The Gunk

Game Title: The Gunk
Released: April 29, 2022
Game Length: 4 Hours
Grade: B

Setting

Prelude: A long time ago, there was a game my brother played with me called Slime World on the Atari Lynx. When I came across this game at a huge discount, a part of me wanted to try it. The mechanics weren't quite what I expected, but there was something interesting and unique about them. Almost the entire game revolves around this single vacuum device that's primary function is to pull things into it. You collect resources, gather anything that is spherical, and absorb the black goo on the planet.

Story: The plot revolves around two sisters and their robot touching down on a planet that might have some energy for them to sell to the corporation. The older sister stays with the ship since it only has a few good jumps left. You play the role of the younger sister as she tracks down the energy signal. She gets distracted by the beautiful landscape, wildlife, and the old ruins. These two have a very colorful language and are quite attached to each other. While they do stay in contact over the radio, there is the occasional interference that breaks their connection. They slowly learn that they aren't the only ones there and what that energy signal is really powering on the planet. 

Other: One unusual decision with the game is the exclusion of a map. You can see an overlay of the planet with all the beacon points when you interact with one, but there is no way to tell which direction you should be going. There is a very expansive screenshot mode where you can move the camera around and add filters. It is entirely possible to transcribe the alien language after scanning a number of items and learn what the various signs actually say later in the game. There is a database with each researched item and a small description that might provide a hint on how to interact with it. 

Gameplay

Exploration: There will be a few upgrades that are essential to the story. Half are beneficial for a smoother experience like moving faster, health regeneration, increased fire rate, and resistance to damage. The rest are tied to a very temporary device that you can throw to distract enemies. The game has a total of 8 Chapters each with their own beacon that allows you to travel around and back to the base. Moving through the landscape is very linear with you only able to climb up ledges that are spray-painted yellow. There are a number of moving platforms in the old ruins and puzzles that will have you pause to evaluate your surroundings for an answer. If you do fall into an area where there is no ground or so deep that a normal person wouldn't survive, your character will automatically be reset within seconds to your original spot. Health is only considered inside an infected area. 

Enemies: On occasion, there will be an area that is covered with indestructible obstacles that can harm you, tangled webs that will keep you from moving forward, a red circle that shows you the infected area, and a number of black foes that need to be handled. These consist of plants that you must pull out like weeds, little monster balls that you can grab and throw, and black ooze (sometimes moving in the air) that needs to be wiped away. Occasionally, you will find a beast that you must slowly absorb the heat coming from his back. Clearing the area of these obstacles will immediately dispel the infected area into a rich garden.

Plants: Once the infection is cleared, any withered plants will come alive and make platforms, extend bridges, and form other interactable objects. One is a small seed that you can pick up and carry across the plain until you throw it into a pool of energy. Another is an explosive seed with a small timer that you can toss onto old ruins blocking your way or black gunk. As you venture the landscape, you can research items to gain upgrade points and gather resources. These include organics from vegetation, metal from ore, fibers from loose plants, and alien from defeated enemies. Larger chunks of resources can be found in hidden passageways or places off the beaten path.

Summary

Review: Although the idea of clearing away giant blobs of snot might scare away your typical player, the idea of using a simple vacuum to interact with everything and how the landscape expands into a number of platforms to traverse are very interesting concepts. Despite a couple of areas where it might be difficult to determine what to do or where to go without a useful map to guide you, the secluded areas and marked sections actually help keep you focused on the main path. For a few dollars, I found the game to be a rather nice change of pace.