I keep hearing this very absurd statement – that the Xbox consoles just don’t have any exclusive games worth experiencing. “Where are the games?” I hear people cry, which is rather ironic given this was the exact criticism flung at the PlayStation 3 over a decade ago. In both cases, the hyperbole is carrying a lot of the weight, as Xbox is increasingly resembling the best part of that era in PlayStation history. An era where Sony actually had exclusives besides cinematic open-world action titles. I miss that era of PlayStation, and The Gunk is the first time I’ve felt that creative wonder thrive in ages.
The Gunk isn’t a live-service epic. It doesn’t span dozens of hours. The cutscenes aren’t photorealistic with perfect lip sync. Though it is thankfully diverse in its cast and ecologically minded in its themes, it never beats you over the head to belabor the points it makes. Even the gameplay refuses to sit in a conventional box. No mold is being followed to the letter.
The Gunk isn’t a third-person shooter, but there is the ability to blast energy to solve puzzles – neither is it a collectathon platformer, even though you do gather some resources and hop around. Its puzzles aren’t complex enough to dub it a puzzle game. It has scanning and suit upgrades, but it’s not a Metroid Prime homage. There’s even some light, dodgeball-style combat where you suck up an enemy then fire them as a projectile, but it’s more about navigating hazards than rapid reflexes.
The Gunk just is The Gunk, and I love it for that.
Everything here is deliberately included with a bespoke purpose, like Blacktail taken to the extreme. Scanning encourages you to explore the linear levels for more storytelling and unlocks upgrades. Clearing the titular Gunk with your vacuum gauntlet is incredibly satisfying, not simply for the kinetic feel, but clearing the way and enlivening each biome.
Once an area is clear, you get to have fun with the puzzles and hopping around, which wrap up just in time for the loop to start over again. All the while, Rani and her partner Becks joke and snark just the right amount, letting the game breathe when it needs some downtime, or injecting a joke after a tense encounter.
All of this is handled seamlessly, with next to no HUD elements outside of two menus. Other than brief loading screens, the entire journey is just one shot, as has become the new fancy presentation quirk of this console generation. Instead of feeling like a protracted documentary shot though, the charmingly handcrafted, claymation-esque aesthetics capture the ‘playable Pixar movie’ vibes of Ratchet & Clank. The heft to Rani’s jumps and the flow of her vacuum-based combat evoke Insomniac at its best, even if you’ve only one weapon and a few gadgets. Given the brevity of a single playthrough, it’s honestly a relief The Gunk doesn’t try to staple on even more than it already has.
When I say I miss games like Puppeteer and Heavenly Sword, this is what I’m talking about. Projects with a singular focus that, while not earth-shatteringly new, are fresh in combination. We’ve had clean up games like Katamari Damacy, but none quite like this. Something that feels truly original yet familiar became so exceedingly rare, last-gen. It’s only recently that these types of games finally exist again thanks to the growing middle-tier market, especially with services like Game Pass.
Sure, The Gunk isn’t going to set the world on fire, but this obsession with only validating games that do is unhealthy. A great exclusive doesn’t have to be a life-changing event – just a charming, damn good tale is more than enough. These games that fit perfectly in between the bigger releases are important, not only for the variety they bring, but the fresh horizons they chart for less risk-taking experiences to confidently follow. Here’s hoping that with Xbox’s growing line-up, this sort of game becomes the norm again.
