Review of Gex Trilogy for PS5

Okay, so here’s the thing. It’s been nearly three decades — yes, you read that right — 30 flipping years and suddenly, bam! We’re all supposed to care about some gecko again. But not the GEICO one, no, this is Gex. Remember him? Some of you might, others might be thinking “who?” Anyway, we got this Gex Trilogy landing on modern consoles now. Is it any good? Let’s take a messy dive into it, shall we?

First up, the OG Gex game. It started life on the 3DO of all places, then wiggle-walked its way to Sega Saturn and the old Sony PlayStation. It’s 2D, strictly speaking. Gex gets himself sucked into his TV (was anyone else always told not to stand too close to the screen?), by a villain named Rez who wants him to be the Media Dimension’s mascot. Sounds like Gex’s got a full plate with channels to conquer like the Cemetery, New Toonland, and some place called Kung Fuville. Okay, let’s be real: the plot feels like it was jotted down on a napkin between sips of coffee.

Gameplay? Um, mixed feelings, folks. You run, but it’s kinda like trying to sprint on a skating rink—overshooting jumps like it’s nobody’s business. Enemies? Their hitboxes are a guessing game. And climbing around? Good luck figuring that out—all these backgrounds that pretend they’re climbable, when they’re not. Gex talks a lot too. Some jokes hit the mark, but after the umpteenth repeat, you want to tell him to zip it.

Next up, Gex: Enter the Gecko. Now in 3D. Woo. So, Rez is back bugging Gex. Gex isn’t budging until some government folks wave dollar bills under his snout. Capitalism, am I right? Anyway, this one’s slightly less floaty but still not playing like a dream. Gex’s voice lines got mixed up a bit, which is great because “It’s Tail Time” was gonna haunt my dreams otherwise. Camera? Broken. Fix it to manual fast, or suffer the consequences.

Here’s where things get a bit cooler, or not. There’s this hub world—TV screens everywhere. Collect remotes like a couch potato scramble. When you actually find one, Gex goes through loads of costume changes like it’s his personal Walking Closet episode. But finding your way? It’s kind of like being in a mall without a map. Still, I liked this entry the best. Oddly enough.

And then… Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko. Yeah, they roped in a real-life actress from Baywatch. She gets kidnapped, calls Gex (guess there are no police?), and suddenly this hub world is a maze. Fly Coins are a thing now, replacing cooler collectables. Get ready for the worst ticking clock noise—it’s like nails on a chalkboard inside a headache. Despite the chaos, levels glue together better here? I dunno, maybe you’ll like the third best.

The Gex Trilogy. What do I think? Meh, it’s a slice of 90s nostalgia pie. I give kudos to Limited Run with their enhancements—rewind and save states are there to minimize the rage-y bits. The authenticity vibe’s kept up, even when it’s a bit dodgy. Extras? Yeah, bunch of old-school commercials and Dana Gould’s voice stuff. Platforming’s decent but doesn’t quite reach the big leagues like Super Mario 64. So, you see, it’s this neat time capsule thing. Anyways, maybe I’m glad they’re out… modern availability and all. But then, maybe it’s just because all games deserve a shot at not being forgotten, especially those that are so goddamn 90s it hurts. There you have it, my chaotic ramble—done.