Jamestown

About

Jamestown is a single player and multiplayer action game. It was developed by Final Form Games and was released on June 8, 2011. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Jamestown: Legend Of The Lost Colony" is a local co-op top-down shooter for 1-4 players, set on 17th-century British Colonial Mars. It offers a unique cooperative gameplay system, where players can resurrect their teammates, and features intense action, deep mechanics, handcrafted pixels, and a masterful soundtrack. Blast your way through historic Mars in this exhilarating and hilarious experience. A remastered version, Jamestown+, is also available with additional content and updated visuals.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,861 reviews

music322 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Jamestown features beautiful pixel art and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience.
The game offers a variety of ships with unique abilities, allowing for different playstyles and strategies.
Local co-op support for up to four players makes it a fun game to play with friends, creating a chaotic and enjoyable experience.

The game is relatively short, with only five main levels, which may leave players wanting more content.
To unlock later levels, players must complete earlier levels on higher difficulties, which can feel repetitive and frustrating.
There is no online multiplayer option, limiting the co-op experience to local play only.

music
426 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
76%
23%
1%
The music in this game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its epic orchestration and memorable compositions that enhance the gameplay experience. The soundtrack is often described as a standout feature, rivaling those of major titles and evoking nostalgia for classic gaming eras. While some critiques mention a lack of variety in certain levels, the overall consensus is that the music significantly elevates the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
- “The music is pure genius.”
- “The soundtrack alone is worth the full price of the game.”
- “The music helps too; every track is listen-worthy outside the game and each song gets the heart racing-- a word to describe the music is 'epic'.”
- “Don't like how the sound design is so low-key and muted either, as it makes my experience feel dull whilst its unfittingly overly-dramatic music plays.”
- “The rudimentary gameplay is not interesting or challenging enough to sustain prolonged interest, the enemy types are forgettable, the stages are bland and mono-paced, and the same song plays for every level, minus the last--an unforgivable sin, to my mind, in this genre where ZUN and so many others have set such a precedent and high standard of quality for soundtrack composition.”
- “You'll need to buy the DLC if you want to use the only fast ship, the final level is amazing and the rest of the game isn't terribly interesting, it has some great bullet patterns, the spritework is very pretty and the soundtrack is absolute crap, just a generic faux epic snorefest that wants to be Radiant Silvergun but is more like Epic Meal Time.”
story
332 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
63%
1%
The story of "Jamestown" is a quirky and absurd narrative set in an alternate 17th-century where British colonists battle Spanish forces and Martians on Mars. While the plot is often described as unnecessary or simplistic, it adds a unique charm to the gameplay, with engaging cutscenes and a humorous tone that many players find enjoyable. Despite its brevity, the story serves as a fun backdrop for the game's solid bullet-hell mechanics and vibrant visuals, making it a noteworthy aspect of the overall experience.
- “A fantastic shmup with an amazing storyline; easily the best storyline ever in a game that needs no story at all.”
- “The story is a neat throwback to the days of crazy, out there stories, and it's great fun with friends if you can get everything set up to allow them to play, being a local co-op game rather than an online one.”
- “The story is unique and interesting, crammed full of proper historical references stuffed into the alternate what-if timeline of 17th century colonial Mars.”
- “The story is completely absurd, and it's sorry it's not sorry; you can purchase an alternate script that's even more childish and might give you a little smirk.”
- “The plot leaves a lot to be desired, as does the majority of the gameplay really...”
- “The story is short, and while it has its quirky charm, it feels like a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a central focus.”
graphics
272 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
41%
1%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the charming pixel art and retro aesthetic that evoke nostalgia for classic arcade shooters. While some players noted issues with graphical glitches, particularly on certain graphics cards, the overall visual presentation is often described as vibrant and detailed, complementing the engaging gameplay and soundtrack. The game's unique art style and well-crafted visuals contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a standout in the bullet hell genre.
- “The graphics are fantastic, excellent vibrant pixel art crawling with details and wonderful animations.”
- “The graphics are charming, full of beautiful depth and vibrant color.”
- “The game touts itself as having 'lovingly handcrafted pixels', and it is my pleasure to report that these retro-styled 2D graphics are absolutely superb, easily evoking the look & feel of its 1990's era arcade brethren with its charming yet familiar style.”
- “The graphics look old.”
- “It's got random graphic glitches and the entire game has slowed down; it's like you are playing in a bullet time mode.”
- “Constant graphics artifacts and screen flashing, both in-game and on the menu, make this game impossible to enjoy.”
gameplay
263 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
48%
2%
The gameplay of Jamestown is characterized by its engaging bullet-hell mechanics, tight controls, and a unique "vaunt" system that adds depth to the experience. Players can choose from various ships, each with distinct abilities, and the game is designed to shine in cooperative play, enhancing the overall enjoyment. While some find the gameplay straightforward and accessible, others appreciate its challenge and replayability, making it a solid choice for both newcomers and genre veterans.
- “The gameplay is tight and well made, with four different ships to choose from (three that have to be unlocked through playing the game) with very different play styles.”
- “The gameplay alone would be enough, but Jamestown had a wonderful aesthetic and a terrific soundtrack, making it one of the better shooters I've played in a long time.”
- “With plenty of unlockables, new gameplay modes, and a kickin' soundtrack, I know it'll keep me busy for a while.”
- “The mechanic of the immediate insta-death on any damage is needlessly stressful.”
- “Like most every bullet hell shoot 'em up ever made, it's dull as a brick to play, exchanging the creativity of gameplay mechanics, level design, and power-ups for an emphasis on scoring, which let's be honest, who cares about outside of an arcade cabinet?”
- “At the end of the day, Jamestown feels like an experience not designed around itself--the fluff is what makes the gameplay, but the fluff is stupid (no, it's /really/ stupid), and I don't like it and you can't make me like it, and therefore the game doesn't hold much weight by itself.”
replayability
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
50%
3%
The game boasts high replayability due to its multiple difficulty levels, a variety of ships, and numerous challenge modes, despite having only five short levels. Players appreciate the engaging gameplay, local co-op options, and unlockable content that encourage repeated playthroughs. Overall, the combination of addictive mechanics and competitive elements, such as leaderboards, significantly enhances the game's replay value.
- “The game has 5 levels, with 5 difficulties, 4 ships, and a bunch of challenge levels to complete, making replayability high.”
- “The solid gameplay combined with an amazing setting provides a well worthwhile experience with tons of depth and replayability.”
- “Plenty of replayability despite only 5 levels.”
- “Sadly, the game is just way too short with not much replay value.”
- “Exactly what it says on the tin: a retro shooter with lots of charm, awesome multiplayer (local only!!!!), and a small amount of replayability.”
- “Its only fault is its length, but it contains enough replayability incentives.”
humor
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its over-the-top, zany storytelling and hilarious imagery, particularly in its unique setting of cowboys in spaceships. Players enjoy the comedic elements woven into the gameplay, including funny dialogue options and a tongue-in-cheek narrative that enhances the overall experience. The combination of intense gameplay and a goofy storyline makes it a memorable and entertaining title for friends to enjoy together.
- “The 'Jamestown' setup is pretty funny and over the top, comes with a good pixel-based graphic style.”
- “Xd it's a bullet hell game with hilarious imagery like cowboys in spaceships and all kinds of other zany things in cutscenes.”
- “In short, Jamestown is one explosive, manic, and hilarious game.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its excellent art, music, and inventive storytelling, creating a unique blend of alternate history and steampunk elements. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, evoking a sense of adventure reminiscent of classic titles. The combination of graphics and thematic depth contributes to a captivating and immersive environment that resonates well with players.
- “The game's soundtrack complements the game's excellent presentation and really hits home the atmosphere the game tries to convey.”
- “The music is well picked and, along with the graphics, provides the right atmosphere for this game.”
- “The art style, poetry of the storytelling, and particularly the music give this game an atmosphere that's akin to Wind Waker (think pirates, terrifying sea creatures, and a general buccaneering vibe).”
- “The art and music are good, and the alternate history/attempt at a story is a nice change for the genre, but I'd rather just play Steel Empire on my Mega Drive instead for a similar atmosphere and way better gameplay.”
- “A parallel universe of the 1600s, because of that you smell steampunk atmosphere.”
- “Plus the whole colonial steampunk on Mars atmosphere is kinda rad.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by frequent and intense graphical glitches that significantly detract from the overall experience, leading some players to feel frustrated and unable to continue. While some users noted that these issues may be related to specific hardware, the consensus is that the game is currently in a state that is not recommended for play due to these persistent problems.
- “It's also got intense and frequent graphical glitches that are so off-putting I don't want to play anymore.”
- “I can't recommend the game in the state it is in. The trailer you see on Steam is how the game used to be, but now the game has random graphic glitches and the entire game has slowed down; it's like you are playing in a bullet time mode.”
- “I had some odd graphical glitches on both the title screen and in-game, where textures would start flickering.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional impact, with some praising the touching story and beautiful art, while others criticize the soundtrack as lacking emotional depth and not fitting the gameplay experience. Overall, the game's narrative resonates positively, but the musical accompaniment receives divided opinions.
- “The story itself is short, but the message it carries across is touching.”
- “Beautiful art, heartwarming and exciting soundtrack as well as tight controls.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting the lack of options to purchase extra lives, which can lead to early abandonment of the game. While it offers a frantic multiplayer experience, the RPG mechanics shift the focus from personal skill improvement to character grinding, altering the motivation behind replaying stages.
- “With no way to 'buy' extra lives in the in-game marketplace, which would allow you to get to the end of the game after grinding, this title is being deleted after a few hours.”
- “The whole RPG mechanic kind of threw a wrench in the idea of improving yourself to overcome the challenges, and changes the psychology of repeating a stage to improve yourself into grinding a stage to improve the character.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism for its reliance on microtransactions and loot boxes, with some features, like the gauntlet mode, locked behind additional payments. Players express a desire to combat the pay-to-win elements that detract from the overall experience.
- “There's a gauntlet mode (which has to be unlocked via in-game purchase), which lets you run all the levels available in an arcade-style mode (two continues, three lives per continue).”
- “Together, we shall weather the storm of microtransactions and loot boxes, standing tall against the tide of pay-to-win villains like noble knights in a digital crusade.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that the game's optimization is hindered by the lack of continuity between levels, as each presents a unique challenge without any performance carryover, which can disrupt the overall experience.
- “The other aspect that detracts for me is that each level is its own unique challenge and that your performance in one does not carry over to the next.”