Jitsu Squad
- December 9, 2022
- TanukiCreativeStudio
"Jitsu Squad" is a fast-paced, anime-inspired beat 'em up game. Play as one of four unique characters, each with their own abilities and weapons, and fight your way through hordes of enemies in various environments. With local co-op for up to four players, Jitsu Squad offers a fun and challenging experience for players of all skill levels.
Reviews
- The game features fun and intuitive combat with a diverse combo system, allowing players to chain attacks and utilize unique character abilities.
- The art style and graphics are vibrant and engaging, reminiscent of 90s cartoons, which adds to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Jitsu Squad offers a rewarding multiplayer experience with up to four players, making it a great choice for co-op play with friends.
- The game suffers from a lack of online multiplayer options and has a frustrating single-player experience due to character selection being locked until the campaign is completed.
- There are issues with enemy balance and difficulty spikes, particularly in later stages where players can feel overwhelmed and unable to escape from combos.
- The progression system is criticized for being confusing, as players can execute moves before learning them, making leveling up feel less impactful.
- gameplay68 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Jitsu Squad is characterized by its fast-paced, chaotic action and engaging mechanics, blending classic beat 'em up elements with fighting game dynamics. Players appreciate the variety of offensive mechanics, unique character abilities, and cooperative gameplay, although some criticize the controls and overall balance, which can detract from the experience. While the game offers enjoyable combat and vibrant visuals, concerns about replay value and chaotic boss battles have been noted, indicating a mix of strengths and weaknesses in the gameplay experience.
“Jitsu Squad is a thrilling 4-player co-op beat 'em up that combines the accessibility and classic mechanics of beloved brawlers like Streets of Rage and Final Fight with the fast-paced, chaotic energy of fighting games such as Marvel vs. Capcom II, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and Super Smash Bros.”
“Its combination of fast-paced action, insane combos, and cooperative gameplay makes it a standout title in the genre.”
“The gameplay itself is challenging at times, fast-paced, and really fun.”
“Game looks and sounds fun, but the controls are bad and gameplay feels slow and weird, as opposed to TMNT: Shredder's Revenge.”
“If there were some better mechanics and balance, the game would perhaps be more enjoyable, though it will not reach Turtles or Streets of Rage levels.”
“The lack of ability to obtain lives and how the mechanics play out in a visual cluster during boss battles makes the game feel kind of 'ok, I just have to get to a boss and then reset on the boss' at times.”
- graphics58 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant art style and detailed animations, reminiscent of a 90s Saturday morning cartoon. Players appreciate the chaotic yet polished visuals that enhance the gameplay experience, although some note that the backgrounds can be oversaturated. Overall, the combination of beautiful sprites, engaging character designs, and a lively aesthetic contributes to a highly entertaining co-op brawler experience.
“The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is awesome (chaining lots of combos is really fun) and the OST is an absolute banger.”
“Enemies swarm the screen, showing off the gorgeous levels of detail in the game's graphics, with basically no visual hiccups to speak of to mar the game's beautiful sprites.”
“Absolute on-screen mayhem and gorgeous graphics make for a highly entertaining old school co-op brawler experience.”
“Jitsu Squad is far messier, less methodical in its gameplay than Dotemu's instant classic, a reflection of its artistic direction readily entrenched in a 90's Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic, filled to the brim with bro-humor that certainly won't sit well with everyone.”
“Perhaps have the ability to toggle it on and off in the graphics option?”
“The game is very wacky and has a lot of older pop culture references as well as an art style that is similar to Tiny Toons.”
- music44 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its energetic and engaging soundtrack that enhances the fast-paced gameplay. Notably, the inclusion of songs by Johnny Gioeli has been highlighted as a standout feature, contributing to the nostalgic and vibrant atmosphere reminiscent of classic cartoons. While some reviews suggest minor improvements could be made, the overall consensus is that the music significantly elevates the gaming experience.
“The music is magical, and it's easily the best aspect of this game.”
“All this amazing action is backed by a rocking musical score, helping you get into the mood to kick ass and making you feel great while doing it!”
“The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is awesome (chaining lots of combos is really fun) and the OST is an absolute banger.”
“The soundtrack is okay and could use some improvement.”
“The music almost destroyed my speakers lol but all this is the best I have seen in a long time!!”
“Tanuki Creative Studio went all out and even got the lead singer of Crush 40 (Johnny Gioeli) to do at least a couple of songs in the game like 'Surfing on the Lava'.”
- humor20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it hilariously entertaining due to its goofy, cartoonish style and clever puns, while others criticize it for relying on juvenile jokes and chaotic delivery. The comedic elements resonate well with those who appreciate a 90's Saturday morning cartoon aesthetic, but may not appeal to everyone, leading to a hit-or-miss experience overall. Despite its shortcomings, many players still find the humor to be a standout feature that enhances the gameplay.
“Despite the game being short, this game is hilariously amazing!!”
“The puns are so funny.”
“It is really funny!”
- story18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The story mode is generally viewed as enjoyable but short, with some players feeling that the character selection is limiting until the tag mode is unlocked. While the narrative and characters are considered fun and nostalgic, the bosses lack distinctiveness compared to regular enemies, leading to mixed feelings about the overall depth of the story. Despite these critiques, many players appreciate the solid combat mechanics and express a desire for additional content through DLC.
“The story was quite nice and simple, and the characters are definitely fun and refreshing. Not to mention that the combat really feels solid and brings back the nostalgia of a classic beat 'em up with a few innovations, and of course, the references are super great!”
“This is one of the most incredible fighting games that I have played in a long time. The game is a perfect 10, and they should make a lot of DLC content for it. I would love to see additional side quests or stories as part of the DLC.”
“My only real complaint is once you select a character for the story mode, you're stuck with that character all the way through until you beat it and unlock tag mode.”
“My only gripe is how short the story mode is.”
“Bosses don't feel remarkably different to fight than single enemies and, well, this might not resonate with everyone, but I wasn't really into the cast or story.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has mixed reviews regarding replayability; while some players find it lacks replay value due to its short completion time of under two hours, others argue that it offers significant replayability despite its casual gameplay mode. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game's design may hinder replayability for some players.
“So yes, this game has a lot of replayability.”
“Takes under 2 hours to finish, and not really any replayability.”
“The current primary gameplay mode is fine for casual play, but the above mentioned complaints actively work against replay value.”
“Takes under 2 hours to finish, and not really any replayability.”