Jack Keane 2: The Fire Within
- June 27, 2013
- Deck 13
- 21h median play time
A dash of effort and postmodern humour are not enough to bail Jack Keane out of its archaic puzzles and technical issues.
Get on SteamIn "Jack Keane 2: The Fire Within," players join Jack Keane and Amanda back for an adventurous journey in Shanghai 1899, where Jack ends up in prison seeking a legendary treasure. This fast-paced game is filled with bizarre adventures, mysterious treasures, and ruthless villains, promising a challenging and exciting experience. However, escaping prison and obtaining the treasure won't be an easy task for our hapless hero.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Gorgeous, colorful, and detailed 3D background graphics that enhance the game's atmosphere.
- Fast-paced and action-packed story with engaging character development and multiple switchable characters.
- Enjoyable puzzles and a well-crafted soundtrack that fits the adventurous theme.
- Disorienting fixed 3D camera mechanics and frustrating controls that hinder gameplay.
- Many obscure puzzles with nonsensical solutions, leading to confusion and reliance on walkthroughs.
- Inconsistent voice acting quality and outdated portrayals of female characters.
- story22 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as an exciting, fast-paced adventure reminiscent of classics like Indiana Jones and The Goonies, with themes of personal growth and responsibility woven into its comedic narrative. While some players appreciate its philosophical undertones and engaging moments, others criticize the execution, citing issues like predictability, poor controls, and lackluster voice acting that detract from the overall experience. Despite mixed reviews, many agree that the story itself is not the primary source of criticism, which often centers on technical issues.
“The story is cool, old-school adventure game.”
“I found the story more philosophic, about taking responsibilities and growing up overall.”
“Well woven into the comedy and sarcastic attitude of the story overall.”
“Very badly executed story; things just happen, sometimes just skipping ahead.”
“There were a few nice moments, but terrible controls, bad voice acting, and an average story and jokes killed it for me.”
“I found the story more philosophical, about taking responsibilities and growing up overall.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Gameplay is characterized by disorienting fixed 3D camera mechanics and frustrating controls, which can be buggy at times but do not significantly detract from the overall experience. While the fighting mechanics offer an interesting twist, they require rethinking to improve their effectiveness.
“Controls are a little bit buggy now and then, but not to such an extent that it really hinders the gameplay.”
“Disorienting fixed 3D camera mechanics and frustrating controls.”
“The fight mechanics are an interesting way to diversify this type of game, but they need to be rethought.”
“The worst mechanic is the fighting.”
- humor9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its entertaining and ironic jokes, engaging situations, and clever parodies, reminiscent of its predecessor. Players particularly enjoyed the humorous narrative and dialogue, alongside amusing moments like the "elephant bug" that added to the overall comedic experience. The combination of fluid animations and colorful visuals further enhances the lighthearted tone of the game.
“Overall, I found enough funny and ironic jokes, situations, and parodies to be satisfied.”
“- Elephant bug in the savannah (it suddenly started to move the elephant in the background the same as Jack moved, absolutely hilarious).”
“[Humorous narrative and dialogue, plenty of inventive puzzles to solve, fluid animations, and colorful visuals.]”
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their gorgeous, colorful, and detailed 3D backgrounds, alongside high-quality character modeling and fluid animations. Reviewers highlight the solid visual presentation as a standout feature, contributing to an engaging overall experience.
“Gorgeous looking, colorful, and detailed 3D background graphics.”
“Very good A+ graphics, environments, and character modeling.”
“Fluid animations and colorful visuals.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while the chat system functions smoothly without glitches, many users report frequent crashes and performance issues that detract from the experience. Controls can be somewhat buggy, but these issues do not significantly hinder gameplay.
“Not to mention most negative reviews come from crashes and glitches and not from the story, characters, plot, and so on.”
“Controls are a little bit buggy now and then, but not to such an extent that it really hinders the gameplay.”
“- Buggy, crashy, and performance issues.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its cinematic quality and ability to enhance the action atmosphere, often evoking comparisons to the iconic scores of Indiana Jones. Overall, players appreciate how well the soundtrack complements the gameplay experience.
“The background music almost always reminds me of Indiana Jones.”
“Nice cinematic music that enhances the overall experience.”
“The music fits perfectly with the game's action atmosphere.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Jack's character development is a central focus of the game, showcasing a compelling journey that evolves significantly as the story progresses. Players appreciate the depth and complexity of Jack's growth, which adds emotional weight and engagement to the overall narrative.
“Jack's character development throughout the game is truly remarkable, showcasing a profound transformation that keeps players engaged.”
“The evolution of Jack's character is one of the highlights of the game, as it adds depth and emotional resonance to the overall story.”
“Witnessing Jack's character development throughout the game is a rewarding experience, making each decision feel impactful and meaningful.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by well-composed music that complements the action, creating an immersive experience for players.
“The music perfectly complements the game's action atmosphere.”
“The soundtrack enhances the immersive experience, drawing players deeper into the game's world.”
“The atmospheric sounds create a captivating environment that keeps you engaged throughout the gameplay.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and significant performance issues.
“Buggy, crashy, and plagued with performance issues.”
“Buggy, crashy, and plagued with performance issues.”
