MULLET MADJACK

Mullet Madjack is a breath of fresh air that delivers one of the most refreshing shooters I’ve played in the past few years.

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"MULLET MADJACK" is a fast-paced, arcade-style game set in a futuristic anime world of 2090 where humans and the internet have merged. As Mullet Mad Jack, your health is tied to time, and you must kill enemies to gain more time and survive. The game features handcrafted stages with exciting obstacles, character customization, and a narrative arcade gameplay. Your goal is to defeat mysterious masterminds and uncover the ultimate old-school anime plot.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,759 reviews

gameplay262 positive mentions

grinding13 negative mentions

gameplay
585 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Mullet Mad Jack" is characterized by its fast-paced, frenetic action that combines elements of roguelike mechanics with a unique timer-based survival system, where players must kill enemies to extend their life. While the core gameplay loop is addictive and engaging, many players note that it can become repetitive over time, especially given the limited variety in enemies and level design. Overall, the game is praised for its smooth mechanics, vibrant aesthetics, and the exhilarating rush it provides, making it a standout experience for fans of arcade-style shooters.
- “The dynamic gameplay, combining platforming and arcade elements, keeps you on edge every minute.”
- “The gameplay loop is incredibly addictive, the roguelite elements keep things from getting stale and with every level taking a minute or less to beat it lends itself so well to that 'one more round' mentality for me.”
- “Mullet Mad Jack is a fantastic fusion of the adrenaline rush hyper-violent gameplay of Hotline Miami and classic FPS gameplay, all wrapped in a delightful 80s/90s anime OVA aesthetic.”
- “The gameplay is horridly shallow and the more interesting gameplay-altering upgrades (such as the grappling hook or environment items) fall short because the game wasn't built to accommodate them.”
- “The amazing art and presentation can't hide that the gameplay loop gets stale quite fast, as you're rushing through the same randomly connected map modules, with the same object and enemy placement.”
- “If you play through the first 10 levels you have basically seen the entire gameplay loop, and the selectable upgrades don't have a gigantic effect from what I've seen.”
graphics
515 mentions
50 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Mullet Mad Jack" are widely praised for their vibrant, retro anime aesthetic that captures the essence of 80s and 90s visuals, blending pixel art with detailed animations and a synthwave soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the game's colorful environments and character designs, which evoke nostalgia while providing a unique and engaging visual experience. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, enhancing the fast-paced gameplay and contributing to the game's addictive nature.
- “The graphics delight with vibrant colors and detailed levels, while the music perfectly enhances the atmosphere of cheerful chaos.”
- “The art style is perfectly done and the aesthetic pulls right from an 80's action sequence.”
- “The visuals, gameplay, characters, theme, very short but lovable story + world, and music left a lasting impression on me.”
- “Much of that comes down to the chaotic visuals and HUD, which makes it more difficult to play than it needs to be.”
- “I'm not a stranger to crazy boomer shooters, but these games need to make an effort to design their visuals so you can process the situation at a glance, and I don't think Mullet Madjack succeeded in that effort.”
- “The only good thing here is the art style; everything else sucks, all style no substance.”
story
325 mentions
35 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as engaging and entertaining, featuring a mix of humor and retro aesthetics reminiscent of 80s and 90s anime. While many players appreciate the fun and chaotic narrative, they note that it is relatively short, typically taking around 2-4 hours to complete, and lacks depth in some areas. Despite its brevity, the story serves as a solid backdrop for the fast-paced gameplay, with some players expressing a desire for more content and character development in future updates.
- “The game also features a compelling and highly replayable storyline mode where you learn more about the protagonist and the world he lives in with amazing cut scenes between certain stages.”
- “The story is deceptively simple and yet explores some rather harrowing themes about the modern day... like most cyberpunk inspired stories do.”
- “The over-the-top and darkly humorous story and setting, synthwave-inspired soundtrack, stupidly cheesy one-liners and the 90's OVA aesthetic all work really well together, and I was completely absorbed for the whole of my first playthrough.”
- “The story is shallow, which is to be expected, but so is the gameplay.”
- “The story could be neat but the ending really sucks.”
- “The only issue I really have is the story only lasting around 3 hours.”
music
315 mentions
51 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely praised for its energetic and dynamic synthwave soundtrack, which perfectly complements the fast-paced gameplay and vibrant 80s/90s anime aesthetic. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, often describing it as addictive and exhilarating, enhancing the overall experience and immersion. Many players express a desire to purchase the soundtrack separately, indicating its significant impact on their enjoyment of the game.
- “The soundtrack is full of 80's synthwave and energetic beats which perfectly complements the high-intensity gameplay, creating an adrenaline-pumping experience.”
- “The music, graphics, voice acting and most importantly the gameplay loop.”
- “From the aesthetics, to the soundtrack, and the quick-twitch gameplay, all of it gels extremely well to capture that breakneck murder pace.”
- “The only real critiques I have are that the OST is nothing particularly special if you're already into synthwave, and the game does a pretty poor job explaining how upgrade permanence does/doesn't work.”
- “As much as I appreciate the art style and the music, especially in the cyberpunk setting, it does get too repetitive and boring.”
- “Dunno why it stands at overwhelmingly positive on Steam at this moment, probably everybody got blinded by art style and music.”
humor
96 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its over-the-top, self-aware style, featuring cheesy one-liners, meta-humor, and a nostalgic 90s aesthetic that resonates with players. While many find the comedic elements hilarious and engaging, some critiques mention that the jokes can become repetitive over time. Overall, the humor complements the fast-paced gameplay and vibrant art direction, making for a fun and entertaining experience.
- “The game has a fantastic art style, superb silly 90s action film humor, excellent gun feel (SMG and shotgun are my faves) and an overall compelling and satisfying gameplay loop.”
- “The one-liners in this game are nothing short of fantastic, with plenty of meta-humor and fourth wall breaks.”
- “Its insanely fun and kept me laughing the entire game.”
- “I also found the jokes to be really unfunny, but humor is subjective, so I can't really hold that against the game.”
- “I don't know if 'don't get into debt' and all kinds of good life advice are supposed to be funny or something, but I found it just weird.”
replayability
78 mentions
49 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is noted for its high replayability, despite a relatively short main story. Players appreciate the inclusion of various modes, such as endless and higher difficulty options, which enhance the gameplay experience and encourage repeated playthroughs. However, some reviewers mention limitations in level variety and linearity, which may affect long-term engagement for certain players.
- “The game also features a compelling and highly replayable storyline mode where you learn more about the protagonist and the world he lives in with amazing cut scenes between certain stages.”
- “It's a short game, but the swift, high-octane nature of the gameplay, as well as the RNG of the levels, provides great replay value.”
- “This game combines so many things I adore into a single, infinitely replayable and stylish package.”
- “Limited replay value: once you’ve completed the game, there’s little incentive to replay.”
- “The levels and objectives are fairly linear, which limits replayability for those who want long-term engagement.”
- “While the campaign may have a lot of redeeming qualities and provides a huge chunk of the appeal of the game, the lack of playable characters and only a handful of guns and lackluster perks really lacks the replay value that has become synonymous with the rogue-like genre.”
atmosphere
15 mentions
53 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its vibrant graphics, engaging music, and nostalgic nods to 80s and 90s anime and action films, creating a captivating sensory experience. Players appreciate the blend of cheerful chaos and addictive gameplay, which enhances the overall immersion. While some critiques mention a disconnect between concept and execution, the overall presentation and atmosphere are deemed breathtaking and a major draw for fans.
- “The graphics delight with vibrant colors and detailed levels, while the music perfectly enhances the atmosphere of cheerful chaos.”
- “Fantastic atmosphere and succinct story, smartly told through addictive gameplay without excessive preachy text to skip through.”
- “The visuals, music, atmosphere, gameplay, literally everything in this game is just breathtaking.”
- “The visual and sound styles of the game create an atmosphere of the 90s, which makes it especially attractive to fans of this period.”
- “The old school anime in a cyberpunk-world atmosphere was another appeal for me alongside me being an old school first person shooter enthusiast.”
- “Atmosphere of 90-80s anime and action movies with a lot of references.”
grinding
15 mentions
0 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
87 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it offers a rewarding dopamine rush and a sense of progression, it can become tedious, especially when pursuing all achievements or playing through multiple difficulties. Many reviewers noted that the repetitive nature of grinding, particularly in easier modes, can detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to a sense of monotony despite the game's creative design and engaging mechanics. Overall, while the game provides fun moments, the grinding can feel excessive and may require a significant time investment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “My only complaint is that if you're trying to get all the achievements for the game, it does get somewhat tedious considering you have to play through the entire game 4 times on a variety of difficulties. This is fine for the harder difficulties since it adds more of a challenge, but for the easier ones like the no timer mode, it gets somewhat boring since you've already done everything but now there's little to no challenge to it.”
- “Fun game, but grows overall tedious fast.”
emotional
14 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its nostalgic elements, such as the unboxing experience and the wholesome protagonist, which evoke feelings of warmth and sentimentality. Many reviewers appreciate how the game helps them emotionally regulate anxiety and reminisce about their gaming past, while others note the unique blend of humor and heartfelt moments that create a memorable experience. Overall, the game's style, music, and engaging narrative resonate deeply, leaving a lasting emotional impact on players.
- “And it was really wholesome and it's apparently not included if you pirate the game, and you unlock an achievement simply for 'unboxing the game and reading the manual' really hit hard for some reason.”
- “I haven't even played it, just the style, the music, the menu and the unboxing experience already have so much love in it that it makes me shed a tear.”
- “I know we already discussed gameplay, but the end game of the campaign mixed with the visuals and voice acting and everything else going on made me feel something no other game has ever made me feel.”
optimization
11 mentions
36 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players praising its smooth performance and quick reactions required for gameplay. However, some users have reported performance issues, particularly during loading new floors and on certain hardware setups, suggesting that while the game is well-optimized for many, there are still areas that could benefit from further improvement.
- “Very well made, very well optimized, nothing bad to say about this awesome game.”
- “And most importantly, no performance issues!”
- “If you're using an AMD rig and want extra performance, turn off VSync in the driver and make tessellation use application.”
- “The catch is you only have 10 seconds to live, so you need to keep moving and slaughtering your way across the tower lest you succumb to being a boring performance.”
- “I am currently on chapter 6 because of the performance issues caused by my own hardware and also by being, as the kids say these days, 'bad.' I might even swallow my pride and bump the difficulty down so I can finish the game this weekend; might not, who can say?”
- “As for things to improve, I've been seeing that some people have been having some performance issues, but I would assume the devs are aware of the situation and will address that in due time.”
stability
10 mentions
70 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many users reporting smooth performance across various systems, including the Steam Deck and high-resolution displays. However, some players have noted issues such as audio cut-outs and glitches during intense moments, indicating that while the game runs well most of the time, it is not entirely free of bugs.
- “Runs great on any system.”
- “Also, it runs great on 32:9 resolutions, which is a great plus.”
- “Plays well and runs great; it's great to boot up a game and it works 100% after install.”
- “Very noticeable audio cut-outs and glitches when things get hectic (to the point of annoyance).”
- “Game is pretty buggy but honestly my game of the year so far; so much style, great gameplay, and really nails the dystopian themes.”
character development
9 mentions
78 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted by its impressive character designs, which blend retro 90s anime aesthetics with modern flair. While some players express a desire for deeper engagement with characters, the overall visual presentation and unique designs are consistently praised as standout features.
- “Many old anime simply did not have all that good character designs if you really look at it, the characters in this game look like that old style if it was done well.”
- “Art is fun, character designs are a highlight for me, really love Mr. Bullet's design in particular!”
- “Vibrant saturated graphics, with detailed environments and character designs that bring a retro 90's anime feel.”
- “I wanted to like the main villain because the character design is neat, but then he opened his mouth.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect highlights that users are inundated with content and advertisements, particularly emphasizing the prominence of successful live-streamers who capitalize on this environment.
- “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend more than they should just to keep up.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “The constant barrage of ads and in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a cash grab than a game.”