If you like 3D platformers and are looking for a spooky game to play in October, well then do I have the game for you.
really delightful 3d indie platformer, and not too long either (about 7 hours). love the art style and humour. a couple of frustrating minigames, but not a huge deal. great boss design, both visually and gameplay wise.
Linear 3d platformer, doesn't re-invent the wheel but is super good at what it does.
É legalzinho, mas deu uma preguiça do nada e resolvi só deixar de lado.
Small indie platformers are something I like paying attention to. Pumpkin Jack caught my eye as it looks and feels like a PS2 era platformer that would have fit in at that time, but has more polished gameplay than most did in that same time period. You play as a demon named Jack who is sent by the Devil to stop an evil wizard from taking over the world. It’s a very paper-thin story, but the game is so short that anything else couldn’t really flourish. This is also akin to PS2 era platformers as most of their stories were pretty basic and uninteresting due to the length and budgets. You have a crow companion that spews hints and dialog at you, but that’s it story-wise. The cinematics are nice and the presentation for the story is fantastic, but the content is really lacking.
This goes for most of the game honestly. While what is here is really solid it’s very elementary and basic. Combat consists of one button mashing over and over with an aerial attack. You can send your crow out for a quick hit from afar, but the main attraction is the various weapons you acquire at the end of each level. Ranging from shovels, scythes, magic orbs, and a shotgun. The arsenal is quite fun and keeps things mixed up, and so do the enemies. The enemies are well designed and one of the strongest points in the game. While you can button mash you must also dodge as dying is quick if you aren’t on top of your moves. Some enemies require being stunned first, some will spawn until you destroy their spawn point, some are strong, some are weak, and each enemy needs a certain approach to them.
The main focus outside of combat is platforming. You will be pressing the jump button at least once every 2-3 seconds without a break. Tons of platforming that can get a bit tricky, but the momentum and physics of Jack feel just right and the double jump helps quite a bit too. This would be a pretty monotonous game if there were just platforming and one button combat. To break this up there are some mini-games you can play with some using only Jack’s head that have you doing Simon Says, guiding bombs, memory games, etc. There are also on-rails sections in each level that require dodging and shooting down enemies. It’s quite fun, but you realize there is a formula in each level and while these are different such as riding in a minecart versus being carried by a giant bird they are essentially the same mini-games with different skins. At least the amount you do these is varied with some levels having a lot and some having only a couple.
The only thing you collect in the game is crow skulls used to unlock costumes, which feels pointless as the game is about 4 hours long and there’s no replay value. You see everything the game has in the first playthrough and due to its repetition and overall basic gameplay I have no desire to go back through. It’s fun while it lasts, and can offer a decent challenge, but it’s very formulaic when you step back and look at the game as a whole. The level design is great with various spooky themes like mines, graveyards, swamps, forests, and a neat Christmas level, but again, this is a PS2 era designed game with 2020 flair. The boss fights are probably the most unique things in the game, but I can say if this game came out 15 years ago it would have been a smash hit.
The visuals are also very dated looking a couple of generations old despite using DirectX 12 and even having ray-tracing and DLSS support. The textures are just muddy and low-resolution and they’re meant to look like an older platformer, and the game had a low budget, but it still needs mentioning. However, with the tight controls, great platforming, decent challenge, and unique enemies and bosses, the game is just good enough to recommend for a one-time playthrough. The story is paper-thin and uninteresting, the combat is simple, but there are five different weapons to use, interesting level design, and there’s an actual challenge.
This goes for most of the game honestly. While what is here is really solid it’s very elementary and basic. Combat consists of one button mashing over and over with an aerial attack. You can send your crow out for a quick hit from afar, but the main attraction is the various weapons you acquire at the end of each level. Ranging from shovels, scythes, magic orbs, and a shotgun. The arsenal is quite fun and keeps things mixed up, and so do the enemies. The enemies are well designed and one of the strongest points in the game. While you can button mash you must also dodge as dying is quick if you aren’t on top of your moves. Some enemies require being stunned first, some will spawn until you destroy their spawn point, some are strong, some are weak, and each enemy needs a certain approach to them.
The main focus outside of combat is platforming. You will be pressing the jump button at least once every 2-3 seconds without a break. Tons of platforming that can get a bit tricky, but the momentum and physics of Jack feel just right and the double jump helps quite a bit too. This would be a pretty monotonous game if there were just platforming and one button combat. To break this up there are some mini-games you can play with some using only Jack’s head that have you doing Simon Says, guiding bombs, memory games, etc. There are also on-rails sections in each level that require dodging and shooting down enemies. It’s quite fun, but you realize there is a formula in each level and while these are different such as riding in a minecart versus being carried by a giant bird they are essentially the same mini-games with different skins. At least the amount you do these is varied with some levels having a lot and some having only a couple.
The only thing you collect in the game is crow skulls used to unlock costumes, which feels pointless as the game is about 4 hours long and there’s no replay value. You see everything the game has in the first playthrough and due to its repetition and overall basic gameplay I have no desire to go back through. It’s fun while it lasts, and can offer a decent challenge, but it’s very formulaic when you step back and look at the game as a whole. The level design is great with various spooky themes like mines, graveyards, swamps, forests, and a neat Christmas level, but again, this is a PS2 era designed game with 2020 flair. The boss fights are probably the most unique things in the game, but I can say if this game came out 15 years ago it would have been a smash hit.
The visuals are also very dated looking a couple of generations old despite using DirectX 12 and even having ray-tracing and DLSS support. The textures are just muddy and low-resolution and they’re meant to look like an older platformer, and the game had a low budget, but it still needs mentioning. However, with the tight controls, great platforming, decent challenge, and unique enemies and bosses, the game is just good enough to recommend for a one-time playthrough. The story is paper-thin and uninteresting, the combat is simple, but there are five different weapons to use, interesting level design, and there’s an actual challenge.
Pretty fun action platformer ! OST gave me nostalgia and the weapons to choose from were fun to play around with. I would say my biggest issue with the game was that it was very easy and never once felt any challenge and that the game was very short. Past that this was a great time that I recommend giving a go !
You play as Jack, a pumpkin that tricked the devil himself, not one, not two but three times and that apparently can't get a drop of water on his body or he instantly dies.
It's a good concept that gets old and monotonous really fast.
It's a good concept that gets old and monotonous really fast.
I really, really tried to love this game, but there's a lot of quirks that nearly ruined the experience for me. Luckily it was a short game, which shouldn't be a praise.
One of these quirks was the pumpkin-head only challenges, which the first couple I didn't mind. I thought it was a cute addition, but as the game went on and on, having two per level made it really frustrating, especially with the grave-matching and the presents levels. Similar complaints apply for the on-rails sections. I thought the cart riding sections were not only a nice addition, but they were kind of fun as well. Similarly, there being two per level with very little to differentiate itself, made it tedious and it lost all its charm.
Aside from that, the overall gameplay was okay at best, but what really irked me was the developer calling this a 3D platform as the primary genre. While it's a fine adventure game, the platforming boring at the absolute best. I came into this game thinking it was a platformer, was disappointed, then proceeded to look at it as a kind of cutesy linear adventure game, which I was fine with, but then learning the developer considers it a 3D platformer first and foremost, I got immediately disappointed again.
It's not all bad though, far from it. This game has its own sense of style and flare that really makes it feel like from a different era, which was a nice and refreshing change. The boss battles in this game were surprising great, which I did not expect but was pretty impressed by. The strongest asset this game does extremely well is the music. Sure, it may not be entirely original work songs, but the Halloween-esc remixes of classical songs was done excellently and I imagine I'd be listening to the soundtrack later on my own.
One of these quirks was the pumpkin-head only challenges, which the first couple I didn't mind. I thought it was a cute addition, but as the game went on and on, having two per level made it really frustrating, especially with the grave-matching and the presents levels. Similar complaints apply for the on-rails sections. I thought the cart riding sections were not only a nice addition, but they were kind of fun as well. Similarly, there being two per level with very little to differentiate itself, made it tedious and it lost all its charm.
Aside from that, the overall gameplay was okay at best, but what really irked me was the developer calling this a 3D platform as the primary genre. While it's a fine adventure game, the platforming boring at the absolute best. I came into this game thinking it was a platformer, was disappointed, then proceeded to look at it as a kind of cutesy linear adventure game, which I was fine with, but then learning the developer considers it a 3D platformer first and foremost, I got immediately disappointed again.
It's not all bad though, far from it. This game has its own sense of style and flare that really makes it feel like from a different era, which was a nice and refreshing change. The boss battles in this game were surprising great, which I did not expect but was pretty impressed by. The strongest asset this game does extremely well is the music. Sure, it may not be entirely original work songs, but the Halloween-esc remixes of classical songs was done excellently and I imagine I'd be listening to the soundtrack later on my own.
I really wished I liked this game more; the atmosphere, soundtrack, look and overall tone are excellent. but the combat leaves you wanting; and it just tries to do too much without perfecting any of it. A full weapon wheel that would have been much better off with 3 fully fleshed out ones, and some of the most frustrating insta-death situations I've ever seen. Can we agree to just never put required mini-games in a platformer again? They arent all awful but the mine cart and ghost horse especially became a drain. I hope this gets a sequel so they can tighten this up and give Jack the quality game he deserves.
Solid PS1/PS2-inspired 3D platformer that's generally a lot of fun when it sticks to platforming, but suffers from some pretty rough edges: some of the minigames intended to break up the pacing are pretty uneven; there's an awful trial-and-error maze sequence that I have no idea how anyone is supposed to complete without a walkthrough; and the final boss has one particular attack that can only be avoided with much more precise jumping than anything else in the game up to that point has demanded (I didn't finish the game due to the consequent difficulty spike). A decent pick if you want a seasonally themed game for October that isn't a horror game, though if you just want to play a 3D platformer that isn't too challenging, there are better options; I'd recommend New Super Lucky's Tale, personally.
Pretty good game all around. Everything about this game works just fine, but aside from a few select moments that mixed things up in interesting ways, this game isn't that special. If you play it, you'll have a good time, especially if you're in the mood for something halloween themed, but as far as 3D platformers are concerned, you can do a lot better. There isn't even that much platforming in the game
As part of a genre that's dominated by Nintendo, this won't be the most polished 3D platformer you'll ever play, but I think the treats ultimately make up for the tricks.
Pumpkin Jack's greatest strength is that it's completely unafraid to goof around, despite the Halloween vibes and self-serious premise. For example: the most coveted collectible in each stage is a gramophone. If you're able to find it, your reward is watching your spooky character pull out the kind of unexpected dance moves you would only see from a father at their own child's wedding. There are some great curve balls within the different stages too, like sudden kart racing segments and whatnot. Classic 3D platformers feel like a bit of a rarity right now, so I'm pleased to have had some fun with this.
Pumpkin Jack's greatest strength is that it's completely unafraid to goof around, despite the Halloween vibes and self-serious premise. For example: the most coveted collectible in each stage is a gramophone. If you're able to find it, your reward is watching your spooky character pull out the kind of unexpected dance moves you would only see from a father at their own child's wedding. There are some great curve balls within the different stages too, like sudden kart racing segments and whatnot. Classic 3D platformers feel like a bit of a rarity right now, so I'm pleased to have had some fun with this.
Eu amei esse jogo aqui, uma das coisas mais divertidas que ja joguei e em anos.
Just kind of alright. It feels fine to play but not particularly engaging. If it was any longer than 4 hours it would've gotten extremely stale. It was fun to just roll through levels and do some minigames. Has a lackluster story and not enough variety to be anything great.
Easy to see that this game was made with a lot of love for the genre. It isn't without faults but It's fun enough to be that perfect game to play around Halloween.
It's like a modern day Medievil, just lacking in gameplay variety. Pumpkin Jack does have a gun though.
Does a perfectly serviceable job scratching that spooky season itch.
didn't scratch the 3D platformer itch i was having. i wasn't expecting anything extravagant but i didn't really get much from it anyways. i didn't mind a linear adventure but everything was incredibly mind-numbing, from the combat to the platforming to the collectable finding. i made it 4 stages in with no deaths aside from jumping into water not knowing it would kill me in the first 10 seconds in the game.
it's a bit nostalgic, in a way. it reminds me a lot of the weird outlier games i would rent from blockbuster as a kid. that being said this would be a better game FOR young kids, just not 3D platformer enthusiasts.
it's a bit nostalgic, in a way. it reminds me a lot of the weird outlier games i would rent from blockbuster as a kid. that being said this would be a better game FOR young kids, just not 3D platformer enthusiasts.
El último juego que complete en 2021. Ya aquí es 2022
MediEvil, but easier. It never really excels at anything but it is solid fun during its 3 - 4 hour playtime.
I covered this game as part of my coverage of the Humble Choice for June 2022
A competent platformer, but that’s it.
The minute you start playing Pumpkin Jack you realize you’re playing a solid platformer. The controls work well, the double jump just feels right, and the level gives just the right amount of hints on where to go next. And then suddenly you found a secret item where your character does a little funky dance. This is all part of the DNA of a typical platformer with a bit of a collect-a-thon.
But Pumpkin Jack is just that. A solid platformer that doesn’t stand out. The art looks acceptable, the level design is ok, and the story works, but that it. There’s not a lot to buy with the collected items, and the game isn’t that long either. But overall the game just feels ok. This isn’t necessarily a bad or a good thing, it’s just average, and that’s probably the biggest issue I have with Pumpkin Jack.
I will say this is created by a single developer, which is impressive, but as a gamer, this is a 30-dollar title, and my mind kept asking why I wasn’t playing something else like A Hat in Time. I want to see more by the Developer whose name I’d butcher, Nicolas Meyssonnier because he delivered a finished product, but maybe take a little more time with the design as well.
Pick this up if you love 3d Platformers and need a new one after playing most of them. The issue here is more about how much competition there is in the genre and how many have done this better. The game also throws achievements at the player, I earned 10 out of 33 in under one hour. Still, I want to stress, that this isn’t a negative review. It’s just not a positive one either.
If you want to see the video this was taken of, or more from me on the Humble Choice or Game Pass, check out: https://youtu.be/NPxN2M0c65w
A competent platformer, but that’s it.
The minute you start playing Pumpkin Jack you realize you’re playing a solid platformer. The controls work well, the double jump just feels right, and the level gives just the right amount of hints on where to go next. And then suddenly you found a secret item where your character does a little funky dance. This is all part of the DNA of a typical platformer with a bit of a collect-a-thon.
But Pumpkin Jack is just that. A solid platformer that doesn’t stand out. The art looks acceptable, the level design is ok, and the story works, but that it. There’s not a lot to buy with the collected items, and the game isn’t that long either. But overall the game just feels ok. This isn’t necessarily a bad or a good thing, it’s just average, and that’s probably the biggest issue I have with Pumpkin Jack.
I will say this is created by a single developer, which is impressive, but as a gamer, this is a 30-dollar title, and my mind kept asking why I wasn’t playing something else like A Hat in Time. I want to see more by the Developer whose name I’d butcher, Nicolas Meyssonnier because he delivered a finished product, but maybe take a little more time with the design as well.
Pick this up if you love 3d Platformers and need a new one after playing most of them. The issue here is more about how much competition there is in the genre and how many have done this better. The game also throws achievements at the player, I earned 10 out of 33 in under one hour. Still, I want to stress, that this isn’t a negative review. It’s just not a positive one either.
If you want to see the video this was taken of, or more from me on the Humble Choice or Game Pass, check out: https://youtu.be/NPxN2M0c65w
this game is only 4 hours in length and still feels too long
¡Vaya sorpresón! Me ha encantado de principio a fin. Es un plataformas divertidísimo que recuerda a las clásicas aventuras de plataformas de la era PSX y PS2. Tiene sus altibajos, sobre todo con ciertos minijuegos que no terminan de convencer, pero el resultado es tan satisfactorio que apenas importan estas cosas. Mucho ojo a los jefes y a la banda sonora, que son lo mejor del juego.
A very simple and short game, but really fun to play. Perfect for a Halloween evening!
Solid little game to play around Halloween. For a 3D platformer it sure feels lacking in platforming, with quite a bit too much mediocre and repetitive combat instead, but it's a pleasant enough time for the 5 or 6 hours it'll fill. For the love of god though, hire a composer to write some decent music, all the royalty free stuff but with a Halloween soundfont was so bland and disappointing.
Very fun but maybe a little bit short for the price tag
bem curto e meio repetitivo foi ser honesto esperava mto mais
Pumpkin Jack, The game where playing as the "bad guy" fighting other bad guys to DOOM the world into eternal damnation.
Upon booting this up for the first time, i wasn't sure what to expect even with playing the demo before the main release
Straight away, The soundtrack to Pumpkin Jack had me enticed, singing along to the music like i've heard it 100 times over and was great fun to beat up enemies whilst having a bop.
This game definitely takes some inspiration from games like Medievil for the design/soundtrack and gameplay, Crash Bandicoot for some fun 3D platforming and much more!
It's a fantasticly fun 3D platformer with different enemies to kill, collectibles to find and bosses to beat
The frame rate was great and the game is well optimised, visuals keep very much to retro looking titles but with todays tech making it look beautiful and the lighting just adds to it so well. This game offers so much in vibrant colours that make it a pleasure to look around and blend so well with the brilliantly designed worlds.
Something i found to be my favourite was the characters and personality, it's been a while since i played a game that had so much personality to it, the characters in this gave me some great laughs whilst insulting eachother and the best part, it's not even cringy.
Something i didn't know straight away either, this game was made by a solo developer!
There is so much hard work, effort and passion that went into this and it shines through so well
The credits also show you the years gone by with pics of the game in the early stages slowly building to this game we know today which was a nice touch
Controls were brilliant
Different weapons after each boss fight are great!
The combat is so smooth and fun, think medievil but even better
I loved the story, even though the game isn't overly long the story was great and i had fun going through the game
This is a great game, feels alot like a remaster of a ps2 game come to life
i hope there could even be a sequel someday but i'm definitely going back for the rest of the achievements
Great fun!
Upon booting this up for the first time, i wasn't sure what to expect even with playing the demo before the main release
Straight away, The soundtrack to Pumpkin Jack had me enticed, singing along to the music like i've heard it 100 times over and was great fun to beat up enemies whilst having a bop.
This game definitely takes some inspiration from games like Medievil for the design/soundtrack and gameplay, Crash Bandicoot for some fun 3D platforming and much more!
It's a fantasticly fun 3D platformer with different enemies to kill, collectibles to find and bosses to beat
The frame rate was great and the game is well optimised, visuals keep very much to retro looking titles but with todays tech making it look beautiful and the lighting just adds to it so well. This game offers so much in vibrant colours that make it a pleasure to look around and blend so well with the brilliantly designed worlds.
Something i found to be my favourite was the characters and personality, it's been a while since i played a game that had so much personality to it, the characters in this gave me some great laughs whilst insulting eachother and the best part, it's not even cringy.
Something i didn't know straight away either, this game was made by a solo developer!
There is so much hard work, effort and passion that went into this and it shines through so well
The credits also show you the years gone by with pics of the game in the early stages slowly building to this game we know today which was a nice touch
Controls were brilliant
Different weapons after each boss fight are great!
The combat is so smooth and fun, think medievil but even better
I loved the story, even though the game isn't overly long the story was great and i had fun going through the game
This is a great game, feels alot like a remaster of a ps2 game come to life
i hope there could even be a sequel someday but i'm definitely going back for the rest of the achievements
Great fun!
This game reminded me of MediEvil from the PS1. I had fun with it (also got that platinum trophy babyyy)
jack