Gex Enter The Gecko Get To The Dragon

If you liked or LOVED the first game which I have, then you'll dig Gex: Enter the Gecko. Having played it for the first time back in the late '90s (an AWESOME decade of video games and everything pop-culture related) the first thing that grabbed me was the intro movie where the story picks up a few years after the first game and let me tell you it was one of the most hilarious moments I ever.

What's small, green and a master of disguise? Enter the Gecko, Gex..

PlayStation owners and anyone unwise enough to have purchased a 3DO will already be familiar with the character of Gex the Gecko. His first lizardly outing in the software industry was in his own 2-D platformer on both the late unlamented 3DO and also the aforementioned PSX.

Having proved incredibly popular on both formats (widely acclaimed as the best game on the 3DO, but then there were only about 12 games released!) it was inevitable that Gex would return, and return he did on the PlayStation in the sequel, Gex: Enter The Gecko.

No 2-D nonsense for our little green friend this time, oh no. This time Gex arrived sporting some rather snazzy 3-D. and again met with incredible success. And what's the best format for 3-D games as yet known to man? You guessed it, the N64! (Shut up, you PC deviants!)

So to cut a long story short, Gex: Enter The Gecko has finally made his way across to the Nintendo. And just to make all those PlayStation owners jealous, the N64 version has had a brand-new, totally original level added!

However, enough posturing. The most important question has to be. what's the game like?

Banjo-Schmanjo!

It's inevitable that coming hot on the heels of the latest Rare blockbuster, Gex: Enter The Gecko is going to be compared with Banjo-Kazooie. so let's get all that business out of the way first. Graphically, it has to be said, Banjo-Kazooie is far superior, with better textures and animation. However, the characters in Gex are just as innovative as Rare's parade of bizarro nutters and the humour level is aimed at a slightly older age group.

The gameplay is structured differently in both games, and so it's not really fair to make a direct comparison. Suffice it to say that while Banjo looks better at first glance, Gex is an extremely innovative and enjoyable game which becomes better and better the more you get into it.

The first thing which should really be mentioned about Gex is the camera implementation. This is extremely important in 3-D games, and can make or break a game depending on how well it is accomplished. The bad news is that the camera in Gex almost ruins the game. Fortunately, the cunning decision to give a choice of three different camera options - Automatic, Manual and Semi-automatic - saves the day.

Jackanory Time..

No platform adventure would be complete without a story, and the plot behind Gex is a little bizarre. Apparently a megalomaniac media baron named Rez has hijacked all the television channels and is showing his own brand of warped programming - kind of like the educational programmes on BBC2 after about 2am - which has Gex, as a professional couch potato, up in arms. Rather than sit on his little green butt and write angry letters to his cable service provider, Gex jumps into the different channels to defeat the evil Rez and restore Neighbours and other such quality programmes to his screen once and for all (is this a good thing?)

This plot goes some way towards explaining the television and film-related themes that proliferate throughout the various worlds which Gex needs to explore as he seeks out his nemesis Rez. Each level in the game is accessed via a huge video screen which gives you some clue as to the kind of perils you should expect to find within. Television and film genres on offer include science fiction, horror, martial arts, prehistoric, cartoons and a variety of more specific programmes and films such as cop shows, Indiana lones and the classic US sitcom that probably no-one over here has heard of, Gilligan's Island.

Remote Access

To find his way to Rez, and thus defeat the evil TV bandit, Gex must collect a number of remote controls which are scattered throughout each themed level. To do this he needs to accomplish various missions, some of which can be as simple as finding his way to the end of a stage, while others are a little more tricky as they involve finding and/or destroying a number of specific creatures or items. Still more remotes are hidden at specific places within the levels, or are obtained by collecting the various other items scattered around each level.

To begin with, only a few of the huge video screen doorways to each level are accessible, so remote controls must be collected from these to open routes to further ones. Because you don't need all the remotes from the first levels to open the next few, it's possible to leave certain tricky missions for later, thus preventing you getting stuck too early on in the game.

Within a level, as well as the red remotes and various bonus ones, you'll encounter a lot of different objects. Most of these are specific to the level. For instance, in the cartoon world you'll get cartoon carrots and cans of beans, while in the horror worlds you'll find skulls and tombstones. Collecting certain numbers of these items will grant you an extra life, and collecting all the required number on a specific world (there are three types of item on each) will get you a bonus silver remote, four of which will open a bonus level video screen.

Whilst this method of getting extra lives is useful, particularly at the start, you'll find that after a while, because you need to go through most worlds at least twice and usually three times to complete the various missions, you soon begin to clock up lives at a furious rate. It's not until the later levels that instant death occurs, so this begins to seem a little silly. On the later levels, however, you'll begin to lose lives fairly regularly and be glad you've got them!

Say No To Jumps!

Ordinarily. 3-D adventures involving a lot of jumping can be annoying, as it's often difficult to judge jumps correctly - particularly when the camera is roaming around. Gex has handled this problem fairly well in a number of ways. To begin with on the early levels, 3-D jumps are kept to a minimum, allowing you to get used to the controls and the other aspects of the game. As you progress and more jumping is involved, a number of techniques prevent everything getting too frustrating. These include levels where if you fall off you get whisked back to the start of the jumping area rather than dying, and a rather nifty move whereby if you fall a little short on your jump Gex will whip out his tongue, catch hold of the platform and pull himself up.

A third way that the jumping problem can be overcome is by careful use of the O-pad. Ordinarily, the analogue stick is the weapon of choice, as it moves quickly and smoothly giving you the best control over Gex. However, at certain points in the game, such as where Gex has to climb several rocking girders, using the analogue pad can be tricky as. despite the camera locking itself in place to aid your ascent, it's still far too easy to move the analogue stick just slightly up or down when you want to move it sideways and send Gex plummeting back to the bottom.

However, switch to the D-pad, where left and right are unencumbered by any analogue tomfoolery, and you'll be at the top before you know it! In this way, Gex is unique in that the choice of which control device is best actually changes as the game progresses.

The Verdict..

What you are getting with Gex: Enter The Gecko is a fast-paced, humorous 3-D adventure game which is fairly easy to get into, and becomes better and better the longer you play it. The variety of different worlds (or 'channels' if you prefer), particularly the bonus ones like the Indiana Jones level and the Gexzilla section, provide plenty of satirical laughs and the appropriate theme music in each section really builds the atmosphere.

Although most of the puzzles are fairly simple, the gameplay is fiendishly addictive and you'll find yourself constantly coming back for more. This addictiveness is complemented by the freedom to do many of the levels in any order you like, thus preventing you from becoming bored having to repeat any particular task too often.

Though it can't be said that Gex is better than Banjo, it certainly turns out to be a fine game in its own right and Banjo owners may get a pleasant surprise if they buy this game, too. After the first half-hour or so of play, you won't be sorry!

2nd rating opinion

After Banjo-Kazooie, Gex can't help but seem old hat. All the TV and film references are a laugh, but Gex lacks the smoothness and polish that Rare's standard-raising game has led us all to expect from now on. A good effort, but not brilliant by any means.

Gex: Enter the Gecko (also known as Gex 3D: Enter the Gecko or Return of the Gecko; or on N64 as Gex 64: Enter the Gecko) is a platform game released in 1998 for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Microsoft Windows, and the Game Boy Color. It is the second game in the Gex series, and involves collecting three types of remotes to unlock different TVs in the hub world that lead to levels, and to aid in the fight once again against Rez. The eponymous gecko protagonist is voiced by Dana Gould in the American version, and Leslie Phillips in the British release.

Story[edit]

Following his victory over Rez in the Media Dimension, Gex has retired from the public eye and turned to solitude. Two years later, his quiet life is soon turned upside down when one day he was watching television when all of a sudden, it goes blank and Rez's image begins flashing on the screen. Two government agents appear and abduct Gex to their headquarters, in which Gex is interrogated. The agents explain that Rez has returned and they need his help in taking him down again. Gex refuses, saying that he has already saved the world once and that they should try to find someone else. When the agents make a fair negotiation for a huge sum of cash and gadgets, Gex tells them everything. He accepts the mission, to which he leaves the building and is then accosted by a female agent who introduces herself as Agent Xtra and wishes him good luck.

After navigating numerous television channels in the Media Dimension, Gex finally confronts Rez and the two battle once again until Gex drops a huge television set on Rez severely weakening him. In desperation, Rez tells Gex through a television that he is his father. Gex merely turns the television off; whether or not he believes Rez is unknown. In the final scene, Gex shares a hotel room with Nikki from the Pandemonium series.

Gameplay[edit]

Enter the Gecko is the first 3D game in the franchise. His main move set involves a tail whip attack, bouncing on his tail, using his tongue to eat flies, and performing a flying karate kick. He can also climb up on certain surfaces, and consume fireflies which give him additional moves.^[1]

The game takes place in a large hub filled with several TV screens based on various genres, parodying various genres from Looney Tunes to Star Wars. Each level has a certain number of remotes to collect, as well as an additional remote collecting 120 collectibles within the level. Collecting enough remotes unlock new areas, bonus levels, and boss levels. Collecting all of the possible remotes unlocks a special ending showcasing concept art for the game.

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The game uses a camera system in which the player can choose from three camera control options.

Some enemies in the game can only be defeated by doing certain puzzles. Gex can also use object or machines to aid him in his quest. Gex shouts out puns referencing popular culture from the late 1980s and 1990s when he dies, enters a level, attacks, beats an enemy, or collects items.

The Nintendo 64 version of Gex: Enter the Gecko was entitled Gex 64: Enter the Gecko. This version features a new level, which replaced the three secret levels. It is titled 'Gecques Cousteau', a play on the French diver Jacques Cousteau, and is centered on the RMS Titanic, and played almost entirely underwater. Other changes include fewer bonus levels, fewer quotes (due to the Nintendo 64's cartridges storage limitations), and some altered sound effects. The only normal level that was removed was Scream TV's 'Poltergex'. The three secret levels that were removed were The Pre-History Channel's 'Lava Daba Doo', Scream TV's 'Texas Chainsaw Manicure', and Rezopolis' 'Mazed and Confused'. Two bonus levels titled 'I Got the Reruns' and 'Trouble in Uranus' were also removed.

Development[edit]

In early 1997, Crystal Dynamics announced that they were working on a 3D sequel to Gex in the style of Super Mario 64.^[2] Crystal Dynamics originally wanted to relaunch the character with the technology they had to work with at the time. Rather than a grouping of polygons, Gex was built with a full skeletal system, with more bones than a real gecko, and a 'skin' stretched over-top to eliminate pop and tearing. This also allowed him to move his mouth along with the voiced dialogue.^[3]

The developers of the game were huge fans of The Simpsons and built a lot of comedy set-ups based upon that style of humor. Rob Cohen, one of the writers from The Simpsons, worked on the script for Gex: Enter the Gecko, particularly Gex's one-liners.^[4] The end result of the idea gave Dana Gould over 700 voice-overs for Gex, while giving the character different costumes in order to suit the mood of the levels. When the game was released for the Nintendo 64, over 500 voice-overs from the PC and PlayStation versions were cut out from the original version, giving the Nintendo 64 version roughly over 100 samples to work with for the purpose of the hardware's limitations at the time of development. When Gould was being interviewed for the game, he explained how Gex in the third dimension differed from other platform games at the time. Gould said 'The character's natural God-given abilities lend themselves extremely well to designing 3D gameplay.'^[5] Gould reprised the role of Gex in the game for the American market, although the British version featured the voice of Leslie Phillips instead.^[6]

The designers put heavy emphasis on variety in the levels, in order to both give each world a different feel and help the player find their way around by creating recognizably unique landmarks.^[7]

In mid-1997 Crystal Dynamics signed an agreement for Midway Games to publish the game for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64.^[8]

Reception[edit]

Gex: Enter the Gecko received mostly positive reviews. Aggregating review website GameRankings gave the PlayStation version 81.70%;^[13] however the Game Boy Color version 57.00%.^[14] The Nintendo 64 version received mostly mixed reviews. Aggregating review website GameRankings gave the game 60.50%.^[15] Upon the PC version's initial release, USA Today gave the game '4 out of 5 stars!'^{[citation needed]}GamePro acclaimed the game to be 'A must-own for platform fans!'^{[citation needed]} However, Game.EXE reviewer gave the game a 70% score and said that it lacked attention to detail and care.^[9] A Game World Navigator reviewer praised the graphics, noting that the backgrounds are detailed, but noticed that the monsters have few polygons. The reviewer complained about the bad behavior of the camera, and eventually concluded that the game is worth playing.^[10] Dmitriy Estrin, reviewer of a Strana Igr magazine, commented on the graphics, saying that the 'developers skillfully managed the resources available to them'. However, he also noticed that the game had 'too much simplicity in all aspects of the gameplay'.^[11]

Next Generation reviewed the PlayStation version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that 'Crystal Dynamics has taken a bold, innovative step into the 3D platform genre with Enter the Gecko by providing humor, solid design, and clever enemies, but the gameplay still needs a little time to catch up.'^[12]Guild wars 2 system requirements 2018.

References[edit]

1. ^'Gex: Enter the Gecko'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 99. Ziff Davis. October 1997. p. 185.
2. ^'In the Studio'. Next Generation. No. 28. Imagine Media. April 1997. p. 19.
3. ^EPNdotTV (2016-01-25), Electric Playground: Season 1, Episode 5, archived from the original on 2019-08-07, retrieved 2018-08-22
4. ^'E3 Unleashed!'. GamePro. No. 106. IDG. July 1997. p. 40.
5. ^Gex 64 The Official Strategy Guide, 1998 Millennium Publications Inc., (p. 111-112)
6. ^'Gex: Enter the Gecko Credits'. Allgame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014.
7. ^'NG Alphas: Gex: Enter the Gecko'. Next Generation. No. 31. Imagine Media. July 1997. pp. 114–5.
8. ^'Tidbits..'. Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 99. Ziff Davis. October 1997. p. 22.
9. ^ ^abГосподин ПэЖэ (July 1998). 'Gex 3D: Enter the Gecko'. Game.EXE (in Russian). pp. 28–29. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
10. ^ ^abГога Штангенциркуль (July 1998). 'Gex 3D: Enter the Gecko'. Game World Navigator (in Russian). No. 15. p. 33. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
11. ^ ^abДмитрий Эстрин (March 1998). 'Gex: Enter the Gecko'. Strana Igr (in Russian). Vol. 3 no. 22. p. 128. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
12. ^ ^ab'Finals'. Next Generation. No. 42. Imagine Media. June 1998. p. 135–136.
13. ^'Gex: Enter the Gecko (PlayStation) reviews at'. GameRankings. 2011-10-24. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
14. ^'Gex: Enter the Gecko (Game Boy Color) reviews'. GameRankings. 2011-10-24. Archived from the original on 2012-12-16. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
15. ^'Gex 64: Enter the Gecko (Nintendo 64) reviews'. GameRankings. 2011-10-24. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2011-10-24.

External links[edit]

• Gex: Enter the Gecko at MobyGames