Gecko Gods

Game Title: Gecko Gods
Released: April 16, 2026
Game Length: 6 Hours
Grade: B

Gameplay

Exploration: If there was one thing that sets this game apart from other generic puzzle games, it would have to be the ability to walk on any surface. You play as a gecko who is able to go up walls, through tiny cracks, and cling to the top of the ceiling. There is no limit on how long you can stay in place. Although not recommended, you can also somewhat swim. You don't exactly die or reset, but you do express pain from a number of hazards such as fire or cactus. Although there are enemies that sometimes disguise themselves as objects around the ruins, they can easily be bumped out by a few dash attacks. 

Mechanics: The buttons on the controller all do something different for your lizard. You can sprint, jump. lunge, and talk. That last one is just for fun as you make little squeaky noises. You can interact with birds that give you hints on what to do next. There are also large tablets that will showcase specific areas and include an objective marker on your map. Most of the puzzles are simple where you pull some levers, jump through glowing hoops, hit stuff, or push a ball to a hole. They can become rather complex as the space of the puzzle grows substantially with lights that reflect off mirrors or pushing tiles around to form a picture.  After the first island, you obtain a boat that you can control like off Zelda: The Wind Waker to other islands.

Collectibles: When you pause the game, you can see each and every item you can find as you explore all the various islands. There are approximately four sections of the game: the island you start in, the scattered islands you use your boat to discover, the desert island, and the volcanic island. Each relic is hidden away somewhere on those islands, but some can be seen floating through the specially-designed windows. Occasionally, you will need to complete a puzzle to reveal one. There is also a set number of bugs that you need to lunge at and eat. There's usually a handful of the same type crawling or flying around pivotal spots as you solve puzzles. 

Cosmetics: One other thing you can do is accumulate currency. All it takes is bashing the many pots you see all over the place. Somewhere on each island is a very unique tile that looks like it takes you to outer space. Once you interact with it, a menu will appear where you can buy new gecko colors and designs. More options become available the more you explore. You can change your style at any time while accessing this store as long as you spent the appropriate amount of money beforehand. Some of the colors have multiple shades that display down your entire back to your tail.

Difficulties

Control: Despite their best efforts, there are times where the game's camera just doesn't want to cooperate. It reminds me back to the Super Mario 64 days when you had to constantly pan and center the camera to see what was going on around you. Now imagine trying to navigate around large ruins fit for a human when you are this tiny reptile crawling around every direction. Pushing the ball around was also rather troublesome when the physics kept having you smoosh underneath. Learning that you continue to climb backwards on the ceiling when you push forwards on the analog stick made following your nimble body rather confusing at times. 

Content: Although the game has a lot to explore, the amount of content does not quite fit the $20 price tag. Everything is wonderfully built, but the style of the story didn't quite make sense at times. The ending had an unusual turn of events when you are rushing through a gauntlet to escape the pouring lava behind you. There was maybe only a couple times beforehand that required you to complete the objective in a short amount of time. I'm quite surprised that there were a few spots that had me stumped and relieved to find a streamer with the exact same expression at the same dilemma as me.

Summary

Review: This was a game that was on my watchlist way back when they first showed a preview in 2025. I had high hopes the gameplay would stick with me when experiencing first-hand its charm. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough substance for the price to keep my attention. Taking any time away from the game didn't really inspire me to relearn what I was doing when coming back. That is why I am ultimately recommending for others not to get this game.