The Gunk - What We Know So Far
Announced at the polarizing July 23 Xbox Games Showcase, The Gunk seems to be fully embracing the Xbox-exclusive label. The third-person action-adventure game comes from third-party publisher, Thunderful Games, and it looks like it could be a delightful addition to the Xbox Series X's library.
Not much has been established about The Gunk. It's being developed by Sweden's Image & Form Games, which is best known for the SteamWorld franchise. If the studio brings its talent for creating vibrant worlds, clean combat mechanics, and satisfying exploration to a new IP, The Gunk could be a must-buy title for the next generation of video games.
Here's what we know about The Gunk so far.
Does The Gunk have a release date?
Thunderful has established that The Gunk will be available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC in the fall of next year. A fact sheet provided by the publisher states The Gunk will release in September 2021 for $29.99. It'll be an Xbox Play Anywhere digital title, so you can purchase it once for any platform and then play it seamlessly on console or PC in supported countries. You'll be able to start where you left off on any system.
Like all the games shown during the Xbox showcase, The Gunk is on its way to Xbox Game Pass, which could be a game-changer for Microsoft. The Game Pass will offer first and third-party titles as part of a Netflix-like subscription service, which could make getting access to exciting new projects a bit less expensive.
Does The Gunk have a trailer?
Aspects of The Gunk Reveal Trailer, such as the art style and musical orchestration, appealed to gamers immediately. There's a whimsical charm to the look of The Gunk that may remind you of Ratchet & Clank or maybe even parts of the Super Mario franchise. But this adventure title definitely has an attitude of its own that harks back to the SteamWorld series. That, plus the reasonable price point, will likely have more than few prospective players looking forward to September 2021.
The trailer doesn't show much gameplay, but that's not surprising given The Gunk won't launch for awhile yet — who knows where the title is in terms of development progress? This definitely could be a fun one to play. Hopefully, Thunderful and Microsoft will reveal more over the next few months, but it might be 2021 before you get any significant information.
What is the plot of The Gunk?
The Gunk features a duo of explorers who discover "a dangerous planet plagued by a corruptive gunk," according to the official page from Image & Form. At first, the protagonists are thrilled to find a dormant planet full of resources they can exploit — but as they learn more, they realize there's much more to the planet and its dead civilization they need to uncover.
Gameplay will involve exploration, gathering, and crafting. The fact sheet references "terrifying enemies" and "challenging puzzles." Your goal seems to center on uncovering the mystery of the planet as you save it from a horrible fate: a slimy parasite. You'll have a power glove and the ability to manipulate your environment through items you craft yourself.
Stay tuned for more information about The Gunk, including its story and mechanics, in the coming months.