New Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja
- December 1, 2022
- Mr. Nutz Studio
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreWe're back in the distant Past, when “Rock & Roll” was just about rocks and “Fast food”, a dinner that you couldn’t catch. 2 cave dudes named Joe & Mac live in a peaceful and cool village. Cool it was, until a bogus bunch of Neanderthal snatched all the village’s women!
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics with bright colors and smooth animations, enhancing the visual experience.
- The audio design is well-executed, contributing positively to the overall atmosphere of the game.
- It works well on the Steam Deck, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the original Joe and Mac series.
- The gameplay feels broken and unresponsive, with controls that are inconsistent and often frustrating.
- Levels are significantly shorter than the originals, leading to a lack of content and challenge, making the game feel rushed.
- There are minimal options for customization, including no controller or audio settings, which detracts from the overall experience.
- graphics20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the vibrant, cartoony art style and enhanced visuals in 4K, while others feel it lacks the charm and unique identity of the original's anime-inspired design. Critics have noted that while the backgrounds are visually appealing, the animations are less engaging and responsive, leading to a less immersive experience. Overall, the graphical improvements are seen as a double-edged sword, with some players enjoying the new aesthetic and others longing for the original's flair.
“The cartoony art style, clean lines, and lush colors all look a treat in 4K.”
“The game's art style is really beautiful.”
“The new widescreen, HD artwork from Mr. Nutz studio mostly looks quite nice – especially the backgrounds.”
“I'm not really a fan of the graphical style and think the original had a better visual flair.”
“The graphics remind me of those terrible mobile video game ads you see every now and then on YouTube shorts, but you seem to laugh at the effort to make it look bad.”
“I feel like this game requires a mod to get the art style closer to the original.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing its slow movement, floaty jumps, and awkward combat mechanics, which detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the performance and menu design, the lack of quality-of-life features, such as control mapping and gameplay adjustments, has left many feeling that the game is overly simplistic and not up to par with its arcade predecessors. Overall, the gameplay feels unrefined and lacking depth, leading to a perception that it is not worth its current price point.
“Performance is good too with nice menus and smooth gameplay.”
“That slow walking and floaty jump gameplay fit short stages.”
“-- a life drain mechanic exists to act as a timer forcing players to rush; the movement and attacks are not built on aggressive play.”
“The gameplay is just weird and doesn't feel right.”
“Gameplay just isn't there (loose, floppy controls, slow motion, sluggish behavior, dull weapon balancing compared to arcade and SNES versions, the addition of Super Adventure Island food bars is not a fun option, missing control shadows/helpful guides).”
“The bad - extremely barebones, lacking options, gameplay is mega-nerfed and worse off than the arcade version.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music and sound effects effectively complement the game's visual aesthetic, with the new soundtrack being pleasant yet lacking the chiptune charm of the original. Overall, opinions on the music are mixed, with some finding it underwhelming.
“The music and sound effects complete the visual aesthetic well.”
“The new soundtrack is pleasant, but missing some of the chiptune appeal of the original music.”
“The actual art style and music are okay to me; I don't feel the graphics are as bad or 'flash style' as some say.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unrewarding, particularly noting the lack of achievements for completing lengthy modes and the frustration of random weapon drops during boss fights, which can hinder progress.
“I tested half the game on that mode, but there are no achievements for completing it, and it is tedious, so I don't think I'll ever finish it.”
“Weapon drops are random, which makes boss fights more tedious when you don't get the long-range one.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The character development in this game has been criticized for its generic western cartoon style, featuring exaggerated and unappealing character designs that lack originality and depth.
“This game instead has a generic western cartoon style, with exaggerated character designs and lanky, bulky, or generic creature designs.”
“The character design is ugly.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The story follows two cavemen bachelors on a humorous quest to find dates for their cousin's wedding, blending elements of adventure and comedy in a prehistoric setting.
“Two cavemen bachelors go on a quest to find plus-ones for their cousin's wedding.”
“The story feels like a shallow quest, with two cavemen bachelors searching for plus ones for their cousin's wedding.”
“The plot lacks depth and fails to engage, revolving around a simplistic premise that doesn't offer much excitement.”
“The narrative is underwhelming, focusing on trivial events rather than developing a compelling storyline.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for delivering smooth gameplay and well-designed menus, contributing to a positive user experience.
“Performance is good, with nice menus and smooth gameplay.”
“The game runs efficiently, allowing for seamless transitions and quick load times.”
“I appreciate the attention to detail in the optimization, making the experience enjoyable on various hardware.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is perceived negatively, with graphics likened to low-quality mobile game ads, leading to a humorous yet critical view of the game's overall presentation.
