December 14, 2020
IguanaBee

G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout

Outside of nostalgia, G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout does not stand apart from the generic third-person shooter, and its inconsistent gameplay and repetitive missions further mute its impact.

57%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

stability, optimization

60% User Score Based on 206 reviews

Critic Score 54%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

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About

"G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout" is a third-person shooter game featuring characters from the G.I. Joe franchise. Play as your favorite heroes or villains in a campaign with intense single-player and multiplayer modes. Complete mission objectives, engage in epic battles, and utilize unique abilities to secure victory in this action-packed game.

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60%

Audience ScoreBased on 206 reviews

story25 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game captures the nostalgic feel of the original G.I. Joe cartoon and comics, making it enjoyable for long-time fans.
The variety of characters and their unique abilities provide some fun gameplay moments, especially for those who appreciate the franchise.
The comic book-style cutscenes and voice acting add charm and authenticity to the G.I. Joe experience.

The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, often feeling like a generic third-person shooter with little innovation.
The AI for both allies and enemies is poorly designed, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The game suffers from technical issues, including poor controls and bugs, which detract from the overall enjoyment.

story
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
76%
3%
The story of "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout" is a nostalgic homage to the 1980s cartoon, featuring a simplistic and over-the-top narrative that aligns with the franchise's roots. While some players appreciate the retro vibe and comic-inspired cutscenes, others criticize the plot for being generic and childish, with repetitive missions that lack depth. Overall, the game offers a fun, casual experience for fans, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more complex storyline.
- “A love letter to the original 1980s Sunbow Real American Hero cartoon, with a storyline clearly inspired by the 5-part mini-series 'The Pyramid of Darkness', G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is a retro cartoon lovers' dream.”
- “The story is quick-moving, has a variety of characters and weapons, and has an interesting narrative in the vein of the old cartoon.”
- “It's presented in a storyboard style and could easily have been lifted straight from the pages of a Joe comic book or from a Joe cartoon.”
- “The story isn't anywhere near the level of the cartoons, let alone the comics, and the cut scenes aren't fully animated.”
- “The story is what you would see in any episode of the show (not great) and has you playing both sides throughout 18 levels.”
- “Cookie cutter type story from what I can see, but that is what you expect from G.I.”
gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
61%
19%
The gameplay of "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it generic and repetitive, despite some fun elements like unique character abilities and a third-person shooter perspective. While the game features entertaining animations and a variety of weapons, the mechanics are often described as simplistic and unbalanced, leading to a lack of engagement in both single-player and multiplayer modes. Overall, it appeals primarily to fans of the franchise, but many players feel it falls short of expectations due to its outdated and uninspired gameplay design.
- “Alternating between playing as both Cobra and the Joes gave a slight nuance to the otherwise conventional gameplay structure.”
- “Joe: Operation Blackout features a fun, arena-shooter style gameplay, with solo and co-op game modes.”
- “The gameplay is fun, simple, and effective, utilizing a great third-person perspective while implementing a simplified WASD movement: space for jump, shift for run, and left control for crouch.”
- “And honestly, I wanted it to succeed so Hasbro would be compelled to make more (better) Joe games... but it came out as expected; low budget, rushed, extremely generic mechanics. Character choice is essentially a reskin with a primary weapon change, and none of the weapons feel substantially different. The short campaign gets samey within moments.”
- “It's just a shame the gameplay is extremely boring.”
- “Joe: Operation Blackout does not stand apart from the generic third-person shooter, and its inconsistent gameplay and repetitive missions further mute its impact.”
graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
54%
13%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant, cartoonish visuals and comic book art style, while others criticize them for feeling outdated and lacking polish. Although the aesthetics aim to capture the essence of the original cartoon, many players noted issues like jittery camera movement and a lack of visual impact compared to other titles. Overall, while the graphics are considered decent and enjoyable by some, they do not stand out significantly in the current gaming landscape.
- “A fun game full of action, vibrant colors, and cool cartoon visuals.”
- “First of all, the pixel shaded graphics are fantastic, the characters look great, the controls feel great, and the characters similarly felt great.”
- “[Vivid cartoonish graphics, diverse number of local co-op play modes, has that Saturday morning cartoon feel to it, captures that G.I. Joe 'feel'].”
- “The graphics, although stylized, still aren't great, especially for the time it came out.”
- “I didn't really care for the cell-shaded graphics or dithered textured skies, and I also experienced jittery camera movement that was not smooth at all.”
- “Graphically, the game doesn't just look last-gen; it almost looks as if it could have come from the generation before.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the well-selected background tracks and catchy soundtrack, while others find it generic and lacking memorable songs. Many players express disappointment that the original music is not used as the default, suggesting that its inclusion in the extras menu is insufficient and advocating for an option to switch to it for a more immersive experience. Overall, while the new music is deemed acceptable, it fails to reach the heights of the original compositions.
- “The original music is included to play in the extras menu if you buy the complete edition. An option to switch to the original music would be so welcome.”
- “Music and sound effects: well-selected background music.”
- “Voice acting isn't always great, although a couple of standout examples, such as Cobra Commander, and the music has a somewhat proto-classic feel to it that uses some features of the music used in the original cartoon.”
- “The soundtrack is generic as hell.”
- “The original music is included to play in the extras menu if you buy the complete edition... an option to switch to the original music would be so welcome.”
- “My only gripe is the original music isn't used as standard; the new music is fine, but if the original music had been used, it would have made it an amazing experience overall.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some users reporting significant bugs and poor performance on high-end systems like the i9-10900k and 3080ti. However, others have noted that it runs smoothly without issues. Overall, the stability appears to be inconsistent.
- “Runs great.”
- “This game is really buggy.”
- “This game runs poorly on an i9-10900k / 3080ti; it's buggy.”
- “This game is really buggy.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout" is characterized by self-aware jokes and a nostalgic nod to the 1980s cartoon, featuring beloved characters and their comedic incompetence. Reviewers appreciate the game's lighthearted tone and fun action, making it a charming experience for fans of the franchise, despite its budget title status.
- “With everyone's favorite real American heroes, Duke, Scarlett, Roadblock, Snake Eyes, Lady Jaye, and more, as well as all the hilarious incompetence from classic Cobra Commander, Tomax and Xamot, Baroness, and Destro, if you loved the RAH cartoon from the 1980s, you'll love G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout!”
- “Definitely a budget title, but between the self-aware humor, earnest appreciation for the IP, and damn fun action (even the vehicle sections!), Operation Blackout might actually be the first genuinely good G.I. Joe game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally solid, with smooth performance in large and busy environments, though players have noted some minor performance hiccups. The experience remains enjoyable, particularly during the lengthy campaign and cheesy cutscenes.
- “Decently lengthy and varied campaign, enjoyably cheesy cutscenes, runs smoothly even with large, busy environments.”
- “Minor performance hiccups here and there.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Users express concerns about the game's replayability, indicating that it lacks sufficient value to encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “The problem is really just replay value.”
- “The problem is really just replay value.”
- “The problem is really just replay value.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The reviews suggest that the character development in the game is lacking, with some users recommending that players invest in the character designs as figures rather than engaging with the game itself.
- “Skip the game, buy the classified series figures these character designs are based on instead.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game initially enjoyable due to nostalgia, but it quickly becomes tedious and repetitive, diminishing the overall experience.
- “Might be fun for an hour of nostalgia seeing the characters, but after that, the game gets tedious.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of this game is viewed positively compared to other licensed titles, as it offers fan service and solid mechanics rather than feeling like a cash grab. Players appreciate that it stands out among budget adaptations, such as Jumanji and Zombieland, which are criticized for their exploitative practices.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere resonates strongly with fans of Joe cartoons, comics, and action figure collecting, evoking a nostalgic and immersive experience that appeals to those familiar with the source material.

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54%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

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