THE GUNK

The Gunk is a straightforward game: You run, jump, and clean up an alien planet to preserve it. Even though the graphics and the sound are great, and even the story is entertaining enough to make you curious, the gameplay is lacking. There’s simply no challenge present and the simple mechanics are stretched out without any actual variation to look forward to. This is what makes The Gunk a decent game, but not a great one.

The Gunk is a decent adventure title that combines many elements platformer fans love from the genre. The decent combination of mystery, exploration and collecting offers enough intrigue that you'll want to see how everything ends. Much of the gameplay isn't anything new but the overall experience provides classic adventure fans of old-school 3D platformers will find alluring. The Gunk is a traditional 3D platformer that delivers a solid space adventure through an alien planet.

The Gunk is a game that does a decent job of offering ideas that other titles have explored in better ways. The gameplay is fun at first barely evolves. The story, especially the interactions between Becks and Rani, is decent but has nothing especially memorable to offer. The game has everything it needs for some cool cooperative play moments but does not offer those mechanics.

Image & Form's first 3D title doesn't have any obscene messes to clean, but it never excels beyond a conventional distraction.

Ultimately it’s hard to give The Gunk a strong recommendation. It’s a very old-fashioned game, one that feels like it wouldn’t have truly stood out even in the era it feels like it belongs to. Despite likable characters, the story doesn’t really satisfy either. The core mechanics just plain work, though, and its short length doesn’t overstay its welcome.

The Gunk has its flaws, but it's still a mostly enjoyable way to spend a few hours. It's a short but sweet adventure with gameplay reminiscent of PS2-era platforming games and so fans of the genre should certainly give it a look through Xbox Game Pass.