Jack Move

Genre: Turn-Based RPG

Players: 1

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Review:

Jack Move is a Turn-Based RPG released in 2022 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. This game takes place in a dystopian future of an alternate reality where a global catastrophe empowered corporations to overpower world governments leading to a cyberpunk-style corporatocratic world covered in pollution where everyone is apparently a hacker of some kind or another.

Players take the role of a young girl named Noa, the typical sort of rebellious teenager who engages in risky corporate espionage missions for money. One day, her life on the edge of the law suddenly gets turned upside-down when she’s confronted by corporate agents… over the research her estranged father has been working on. As a result, Noa is forced to race against the forces of the corporation to try to figure out what her father was up to before they do.

This seems like a pretty solid basis for a cyberpunk-style story, and the game’s writing and characters thankfully do a good job living up to that potential, with Nia’s carefree attitude being at turns both endearing to those around her and then grating as it leaks over into being careless. However, my favorite character here has to be Noa’s adoptive parental figure Uncle Guin, who muses eloquently with old-fashioned sensibilities that hide a hacker of unparalleled skill.

Perhaps more than the writing, story, and characters, the presentation of Jack Move is outstanding. This game uses extremely well-animated 2D pixel art for its visuals, with that animation bringing this game’s world to life. This is backed by an excellent synthesized soundtrack that perfectly fits the cyberpunk genre, though sadly I can’t find any samples to provide you.

The gameplay here is pretty standard for a Turn-Based RPG, but everything is filtered through a lens of tech jargon. So, for example, you don’t attack enemies, you “hack” them. You don’t use items, you use “patches”. You don’t wear equipment, you install hardware. And you don’t use limit breaks, you execute a “Jack Move”. It can take some getting used to rethinking all of the usual jargon to associate those gameplay elements with these different terms, but I appreciate this game trying to stick to its theme.

The gameplay here is mostly pretty good, but there are a few issues I have with it. Firstly, you only have one party member, which limits your ability to multitask. What’s more, you are extremely limited in what spells Execute Programs you can have active at any given time, and while I appreciate the game pushing players to be thoughtful in what they choose to equip their characters with, this can seem a bit excessive at times. And then of course I have to mention the game’s length – at an estimated 6-7 hours long, this is extraordinarily short for an RPG.

Still, despite its flaws and short length, Jack Move is excellent while it lasts. The story is well-written and engaging, its characters endearing, the gameplay is good, and the game does a good job incorporating its theme into its gameplay. I wish this game were expanded into something much bigger, but even as-is, this is a game that RPG fans should definitely give a try.

tl;dr – Jack Move is a Turn-Based RPG with a cyberpunk theme about a teenage girl trying to figure out who the evil corporation has targeted her father. The game features a well-written story with likable characters, an outstanding well-animated pixel art presentation, and solid gameplay. I just wish this game expanded its scope to be bigger, as its limited character customization, one-person player party, and 6-7 hour play time all feel too restrictive for a game that could have been even greater. Even so, this is a game RPG fans should still absolutely try.

Grade: B+

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2022 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Best RPG

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