The storyline of Jazzpunk seems closely inspired by the original programming from Adult Swim. Players take control of a secret agent of sorts named Polyblank, as he completes various jobs including finding and recovering top secret information or taking out a high priority target. The narrative is fine and features plenty of funny moments on its own, but players will be encouraged to explore each level and all of the different interactive elements in each level. When this happens, the game and players will quickly lose track of their goals and why they entered the location in the first place, but at least the random occurrences help create plenty of laughs for the next few hours.
The world presented in Jazzpunk has a unique aesthetic that every gamer will see differently. The world seemed to reflect Samurai Jack inspired stages with LEGO people inhabiting the structures and streets. There are plenty of different characters in the world for players to interact with though including animals like pigeons and cats to Polyblank's boss, who has a knack for playing practical jokes on his employees. Exploring the world essentially offers up more jokes for players to enjoy and little else, so it's not necessary to complete every side quest in the game, but if you're not playing Jazzpunk for the humor, then you've probably purchased the wrong game.
Players explore the world of Jazzpunk in the first-person perspective. Developer Necrophone Games manages to incorporate plenty of humor into every aspect of the game including some good chuckles about the game mechanics used to create the new title. Jokes in the game range from humor for gamers that harkens back to the classic days of gaming to inspirations clearly drawn from classic cartoons such as Ren & Stimpy. The humor does a good job of holding up throughout the campaign, but most players will still want to take a few breaks in-between missions to catch their breath and rest in order to keep the content from growing stale.
The numerous mini-games is only part of what makes Jazzpunk such a special game. There are plenty of great puzzles in the game that must be solved to progress in the main storyline. Though the puzzles are never too difficult to figure out, they often follow unconventional methods to accomplish a task such as photocopying a picture of Polyblank's butt and then holding the picture up to a camera to gain clearance to a new part of the level. Jazzpunk has this same sort of absurd tone throughout the game's campaign, and most gamers will know by now if this is the type of humor they enjoy or not to help decide if the game is worth a purchase.
Despite being a short game, Jazzpunk holds up well for the duration of its campaign. Unfortunately, there is little to experience in the game outside of the main storyline. The game is only available to play in single player mode, and the only other option for players to choose is whether to start a new game, continue their current campaign or select different chapters. It would've been nice to seen a bit of extra content packed into the game, since most players will be tired of the game the first time it's completed, and it's rather pricey for the short amount of time players will want to spend playing the game.
Like any good comedy, not every joke in Jazzpunk is a hit. Sometimes the game goes too far with its references, and since many of the jokes are inspired by classic games and cartoons, the jokes can be lost on a younger audience. The chuckles are complemented by some fun themes from the game's original soundtrack and strange voice acting that really completes the strange atmosphere the game tries to create from the onset.
Jazzpunk looks pretty good for the type of game it is attempting to be. It's rare for a video game to push comedy at players, since most developers are aiming for more serious tones and trying to be the most realistic and epic entertainment experience around. Jazzpunk's world is a breath of fresh air in an industry that often tries to copy or imitate what other games have already accomplished. The unique artistic design and voiceover work combines to create a unique world for players to explore where the laughs just seem to keep coming.
Most players will only spend a few hours exploring the world of Jazzpunk even if they love the absurd humor the game has to offer. Slapstick only carries the game so far, but there is a great variety of mini-games for players to find that mix up gameplay nicely while proving Necrophone Games knows more about games than cracking a few jokes about old arcade games. Though Jazzpunk is a bit pricey for the amount of time players will invest in the new title, it's fun enough while it lasts, and there are certainly much worse games players could be spending their time and money on. Check out Jazzpunk only on Steam today!
Jazzpunk is now available for PC, Mac and Linux and can be purchased exclusively on Steam. For more information on the game, check out the official Jazzpunk website.
Game Features:
- Single Player
- Humorous Storyline
- Tons of Mini-Games
- Original Electronic Soundtrack
- Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer: Necrophone Games
Publisher: Adult Swim Games
Platforms: PC (reviewed), Mac & Linux
Release Date: February 7, 2014
Score: 7 out of 10