Released in late 1994, Gex is probably one of the most memorable 3DO games ever released and one that got the honour of being released on other platforms. Many players know the game from the Saturn or Playstation, however it was the on the 3DO that the game debuted. Was it a worthy mascot game though?
The story to Gex is pretty bizarre. Gex himself is a gecko that is addicted to television. After his father dies in a space shuttle explosion, he consoles himself by watching T.V, when his mother takes his T.V away he runs away from home. After living on the streets for a while, Gex inherits money and ends up moving back to Maui and buying a mansion. Rez, the overlord of the Media Dimension wants to use Gex as a mascot and after the titular gecko swallows a transmitter, Rez pulls him into the Media Dimension. So, it’s safe to say that the story is totally nonsensical, however if you want to get pedantic about story details try analysing Super Mario Bros. it makes just as little sense.
This story is a pretense to let players explore several styles and genres of television ranging from horror to kung fu before facing off against Rez.
Control is very good, with Gex being able to jump, stick to walls and ceilings, whip with his tail and run around causing lizard mayhem. An issue I have though is how huge Gex is. The lizard is fairly big on the screen, taking up a lot of space in the playable area. This makes it fairly easy to get hit by enemies. A big plus for Gex is in its powerup system. Players can eat icons located
DYNO-MIIIIIITE
around levels that imbue Gex with various abilities that he can use to overcome his foes or get through levels faster. For instance, he can swallow an icon that allows him to shoot electricity out of his mouth. In most platformers, this power up would be replaced by another when you collect it. However, in Gex, you are able to stack power ups on top of one another. This means that you can be running 100 miles per hour through a level with electricity belching out of your mouth. It becomes very satisfying when they begin to stack and it is one thing that sets the game apart.
There’s only one way out of this!
Another thing that sets Gex apart is level design. Because Gex is a gecko he has sticky paws and can climb walls and ceilings with ease, meaning levels will often play out vertically as well as horizontally as you would expect in a standard platformer. This allowed Crystal Dynamics to hide powerups and remotes in various places that you have to seriously consider. Do you climb down the wall to see if that really is a pit, or a convenient hiding place? This can often mean crawling into spikes or environmental hazards however, so exercise caution.
Levels are quite varied and don’t simply rely on Gex’s crawling gimmick. In one level you must ride a rocket to your goal, before the concept is switched up and you have to stick to the side of another. At times, it’s very inventive and satisfying. That said, often you will find Crystal Dynamics prefered to rely on trial and error to proceed, placing enemies just off-screen so that they hit players before they even know they are there.
I mentioned remotes before. Player progression through Gex is dictated by how many remotes they have collected. Often, these are well hidden in levels and require players to really scour every wall if they manage to notice one just off-screen. Remotes to access different worlds are hidden in others and require players to not only search for standard remotes but also these. This is in addition to save tapes that are hidden around. If players don’t find these, then they cannot save. There is a lot going on in Gex.
The kung fu world is consistently visually appealing.
Graphically, I have mixed feelings about the game. Crystal Dynamics asked for the help of outside artists to create assets for Gex and it shows. The art direction in the game is often inconsistent, but still good in its own way. If you don’t know this, then you’d assume it was intentional, to provide players with a somewhat irreverent atmosphere. There is a little backround scaling in Gex, but very little advanced special effects or polygonal integration. There is some right at the end of the game but it is disappointly absent.In any case Gex is a vibrant game with very appealing graphics and an exceedingly well animated protagonist. Enemies have a lot of personality and even if they are inconsistent, you could consider that part of their charm.
If you want a good soundtrack, this is the game to get. Bar the Cemetry, every world in Gex features really well arranged music and appealing sound effects. Gex himself is voiced by Dana Gould, who is a popular stand up comedian and wrote for the Simpsons for several years. His quips are quite endearing and only when they are chained back to back multiple times do they ever get annoying. Some are a little cringe worthy, but generally the things that Gex say can be quite amusing.
Gex is a fairly solid platformer. It has small issues with spotty level design that relies on trial and error a little too much and Gex himself being somewhat of a big target for enemies, but the fluid control and good challenge make up for any shortcomings and provide players with a very satisfying experience that is both visually appealing and easy on the ears. Highly recommended.
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