The Gunk Review – Colorless, But Comfortable

The Gunk began with excitement, as I blasted through the swirling clouds and stars of the universe. It is stunning and full of promise. Unfortunately, it is also the apex of the short game’s trajectory. The Gunk is surprisingly unimpressive in a world filled with colorful alien worlds and interconnected with mysterious extraterrestrial beings. Fortunately, this spacecraft manages to stay afloat with likable characters, solid gameplay, and a serviceable story.  

The Gunk’s heroes, Rani and Becks, are a pair of plucky and impoverished space haulers. The pair arrive on an unknown planet in search of valuable resources that will pay their debts. Rani explores the unknown as Rani. You jump from craggy rocks to large leaves and finally, clear out the Gunk, which can be an obstruction or a plant-destructive. Becks stays with the ship, but the comms allow an easy back and forth between the ship’s co-captains, which reminds me of Cowboy Bebop FireflyThis video shows space travelers who are star-intrepid and always in need of money. Although this is an admirable company, it also highlights the problem pattern of The Gunk: there are no unique experiences in The Gunk.

Everything in this adventure is reminiscent of something else, and, for the most part, it’s been done better somewhere else. After encountering the planet’s titular gooey substance for the first time and vacuuming it up with my robotic arm, I flashed back to Luigi’s Mansion. Other features, from opening shortcuts by dropping climbable vines to shooting glowing buttons that open locked doors to harvesting the planet’s plant life for crafting materials, feel incredibly well-trod and uninspired. The Gunk is familiar, and somewhat comfortable. The Gunk is almost unnoticeable because there’s not much to see.

Despite evoking other great shows and games, The Gunk never reaches the heights of its inspirations. The alien landscapes are full of color, but the colors never seem to pop and the terrain is often a bit too saturated. The dull aesthetic of cleaning Gunk infested areas does not create an amazing moment when the landscape turns from grey to a lush oasis of exotic plants.

During dialogue-heavy sections, the character models’ lips flap like lifeless puppets, resulting in cutscenes that are fine to listen to but awkward to watch. Although running, jumping and shooting feel effortless, I sometimes get stuck in the geometry around me. Hovering helplessly in the air thanks to a glitch is annoying, as is noticing that plants and rocks often have the same texture, but they didn’t stop me from having a good time running around the world and accomplishing my mission.

This mission seems simple at first. I will collect resources worldwide to fix my vacuum-ready robotic prosthetic arm. Also, I’ll be looking for things that may sell well. However, the adventurous Rani can’t stop herself from trying to rid the world of the sticky mass threatening its flora and fauna. Unraveling the mystery of the Gunk’s origin puts Rani at odds with the pragmatic Becks, who doesn’t want to waste their precious and diminishing supplies fixing someone else’s problem. The conflict that was at the core of the story kept me going from one section to another.

While the Gunk is worthy of some criticism, it also deserves some praise. It is a strong story with a solid connection. The mechanics are well-executed and sucking up goo feels strangely good. The world could be more distinct and well-realized, however. It has all the potential to become a vibrant, multicolored kaleidoscope filled with unusual forms and vivid colors. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite hit that mark. The Gunk can be described as a fun, informative, and entertaining space romp, though not one that is particularly impressive.