Jet Lancer

About

Jet Lancer is a single player arcade shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by WhyNot and was released on May 12, 2020. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Jet Lancer" is a thrilling aerial combat shooter where you play as Ash Leguinn, a skilled mercenary pilot taking on sky pirates and giant robots. With precise controls and a challenging story-driven campaign, you'll dodge enemy fire, upgrade your plane, and save Root City from mechanized weapons. The game offers a rush of supersonic speeds and intense battles, making it easy to learn but hard to master.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+10

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,140 reviews

story164 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

Incredibly fun gameplay with tight controls and a variety of customization options for your jet.
Stunning visuals and an amazing soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
Engaging story and characters that add depth to the gameplay, making it feel more immersive.

Some missions can be frustratingly difficult, especially the score attack missions that require specific loadouts.
The story can feel predictable and some characters are unlikable, detracting from the overall experience.
Visual clarity can be an issue during intense moments, making it hard to track your jet amidst the chaos.

story
716 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The story in "Jet Lancer" is generally considered engaging and enjoyable, with a light-hearted, anime-inspired narrative that complements the fast-paced gameplay. While some players find the plot predictable and the characters somewhat cliché, others appreciate the humor and depth, particularly in the New Game Plus mode, which offers additional twists. Overall, the story serves as a solid backdrop to the action, though it may not be the main draw for everyone, as many players prioritize the gameplay experience over the narrative.
- “The story is surprisingly fun for a game that really doesn't need it since most people will get it just for the gameplay; it's nothing you haven't seen before, but the characters are cute and have some depth to them.”
- “The story is engaging and draws you in.”
- “The story is quite good and kept me invested in finishing story mode.”
- “And this is a very personal preference but I really, really didn’t like the story and by the end just hated the main character.”
- “The story and writing are utter gutter tier, but the gameplay is fast, furious and enjoyable.”
- “The story seemed cliche and blah at the start.”
gameplay
304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The gameplay of Jet Lancer is widely praised for its fast-paced, tight controls and engaging mechanics, drawing comparisons to Luftrausers while offering deeper customization and a more structured experience. Players appreciate the fluidity and intensity of the dogfighting mechanics, alongside a rewarding skill progression system that accommodates various playstyles. However, some reviews note that the gameplay can become repetitive over longer sessions, and certain missions may feel frustratingly difficult due to design choices.
- “Great, smooth, fast-paced gameplay with beautiful pixel work and an amazing chiptune soundtrack, this game just doesn't miss.”
- “The gameplay is engaging and I enjoyed getting better and more agile in my movement.”
- “The gameplay is tight as hell and lets you do all sorts of really stylish aerial maneuvers that you could only dream of pulling in games like Ace Combat.”
- “Such a game (and session breaking) bug is certainly not worth the Sopwith-style gameplay.”
- “Gameplay gets repetitive over longer play sessions.”
- “Certain stages become extremely repetitive, and since the gameplay itself isn't that varied, the frustration mounts very quickly.”
music
292 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
36%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its fantastic quality and energetic chiptune style that enhances the gameplay experience. While some noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive, the overall consensus is that it is a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's engaging atmosphere and fast-paced action. Many players highlighted the soundtrack as one of the best they've encountered in recent indie games, making it a key reason to play.
- “The absolute banger of a soundtrack is downright phenomenal and can easily stand on its own.”
- “The music is genuinely great, but those of you who don't listen to a lot of speed metal might want for a more diverse soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and fits what's happening on the screen extremely well.”
- “The music is repetitive and eventually quite annoying.”
- “The 'upbeat' and 'hoppy' nature of the soundtrack does not fit with the overall tone of the story.”
- “In terms of music on the other hand, it's not exactly what I was expecting: basically, math rock.”
graphics
162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
31%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant pixel art style, smooth animations, and effective use of color, creating a visually appealing experience that enhances gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the retro aesthetic combined with modern design elements, noting that the visuals are both striking and easy to read, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the game. While some critiques mention issues with brightness and simplicity, the consensus is that the graphics are a standout feature, complementing the engaging gameplay and soundtrack.
- “Gorgeous pixel art graphics - if you are a fan of video game art, this is going to be a fantastic purchase.”
- “The graphics are a very pleasing pixel-art style that has hints of 3D models here and there.”
- “Beautiful visuals and tight control make for a thrilling bullet hell experience.”
- “The controls are overcomplicated & the aircraft feels loose, the visuals are simplistic, too bright & often unpleasant, story's really bland (sky pirates blah blah), boss fights demand hard work - product is at least 3x overpriced.”
- “It also reminds me a bit of Sky Rogue, particularly the 'low-texture' art style (more prominent on the overmap).”
- “The graphics, this game gets some highlights on this part, with some notable effects like lens flares and chromatic aberration on the right touch, the animations are smooth and easy to read, the 3D part shines as well, the plane and some other elements on the map are amazing and well-texturized, the map itself is well translated for the in-battle game section, like the desert that has some background where there's some kind of tower in the distance and the city with some kind of buildings in the foreground.”
replayability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
19%
12%
The game offers high replayability, featuring an endless arcade mode and a New Game Plus option that enhances the challenge and variety. Players can revisit missions to improve their scores and unlock additional content, making it a satisfying experience for perfectionists and casual gamers alike. Despite its relatively short main campaign, the engaging gameplay and numerous unlockables ensure players will return for more.
- “The arcade mode adds infinite replayability and is super satisfying once you get a good run going.”
- “Gorgeous art, terrific gameplay, good difficulty controls, and enough replayability to be worth the price.”
- “Each mission is scored off how well you performed too, so for those of us perfectionists that want to score 'S+' ranks without being hit once, you'll find lots of replay value on this alone.”
- “Replayability is decent; you can go back and try to ace all the levels, plus there's a New Game Plus option that lets you unlock more weapons.”
- “Each mission is scored based on how well you performed, so for those of us perfectionists who want to score 'S+' ranks without being hit once, you'll find lots of replay value in this alone.”
- “New Game Plus offers added challenge (they actually change things!) and enhances replayability.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its charming and humorous character interactions, featuring cheeky clichés and funny dialogue that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone, likening it to the style of "Cowboy Bebop," and enjoy the blend of engaging mechanics with comedic elements. Overall, the humor is well-received, contributing to the game's appeal without veering into cringe territory.
- “Love the game, love the music, love the cheeky cliche humor.”
- “The soundtrack is complex and dynamic, and the dialogue is hilarious with a mildly compelling story that you can skip over to just get to the shooty-shooty, bang-bang.”
- “The mechanics are smooth, the story has humor and is reminiscent of Cowboy Bebop; there's a talking cat engineer and a giant laser beam mod on your jet.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring repetitive attempts on specific missions due to poorly defined mechanics and aggressive scoring requirements. Many express dissatisfaction with the reliance on luck and the need to replicate specific loadouts, leading to hours of unfulfilling gameplay. Overall, the grinding experience detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
- “Hours grinding a single mission until the random chance that you won't be screwed over by the game isn't fun.”
- “It's about reproducing a single specific loadout that was in mind for that mission, and then grinding until the poor excuse of an AI allows you to be lucky.”
- “Some missions can be a little bit tedious; I personally struggled a lot on mission 37... literally the only mission I had to activate god mode otherwise I could not beat it.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively evokes strong emotions, with players reporting tears during both endings and appreciating the depth of the story and character development. The combination of engaging gameplay, beautiful visuals, and a heartfelt narrative creates a rare emotional investment that resonates with players, making them genuinely care about the characters and their journeys. Overall, the emotional aspect is highlighted as a significant strength, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- “Story is seriously good; I cried at both endings.”
- “This is exactly what a shooter game should be—fluid but weighty action, creative & pretty designs, bright & clear & spacious visuals (especially important for a game about flight), pleasant & exciting music, *seriously crunchy* fx, some earnest focus on story as more than an afterthought with some likable little characters and dialog (obviously it's rather elementary, but it's absolutely vital that a game put some genuine emotional energy into making you believe in & care about what's happening and to whom, and that's dishearteningly rare among arcade action games).”
- “Letting this diamond sit for that long without even touching is such a crime because I should've played this the day I got it.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while players appreciate the bug-free experience and polished mechanics, there are frequent brief freezes during intense moments like dodging or engaging with missiles. The innovative dodge mechanic adds to the satisfaction, but the occasional hit-stops can disrupt gameplay.
- “What is impressive here that I didn't note above is how my experience was entirely bug-free. The polish of this game is something to take note of.”
- “The game often freezes briefly, especially when dodging or ramming missiles or other aircraft.”
- “The game often freezes briefly, especially when dodging or ramming missiles or other aircraft.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's optimization is primarily focused on performance ranking, utilizing a letter scoring system for each mission. However, some users find this method arbitrary and less meaningful in evaluating their performance.
- “You get ranked based on your performance on each mission.”
- “My only qualm with the game is they use letter scores as a way to rank your performance, which I always considered arbitrary.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is generally viewed as adequate, with some reviewers noting that while the main character design and accompanying original soundtrack during dialogues are satisfactory, there is significant room for improvement.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is noted as distinct but not as immersive or sandbox-like as some competitors, yet it compensates for this with other strengths. Overall, while it may lack a certain peculiar charm, it still delivers a compelling experience.