Gish Review

Gish is one of the few new 2D platformers, as well as one of the few PC-exclusive platformers. Believe it or not I heard about this game on a banner ad. It looked interesting, so I checked it out. This game is one of the most original platformers I have ever seen. You are a 12-pound ball of tar, with eyes and expressions just like anyone else.

The first levels are like training. They explain the different modes of Gish. He can slide around in normal mode, using the arrow keys, which is basically how you navigate the levels. He can jump with the spacebar, and there are 3 other modes. If you press or hold “a�, little one-inch spines come out of his body and he grabs to whatever he is touching, which is useful for climbing walls and even ceilings. Then if you press “s�, he turns “liquidy� and thin so you can slip through tight areas. If you press “d�, his face looks like he’s trying to pinch one off and he turns hard as a rock. This mode is what you can use to destroy enemies. You jump over top of them, then hold “d� and slam into them, often knocking their heads off (this is a bloody game).

Sometimes you have to use a combination of these buttons to complete a level. For instance, sometimes you will need to pull a ceiling apart, so you have to stick to the ceiling with “a�, and then hold “d� at the same time to pull it down.

His only means of defense are his body’s characteristics. Yet, Gish must follow the cries of his damsel in distress deep into the earth. What freakish creatures dwell in this subterranean land? “Life isn’t easy when you’re a 12 pound ball of tarâ€?.

This game is mostly a puzzle game, and although it is 2D, it has some 3D effects like lighting and the shine on Gish depends on your surroundings. There is also a good physics engine. There are some parts when you have to jump on to a swing and swing across to another area. The system requirements are higher than you’d expect for this game, but I’d say it’s defiantly a classic in the making, for a PC title.