Official Review Computer

Jack Move (Computer)
Official GBAtemp Review

Name: Jack Move
Item: Jack Move
Rating: 8
Author: Prans

Product Information:

Release Date (NA): September 8, 2022
Release Date (EU): September 8, 2022
Publisher: HypeTrain Digital
Developer: So Romantic
Genres: Adventure, RPG
Also For: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Game Features:

Single player

Local Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Co-operative

Indie title Jack Move combines turn-based combat and hi-bit pixel art in a cyberpunk-themed plot. Is it a hackin’ good time or does it flatline?

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Noa and Ryder are part of an up-and-coming, two person vigilante hacking team from Bright Town. Shortly after having finished a job, Noa gets a cryptic call from her father Abner, who worked at the mega-corp Monomind. Having cut ties with Abner a long time ago, Noa disregards the message until she is visited by the CEO of Monomind herself who threatens and ransacks her apartment. Deciding to look further into the matter Noa, with the help of Ryder, learns more about her father’s involvement with the mega-corp and the latter’s evil plans. Can the intrepid duo best Monomind?

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While the cyberpunk genre has recently been associated with AAA aesthetics by the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Ascent, Jack Move makes a 180° and borrows visual inspiration from titles of yesteryear. The game’s universe is vividly portrayed in eye-catching hi-bit.

The bespoke cyberpunk flair is well translated and detailed with this aesthetic as well; with drones patrolling the skies, adverts fuelling the hyper-consumerist lifestyle, neon lights flooding the streets and NPCs of varying social strata populating those streets. You can interact with nearly every NPC to hear them complain, gossip and share their vices. Some might even send you side quests which range from fetch quests to scrambling Monomind's ads.

While the areas that make up the game are relatively limited, they can be explored at your leisure. Exploration is rewarded by finding extra cash or consumables which are vital for battles.

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The latter are turn-based with Noa as the single party member. You’ll encounter a range of enemies ranging from security guards to robots to virtual avatars. They offer a fair challenge and help gear you up for upcoming boss fights.

Jack Move’s combat mechanic features the regular gamut of offence, defence and access to consumables but they are cyberpunk-themed. You don’t defend but cache until your next turn. You can install software during the battle that offers buffs against specific attack types. Hardware upgrades can further boost your stats by increasing the software slots available for use or even unlocking new abilities. This aspect of the gameplay adds to the overall cyberpunk atmosphere and feels original for a turn-based game.

Even if Noa’s abilities vary based on the software and special Jack Move abilities you assign to her, the combats could have been made more colourful with more party members. It is indeed fun to try to fiddle with Noa’s Cyber Deck to balance offence, defence and buffs. This does add a welcome challenge and a decent change from traditional turn-based RPGs but I couldn’t help but think that it would be even more fun with more party members with different abilities of their own.

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There is also a parallel in the story as it has a handful of main characters. While they are relatable ones with some well developed arc and a touching and compelling plot, the cast can still feel relatively limited. However, this reflects the scope of the game, which is a manageable 5-ish hour indie title and the plot and its cast are more than decent for this scope; despite some plot segments that feel occasionally rushed.

While Jack Move isn’t a particularly long game, there are some repetitive actions that stood out during my playthrough. For example, the need to power up doors or finding a power source of some kind is a recurring aspect of the main quest. There’s also some noticeable backtracking involved but the game’s universe isn’t that expansive and makes this aspect more bearable.

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Nevertheless, a map would have been handy when navigating, especially when first getting acquainted with the environment and layout. In a later segment, Noa is tasked to follow the end of a river and this left me confused because I didn’t come across any rivers up to that point nor was one mentioned before. After backtracking and exploring further, I realised that the river was located in a previously blocked area which didn’t involve the plot prior to that point. A map would have easily remedied this issue as well as make navigation earlier in the game more fluid.

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Far from a flatlining experience, Jack Move is a remarkable title as an indie RPG with its original, cyberpunk-themed hi-bit aesthetics and turn-based combat in the backdrop of a compelling story. If you’re looking for a new RPG with original mechanics that won’t take you ages to complete, Jack Move is surely one to try out.

Jack Move - Release Trailer

Verdict

What We Liked ...

Eye-catching hi-bit, cyberpunk world
Original turn-based, cyberpunk-themed combat
Compelling overarching narrative

What We Didn't Like ...

Lack of maps
Plot pacing can occasionally feel rushed

Gameplay

Jack Move’s original, cyberpunk-themed turn-based combat mechanic is definitely a highlight.

Presentation

The retro-inspired, hi-bit visuals work well in Jack Move’s universe and its compelling story.

Lasting Appeal

Even with its backtracking and certain recurring actions, Jack Move’s is executed well enough to hook the player with its original mechanic and engrossing universe.

out of 10

Overall

Developer So Romantic crafts a concise RPG with Jack Move that stands out with its original cyberpunk-themed turn-based mechanic and retro aesthetics.

Reactions: Kur0shitsuji, Henx, lordelan and 3 others

There's something very off-putting about kid friendly PG cyberpunk.

It just doesn't feel right.

Looks like cyberpunk persona to me.

Purple_Shyguy said:
There's something very off-putting about kid friendly PG cyberpunk.

It just doesn't feel right.

Cyberpunk like blade runner and 2077 is all about the edginess and sexiness. So I understand your uneasiness.

Reactions: Halbour

Halbour
Oct 12, 2022

But i have too many games...

Reactions: DS1

DS1
Oct 14, 2022

Looks really polished, glad to see this actually take off. Every time I see a cool concept image or video of a stylish game like this, it is stuck in development hell forever.

Reactions: Deleted member 608654

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