The Gunk gameplay first look reveals December release

The Gunk – coming from Image & Form Games, who you may know for the very cool SteamWorld games – got a new gameplay trailer and official release date at Xbox’s Gamescom showcase last night.

The gameplay trailer – which introduces us to a ruined and fascinating world full of that eponymous gunk – shows snatches of exploration and introduces us to Rani, the game’s protagonist, as she explores an alient planet coated in hostile goo.

You’re tasked with fixing the planet’s failing ecosystem by removing the titular slime, and you’ll no doubt uncover some weird mysteries and solve some peculiar problems along the way, too.

“The Gunk stars a duo of gritty space haulers, struggling to make a buck as they chance upon an untouched planet brimming with life,” Image & Form Games has said of the game previously. “They’ve come to gather alien plants and other valuable resources, and it looks like they’ve hit the jackpot.

“However, as they start uncovering the dormant secrets of a shattered civilization, they realize that they must save the planet from the curse of a corruptive gunk parasite – while desperately keeping themselves from getting caught in a spiral of festering mistrust.”

The Gunk will launch in December 2024, and it will be available on day one via Xbox Game Pass. You will be able to play it on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.

You will get a different experience depending on which platform you play the game on, though: On Xbox One, you can expect a stable 30fps experience, whereas if you’re Xbox Series X/S or on a high-end PC, everything is dialled up and you can expect “a 60fps gameplay experience at up to 4K resolution,” per the developer.