Gish
Gish isn’t your average hero. In fact, he’s not your average anything…you see, Gish is a ball of tar. A Sunday stroll with his lady friend, Brea, goes awry when a shadowy figure emerges from an open manhole and pulls Brea below ground. Following Brea’s calls for help, Gish suddenly finds himself in the subterranean sewers of Dross, a long forgotten city filled with twisting corridors, evil traps, and some of the most demented creatures imaginable.
With his gelatinous structure as his only means of defense, Gish must follow the echoing cries of his damsel in distress deep within the earth below. What freakish creatures dwell in this subterranean land? Who is Brea’s captor? And just how far down does the rabbit hole go?
Life isn’t easy when you’re a 12 pound ball of tar…
- Dynamic physics and lighting
- Destructible environments
- 34+ story levels
- 20+ collection levels
- 80+ player-made levels available for download
- Six unique VS. modes
- Unlockable game modes
- Over 15 animated enemies
- Six deranged bosses
- Five "super secret" levels
- Level editor
15 year ani. update features:
- The Lost Levels
- Updated Physics engine
- Widescreen supported
- Updated menus
- Updated levels
Game Discussion
Steam User 2
Gish is not just a piece of tar, as its creators claim. It is more like a bouncy ball that has unexpectedly gained softness, a mouth, and a pair of yellow eyes. Gish travels through dungeons, defeats monsters, and solves puzzles to save his beloved. Outside of his adventures, he resembles an illustration from a physics textbook due to his realistic model of object interaction. Newton's laws are embodied in every detail here: from swinging platforms to crossing water obstacles. Even jumps require considering Gish's shape and the surface beneath him, turning each action into an engaging experiment.
Gish stands out because physics is not just a gimmick here, but the core of the gameplay. Every action is tied to the laws of physics. Traps on levels are like small kinematic experiments, and fighting enemies requires using physics to succeed. Jumps, acceleration, and changing mass all require careful attention and calculations.
The game amazes with a variety of obstacles and tasks throughout. Gish gives players the freedom to choose how to solve problems, making the gameplay unique for everyone. This is the embodiment of the "emergent gameplay" idea, where the player creates their own experience and finds unique ways to overcome challenges.
The only drawback of the game is the music. Despite its high quality, the repetition of the same track for extended periods can become tiresome.
The graphics in Gish, although three-dimensional, are displayed in a flat format, creating a clear picture with dynamic lighting and shadows. The game lacks trendy shader effects, but that doesn't prevent it from being engaging. Multiplayer adds even more fun, offering modes like Drag Race and Sumo, which will make you laugh and compete with friends.
Gish is filled with humor and parodies that add charm to the game. The developers at Chronic Logic deserve praise for creating such an original and entertaining game in a short time, demonstrating that they approach their work as art, not just production.
Steam User 2
Gish is a great game. I played this way back on release. It hasn't aged that well, however. It deserves a proper remaster, since the graphics appear blurry. The choice to not publish the native Linux version is also a bit odd. Still, it's an enjoyable game, give it a go for a quirky and unconventional platformer.