![]() ![]() ![]() Rani, having been previously crippled in a mining accident and her mobility restored through robotic prosthetics, is hellbent on discovering the source of the titular “gunk”, restoring the world to its natural state, and saving what life remains. It succeeds – especially in how it ties the core gameplay loop to restoring the environments you explore – but the narrative pacing is off, and the delivery feels uneven. Narratively, The Gunk is trying to convey both a message about environmental conservation and the value of friendship. The “Dust Bunny” campsite becomes your base of operations, allowing you to fast-travel, upgrade your gear, and chat with the Becks about your current objective. An energy burst leads them to an uncharted planet and their adventure kicks off. Enter protagonist Rani and her “captain” Becks, cruising the galaxy in their increasingly dilapidated ship, scanning for the location of resource deposits they can sell to corporations. Corporations still wield more power than governments, discovering natural resources to exploit is the most profitable venture, and there’s no shortage of strip-mined worlds left in humanity’s wake. The Gunk takes place in a distant future where humanity has spread to the stars, abandoning an environmentally-devastated Earth. Unfortunately for The Gunk, as a relatively breezy experience, it needed exceptional polish to stand out. However, the longer you play, the more you see the rough edges. In the opening hour, it feels like a classic Image & Form game: polished, compact, and mechanically satisfying, with quirky characters to carry the narrative. The worst thing I could say about The Gunk – developed by Image & Form Games and published by Thunderful – is that it’s remarkably inoffensive and enjoyably unremarkable. ![]()
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