JARS

47%
Game Brain Score Based on 40 reviews
  • graphics
  • story
  • gameplay
JARS Game Cover
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"Jars" is a strategy game with puzzles and elements of tower defense, where you play as Victor and explore your family's spooky basement. Your goal is to destroy all jars and protect the Sarcophagus while dealing with various obstacles and enemies. The game features a distinct hand-drawn art style inspired by classic spooky and humorous themes, with a randomized element to keep each playthrough unique.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

47%
Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews
graphics6 positive mentions
grinding4 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and charming art style reminiscent of Tim Burton, which enhances the overall experience.
  • Gameplay is straightforward and casual, making it easy to pick up and play, with short levels that provide a sense of progression.
  • The combination of tower defense and puzzle elements, along with creative level design, offers a refreshing take on the genre.
  • The game suffers from significant RNG reliance, leading to frustrating moments where players may lose due to random jar contents.
  • Many players find the difficulty balance inconsistent, with early levels being too easy and later levels becoming overly reliant on luck.
  • The upgrade and perk system is cumbersome, often requiring tedious management that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • graphics20 mentions

    The graphics of "Jars" are widely praised for their unique, cartoonish art style that combines quirky and burtonesque elements, creating a visually appealing experience reminiscent of games like "Plants vs. Zombies" and "Binding of Isaac." While many players appreciate the striking visuals and atmospheric design, some note that the graphics alone cannot compensate for the game's repetitive gameplay. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, contributing to the game's charm despite its gameplay shortcomings.

    • “I love the art style.”
    • “Jars is a delightful addition to the casual tower defense game genre with its endearing art style and creative level design.”
    • “Jars is imperfect, but it's a pretty unique combination of a few different types of game; its Burtonesque visuals and cracking soundtrack shine through.”
    • “Nice atmospheric graphics, but poor early pacing has bored me with repeating the same few tools before finishing the second map.”
    • “It does not matter if the art style is quirky, or 'to your liking'.”
    • “Jars is imperfect, but it's a pretty unique combination of a few different types of game, its burtonesque visuals and cracking soundtrack shine through.”
  • story15 mentions

    The story in "Jars" is described as unique and interesting, providing a casual yet engaging experience that can be completed in about 10-12 hours. Players appreciate the narrative's integration with gameplay, although some express frustration over design choices that require grinding for specific units to progress, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. Overall, while the story is well-received, there are calls for deeper narrative elements and more flexibility in mission completion.

    • “The story is unique.”
    • “Most levels do not take longer than two minutes to complete, so you can approach this game quite casually while still feeling like you're progressing through the story.”
    • “Jars is a lovely tower defense game, with a nice story and creative playstyle.”
    • “An idiotic design decision means that you have to grind levels over and over again to be able to buy a particular minion that allows you to even attempt a mission in the third area of the whole game.”
    • “And the most unpleasant thing was the moment when a prerequisite for starting a mission was the presence in my squad of a certain unit, which can only be bought in a junk shop.”
    • “It is very expensive and if there is no money for it (and I did not have it), then the only option was to start a boring grind of currency in previous missions, and in the local endless mode.”
  • gameplay11 mentions

    The gameplay is described as a unique blend of tower defense and puzzle mechanics, featuring a distinctive art style reminiscent of Tim Burton. While the core gameplay loop is innovative and enjoyable, some players feel it lacks depth for a full-length experience, particularly in later levels where randomness can disrupt strategy. Overall, it offers a fun and visually appealing experience, though it may not satisfy everyone due to its gameplay limitations.

    • “It has that sort of 'instant classic' feel to it—a unique aesthetic that feels like an all-audiences version of Binding of Isaac and a very novel gameplay loop.”
    • “I love the art style and the gameplay is certainly unique, being like a puzzle, tower defense type game!”
    • “Quite a fun tower defense game with the addition of a wonderful art style and some unique and fun mechanics that make this game worth a try.”
    • “Sadly, the gameplay loop, as novel as it may be, just doesn't work as a full-length game, at least with the way it's been tuned.”
    • “'World' 1-3 is fine, but world 4 is where RNG comes into play so heavily that it becomes part of the gameplay to restart a level if you get bugs (the towers in this tower defense-like game) that do not match together to defend the chests.”
    • “There are a couple of minor annoyances that could be a turnoff for people who don't particularly like the standard gameplay loop.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with a unique and hauntingly light-hearted soundtrack that complements its burtonesque visuals. While some reviewers find the music merely acceptable, others appreciate its contribution to the overall atmosphere and aesthetic of the game.

    • “Jars is imperfect, but it's a pretty unique combination of a few different types of game; its Burtonesque visuals and cracking soundtrack shine through.”
    • “Spooky and hauntingly light-hearted music adds to the hand-drawn aesthetic.”
    • “The soundtrack is alright.”
    • “The soundtrack is just alright.”
    • “The music is a pretty unique combination that complements the game's burtonesque visuals.”
    • “The spooky and hauntingly light-hearted music enhances the hand-drawn aesthetic.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often requiring long periods of repetitive gameplay to achieve progress. The combination of RNG-dependent mechanics and poorly balanced hero leveling contributes to a sense of unnecessary grind, particularly in the 'hero' game mode where achievement hunting can feel especially drawn out.

    • “The levels are either incredibly braindead button mashing, or tedious RNG-reliant reset spamming until you get a layout of jars that works.”
    • “This means grinding for way too long to level your hero up in a poorly implemented roguelike way, and making you choose between 3 randomly selected positive/negative perks - which may or may not destroy the run, requiring you to complete 35 long and tedious stages without failing once.”
    • “Unnecessarily grindy at times.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmospheric graphics are praised, but the early pacing is criticized for being slow and repetitive, leading to a lack of engagement before progressing further.

    • “The atmospheric graphics are stunning, creating an immersive experience that draws you into the game world.”
    • “The ambiance is captivating, with every detail contributing to a rich and engaging atmosphere.”
    • “The sound design enhances the atmosphere, making every moment feel alive and filled with tension.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game features advertisements on the title screen, which may detract from the overall user experience.

    • “This game has ads on the title screen.”
    • “The in-game purchases are way too expensive for what you get.”
    • “I feel like I'm constantly being pushed to spend money to enjoy the game.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The game features a charming blend of tower defense mechanics and Tim Burton's signature humorous grotesque style, creating an engaging and lighthearted experience. Players appreciate the easy-to-use mechanics that complement the game's whimsical humor.

    • “A delightful puzzle game that blends tower defense gameplay with Tim Burton's humorously grotesque style and user-friendly mechanics.”
    • “The humor in this game is spot-on, with witty dialogue and quirky characters that keep you entertained throughout.”
    • “I love how the game uses absurd situations and clever puns to create a lighthearted atmosphere while challenging your skills.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Many users report significant stability issues, with some unable to load the game at all despite extensive troubleshooting efforts, leading to frustration and disappointment.

    • “I was excited from the previews, but the game failing to even load despite hours of troubleshooting and trying to reach out to the developers is a deal-breaker.”
    • “The constant crashes and bugs make it impossible to enjoy the game; I can't even get through the first level without it freezing.”
    • “After multiple updates, the game is still unstable and crashes frequently, which ruins the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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