Jack Move

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 751 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Jack Move Game Cover
Jack Move is a sensational RPG that won’t take you months to complete, with a gripping story and fantastic combat.
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Jack Move is a unique blend of gritty cyberpunk story telling, turn based battles and beautiful modern pixel art. Take on the role of Noa, a vigilante hacker who is thrust into a world of murder, kidnapping and dark research after her father goes missing.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 751 reviews
story189 positive mentions
grinding74 negative mentions
  • The pixel art and animations are stunning, creating a vibrant and immersive cyberpunk world.
  • The soundtrack is excellent, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • The combat system is engaging, allowing for strategic customization of abilities and encounter rates.
  • The game is very short, typically taking around 6-10 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
  • The story feels rushed and lacks depth, with some characters and plot points not fully developed.
  • The combat can become repetitive and easy, especially after leveling up, leading to a lack of challenge in battles.
  • story556 mentions

    The story of "Jack Move" is a straightforward cyberpunk narrative that, while engaging and charming, often feels derivative and lacks depth. Players appreciate the vibrant characters and the game's light-hearted tone, but many express disappointment over its brevity and predictability, with the main quest lasting around 6-10 hours. Overall, while the story is enjoyable, it leaves players wanting more in terms of length and originality.

    • “I enjoyed the story, I liked the characters and their writing, the setting was neat and the ending was good enough for me.”
    • “The story is interesting and innovative, the characters are likeable, and you hate the villains completely.”
    • “The story is memorable and succinct with enough seriousness to enjoy but it doesn't take itself too seriously.”
    • “The game's story is a boring copy of a story you've seen a dozen times before; it doesn't attempt to do anything different, just be a carbon copy.”
    • “Story feels as though it was inspired by other stories and not real-life experiences, so you wind up with what feels like a xerox of a xerox of a xerox.”
    • “Jack Move is a very mediocre video game with an extremely boring narrative of generic plots, generic settings, and generic storytelling.”
  • gameplay266 mentions

    The gameplay of *Jack Move* is a mixed bag, featuring a straightforward turn-based combat system that incorporates rock-paper-scissors mechanics and a software-swapping feature, which some players find engaging while others deem it repetitive and lacking depth. While the game offers charming visuals and a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic JRPGs, many reviewers criticize its slow pacing, simplistic mechanics, and the overall lack of challenge, leading to a gameplay experience that feels more like a casual stroll than an engaging adventure. Despite its shortcomings, the game is appreciated for its art style and music, making it a visually appealing, albeit shallow, RPG experience.

    • “Jack Move captures that cyberpunk aesthetic and delivers it in a fast, punchy, and mechanically easy to understand RPG experience that's a joy to play through.”
    • “The gameplay is a love letter to the old JRPGs on the Super Nintendo.”
    • “The battle mechanics are smooth like butter, and the pixel art is on point.”
    • “But I hated that one of the core gameplay loop staples of RPGs, the combat itself, was just annoying to do and made me so fed up with it that by the end I didn't bother to even engage with it for the final bosses.”
    • “There is little challenge or creativity in the gameplay of Jack Move, which just repackages the typical turn-based RPG gameplay into a cyberpunk-colored paper bag.”
    • “The gameplay is shallow, masking traditional rock/paper/scissors behind unfitting tech lingo, with customization largely just being what flavor of rock, or paper, or scissors do you want.”
  • music238 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed response, with many praising its catchy and engaging soundtrack that complements the cyberpunk aesthetic, often likening it to nostalgic Sega-era tunes. However, some players noted that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness, and a few felt that certain music choices did not fit the emotional context of specific scenes. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally considered a highlight, its effectiveness can vary depending on individual preferences.

    • “The music is absolutely killer, like a throwback to the Sega era of game music, but with modern production; throughout the beginning of the game, I kept finding myself exclaiming 'damn!' every time a new song came on, and at one point thinking 'I didn't think we were allowed to make games with soundtracks this good anymore.'”
    • “The art is fantastic and the music is incredible.”
    • “The soundtrack is perfect.”
    • “The music is typical electronic-cyberpunk game music and adds almost nothing to the overall experience; perhaps the most irritating thing is that during the final fight, it cuts to silence, which made the final fight even more agonizingly slow-feeling.”
    • “The art and music in this game is passable.”
    • “However, there were times when the music got in the way of the story. For example, when Noa is all depressed that her dad died, the music is the regular theme for the area she's in, and it does not fit at all.”
  • graphics163 mentions

    The graphics of "Jack Move" have received widespread praise for their vibrant pixel art style and impressive animations, effectively capturing a charming cyberpunk aesthetic. Reviewers noted the visuals as a standout feature, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience of the game, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay depth. Overall, the game's art direction and animation quality contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a visually engaging indie RPG.

    • “Very nice retro game, with awesome pixel graphics, and a great storyline.”
    • “The visuals and animations are what originally drew me in, and they are gorgeous.”
    • “This game simply oozes with style from every point; graphics and animations for its 2D style are absolutely top-notch for this type of game.”
    • “It's north-of-mediocre in terms of story, graphics, and gameplay.”
    • “While I’m not a fan of the art style, it does what it sets out to do for the most part and is accompanied by some excellent music.”
    • “It's got an immense amount of style and charm with the visuals and sound, but the actual meat of the gameplay is pretty weak.”
  • grinding78 mentions

    The game's grinding mechanics receive mixed feedback, with some players finding it tedious and excessive, particularly in the late game where leveling up becomes challenging without significant grinding. While some appreciate the option to reduce encounter frequency or instantly win battles to avoid grinding, others feel that the combat can become repetitive and unchallenging after initial grinding. Overall, the game is seen as a short experience that can be enjoyable with light grinding, but it risks becoming tedious, especially during boss fights and in the final stages.

    • “Not too difficult (only died at the final boss a few times) and not very grindy.”
    • “Leveling up your abilities or your character's level becomes impossible in the third act without heavy grinding, just because of how large of a disparity there is between how much experience you need to level abilities up, and how much experience you get per fight late game.”
    • “The majority of the game is spent grinding to level up.”
    • “I spent 4 hours to get to the final boss, and another 3 grinding to get high enough stats to beat it.”
  • humor26 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of charming dialogue, goofy puns, and light-hearted moments, often enhancing the overall experience. While some players appreciate the clever and funny character interactions, others feel that the reliance on technology-based jokes and toilet humor detracts from the story's potential depth. Overall, the game successfully incorporates humor that resonates with its quirky, pixel art aesthetic and encourages player engagement through entertaining NPC banter.

    • “The story is amazing, the gameplay is rock solid, and the characters/dialogue is absolutely hilarious!”
    • “Jack Move actually encourages you to talk to NPCs not just for questing but for funny banter.”
    • “A beautiful pixel art world, clearly crafted with love and attention, and filled with charm by cool, unusual characters and funny dialogue.”
  • atmosphere20 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its impressive graphics, engaging art style, and effective storytelling, creating a captivating world that feels both immersive and realistic. The soundtrack, while not universally appealing outside the game, complements the atmosphere well, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of solid RPG mechanics with a strong narrative focus, contributing to a memorable and enjoyable adventure.

    • “The atmosphere and aesthetic of the game world are super cool.”
    • “Gameplay reminded me a bit of Pokémon, but in a more story-driven layout, with tons of atmosphere and excellent storytelling.”
    • “The atmosphere is really nice, and feels quite realistic.”
    • “The music isn't anything I'd bop to outside of the game, save for a few tracks that are pretty groovy, but they do convey the atmosphere of the game well.”
  • replayability18 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is widely criticized, with many reviewers noting a lack of new content, difficulty options, or meaningful choices that would encourage multiple playthroughs. While a few users mention enjoyable writing and a good experience, the consensus leans towards it being a short and shallow title with minimal replay value, making it more suitable for casual play rather than repeated engagement.

    • “Damn good game, witty writing, high replayability.”
    • “I hope for a 2nd game with 3 or more times the content and story and maybe more playable characters.”
    • “I don't think there's any replay value at all; if you've played a single JRPG in your life, you've seen everything Jack Move has to offer.”
    • “The negative reviews are not wrong; it was short and fairly shallow, straightforward, and not much replay value.”
    • “There is no New Game+ nor any difficulty options, so replayability is low.”
  • stability14 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with smooth pixel art and good resolution support. While some users reported minor glitches and occasional NPC bugs, these issues were not significant enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. However, there are concerns about gameplay mechanics being buggy and lacking variety.

    • “The game runs great, and despite being a pixelated game, it has support for all resolutions.”
    • “Gameplay is tragic, buggy, enemies don't have moves, zero enemy variety, not much variety in your own moves, and is less than half baked.”
    • “Pixel art is very smooth and nice, wish there was voice acting and the NPCs can be a little buggy sometimes.”
    • “There are some minor glitches/bugs I encountered, nothing you cannot work around.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mix of touching moments and light-hearted humor, particularly through the relationship of two gay men, but it often falls short of delivering a full emotional connection. While some find the dialogue amusing and the balance of comedy and emotion effective, others criticize the linear and uninspired story, which detracts from the overall emotional impact. Overall, the game struggles to maintain a consistent emotional depth, leaving some players wanting more.

    • “A lot of the early emotional beats are built around the relationship of two gay men.”
    • “Touching story and light-hearted laugh-to-survive comedy woven into the gritty reality of the cyberpunk genre.”
    • “Sometimes it seems like it's going to do that but then it stops or pulls back, preventing a full emotional connection/release.”
    • “Linear, boring story following a petulant child on their quest to solve daddy issues.”
  • character development10 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the main characters Noa and Ryder have a compelling story, their backstories feel underdeveloped due to the game's short length of around 10 hours. The antagonist lacks depth, and the inconsistency in character designs detracts from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the game features visually appealing graphics that enhance its personality.

    • “It's not too long, making it feasible to beat with a busy schedule, but despite only being 10 hours long, it still offers a compelling story with good character development.”
    • “And the details in area and character designs are noticeable.”
    • “However, it suffers from a 1-dimensional antagonist while the main characters (Noa and Ryder) could be better with longer backstory and character development.”
    • “However, it suffers from a one-dimensional antagonist while the main characters (Noa and Ryder) could be better with longer backstory and character development.”
    • “There is little to no progression or character development, because the entire game is about 7 hours long.”
    • “Graphically, the game is nice with a lot of neon light personality, although I would gripe that game banner Noa, animation Noa, and game Noa are three completely different character designs, and personally, I feel that game Noa's design falls the flattest with the bob haircut, while the banner Noa, with the jacket and flowing hair, has so much personality in design that just doesn't exist anywhere in the game.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with both Steam Deck and PC performance receiving perfect scores. However, some users note that poorly-optimized builds can lead to prolonged fights, which may detract from the overall experience but are not considered game-breaking.

    • “Steam Deck performance - 10/10”
    • “PC performance - 10/10”
    • “A poorly-optimized build will generally just result in fights dragging on longer than you feel they should, rather than any of it being a deal breaker in the fight.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy Jack Move

Play time

8hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
7-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs

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