The Gunk takes place in the far reaches of space. Rani and her partner, Beck, land on a foreign planet because they are in need of resources and a job. What they find is a planet infected with this black ooze which they dub as the titular gunk. What starts out as a mission for fuel becomes a deep dive into an ancient civilization.
This is the first original game not part of the SteamWorld series from the developer Image & Form in quite some time. Is it actually connected in some way and how exactly does it play? All of these questions and more will be divulged in these starter tips for the relatively short trip in The Gunk.
6 Prepare For A Slow Burn
It’s hard to understand what The Gunk is before jumping in. At its core, the game is a platformer with some Metroidvania elements. There are enemies to fight but the game is more focused on exploration and revival. Rani is more interested in cleaning the planet rather than fighting it. This means that the first hour or so is slow.
Rani will not have much at her disposal other than the ability to suck up the gunk, enemies, or plant life. Eventually, warp points will be established, allowing players to go back to camp to interact with their partner, Beck. This can add some nice story details to fuel the player’s sense of urgency. Camp is also where Rani can upgrade her cybernetic arm. The basic tip here is to keep at it because the game’s flow will become more fluid after discovering warp points.
5 What To Upgrade
The first couple of upgrades are mandatory but it might be hard to know what to build after that. As the game is a platformer focused on exploring, speed is important. Rani starts as a pretty sluggish character which adds to the tedium of The Gunk’s literal slow start.
The Hydraulic Braces will allow Rani to run. This is the absolute first thing players should buy freely. After that, it is a toss-up. By this point, players should have enough metal and plant scraps to extend the range of their vacuum along with how fast it sucks. That can also speed up the process. However, like any game with upgrades, it’s also a good idea to not spend every bit of currency all at once. Saving materials is a good idea too.
4 Explore Thoroughly
The Gunk doesn't provide a good map, so players will have to establish a keen sense of direction themselves. They should survey an area upon entering it. Look up and down and try to spot anything that looks like it can be climbed.
It’s also important to scan everything in sight. Some plants and rocks can be sucked up to be used in the aforementioned upgrade process. Other things will just give Rani more ideas on what she can do to upgrade her gear. It doesn’t make the most sense but it is The Gunk’s philosophy. Players don’t have to understand it, they just have to follow it.
3 Be Aware Of Fall Damage
Platform games need to have solid mechanics to make their jumping fun and intuitive. That should be the goal of any entry within the genre but The Gunk falters on that a bit. Some gaps demand pixel-perfect jumping; one wrong move could spell trouble. If players fall into bad water or a pit, this will bring them back to their last solid piece of land.
It’s not instant death but it can still be frustrating for players who know that they should be making a jump. Another platforming thing that can drive players wild is the inconsistency with jumping down from places. Sometimes they can make the jump while other times The Gunk will reset players back to solid land as if they fell into a hazard. Just be careful. That’s the overall piece of advice when it comes to jumping. The mechanics need some tweaking.
2 Turn Subtitles On Or Use Headphones
Most of the story is told through Rani and Beck talking back and forth over the radio. Many people prefer to turn subtitles off for most games, however, it may be important to turn them on in The Gunk. It can be hard to hear them even if the audio is adjusted in the options.
Headphones will help with this dilemma too. Some players may not have a pair at their disposal though. The downside to this is that the game’s overall audio is pretty quiet other than Rani and Beck's banter. This can make headphones seem redundant. Ultimately, whichever route players choose should help them out in the long run.
1 Save Often
The Gunk thankfully allows players to save at any point. However, there is a catch to this: all progress will be recorded but Rani will have to restart from the last checkpoint when players load up their files.
While not perfect, this option is better than the alternative of not having the option to save whenever. Not every game can be like Pokemon which has allowed players to save and continue exactly where they have left off since the '90s. It would be nice if more developers followed this idea, but The Gunk still gets a solid thumbs up for meeting players halfway.
The Gunk was released on December 16, 2021, and is available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
