand
  28. Fanchbretagne
    Dec 24, 2021
    9
    Excellent petit jeu qui m'a bien surpris. J'en attendait pas grand et en fin de compte j'ai pas m'empêcher d'enchainer les parties. Fun, sympa, gameplay efficace... que demander de plus pour un petit jeu.
  29. akirakitamura82
    Dec 24, 2021
    6
    Zwar ist das Spiel sehr einseitig und wir müssen immer die gleiche Art Rätsel Lösen und die gleichen Kämpfe bestehen, aber mir machte es trotzdem Spaß sich durch die Level zu bewegen, was vor allem an der genialen Optik liegt, die Farben und Lichteffekte sind Großartig. Die Figuren hätte man etwas besser machen können, sie wirken Teils sehr Steif. Die Story ist okay allerdings etwas zuZwar ist das Spiel sehr einseitig und wir müssen immer die gleiche Art Rätsel Lösen und die gleichen Kämpfe bestehen, aber mir machte es trotzdem Spaß sich durch die Level zu bewegen, was vor allem an der genialen Optik liegt, die Farben und Lichteffekte sind Großartig. Die Figuren hätte man etwas besser machen können, sie wirken Teils sehr Steif. Die Story ist okay allerdings etwas zu Lahm erzählt, zumindest kam es bei mir so rüber. Auch ist das Spiel teils sehr unübersichtlich und man verläuft sich gerne mal in den Arealen. In den ganz dunklen Level, kann es auch mal vorkommen, dass wir den Schleim, wenn es nur noch ein ganz kleiner Fleck ist, übersehen. Nichtsdestotrotz spielt sich The Gunk
    sehr gut, die Steuerung klappt hervorragend. Es ist zwar Relativ Kurz, aber für den Preis macht man nichts verkehrt, zwar hätte ich mir etwas mehr Abwechslung gewünscht, aber es ist definitiv ein Spiel, das man gemütlich sonntags durchzogen kann. Von mir 6/10    … Expand
  30. rahiriz
    Dec 23, 2021
    9
    I enjoyed the game a lot and the story is very interesting. The reason im giving it an 9 is bc it lacks HDR and graphic wise they could have done a lot better. It is a very relaxing game tho, not hard, just play it to relax and enjoy the story
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Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Best Xbox Series X Game of 2021
21
#21 Most Discussed Xbox Series X Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 41
  3. Negative: 1 out of 41
  1. Movies Games and Tech
    May 6, 2022
    60
    What I experienced was a fun but short and undercooked title. It needed much more depth and a greater range of difficulty. None of the aliens will test you and this undermines the difficulty. I wish the developers had worked on the resource management and upgrade system some more. If this had been explored, the gameplay would be exponentially better. All things considered, I enjoyed it, but I wanted much more.
    Read full review
  2. CGMagazine
    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.
    Read full review
  3. Games.cz
    Jan 13, 2022
    70
    The creators of the Steamworld universe stepped out of their comfort zone for the first time - and it’s a solid step indeed. The Gunk is visually stunning and its central mechanism, vacuuming the titular substance off the ground, is really well done. The combat, though, is disappointing, as is the progression system.
    Read full review
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