The making of The Gunk: how the SteamWorld devs went from mist balls to saving the planet

Finding your niche can often be the key to success for smaller developers, but Swedish team Image & Form refuse to be pigeonholed. Over the last ten years they've tackled every genre, from tower defence to turn-based tactics, RPGs and action platformers. With their latest game, The Gunk, they've finally entered the realm of 3D adventure games. Released on Xbox Game Pass at the tail end of last year, The Gunk was a big step up for the makers of SteamWorld Dig. Not only was it their first game in 3D, and their first time using a new engine, but it was also their first title that had nothing to do with the series they'd built their name on. As it makes its way to Steam today, I sat down with director Ulf Hartelius to talk more about the creation of the game's titular goop, and how the timing of its environmental themes about cleaning up its gunked up planet was much more than just a Death Stranding-style happy accident. Read more