Genre: 2d platformer
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Crystal Dynamics

The 3DO hosts several extremely pretty games, and Gex is one of them. All the artwork is detailed, hand drawn sprites, and the attention to detail in the maps and their backgrounds is excellent. Gex and baddie animation features many frames, and the entire game is colorful, but still somehow exudes a darker, quasi-realistic feel. The developers also used special effects, such as transparencies, to great effect. All in all, Gex is a very detailed game with clean, rich presentation.

Your protagonist frequently makes one-line quips throughout the game, with humor and voice acting complements of comedian Dana Gould. Humor is very subjective of course, but most of the jokes reference American pop-culture, and are well timed and executed. The sound effects are vibrant and crystal clear, and the soundtrack is of outstanding quality. Perhaps the only area this game's audio suffers is on certain levels where a particular action is needed often, triggering the same Gould voice bit a little too often.

Platformers are all about their level design and their physics. Gex excels in both categories; the stages, linked by Super Mario Bros 3-esque maps, are extraordinarily varied, well paced, and even require a bit of brainpower. Gex can walk on walls and ceilings, and can even climb the background walls in some areas. The maps use these feats to very great effect, and the levels are cleverly built to utilize Gex's skills. For good or for bad, the game is not very challenging, as you are given dozens of extra lives throughout the maps and also through bonus rounds.

Despite the fact that a "game over" is never really a threat, Gex is a clever, well paced, varied platformer with outstanding map design and unique gameplay characteristics. It is also full of secrets, including a bonus world that contains more great levels, which, when combined with the fun gameplay, creates a game with very high replay value. All in all, Gex is one of the very finest platformers I have ever played, and is a worthwhile addition to any 3DO owner's library.