Pumpkin Jack Reviews
Pumpkin Jack makes for one heck of a Halloween treat with its tight and challenging gameplay that's set in a fun spooktacular world.
Ah, tis the season for games that deliver at least a spooky feel, even though I’ll acknowledge more often than not Halloween season games tend to be a bit lacking in overall quality and simply hoping to capitalize on peoples’ urges...
I wish the combat had a little more nuance to it, but the rock-solid platforming and silly minigames more than made up for it. It’s a great alternative to all the oppressive horror games coming out this month, and I’m super glad I tripped over it. It’s good!
If you, like me loved Jak and Daxter on your PS2 back in the day and also loved MediEvil, I’m almost positive there will be something about Pumpkin Jack that will bring a smile to your face. It is exactly aimed at that kind of player, while also being quite accessible to new players and charming enough along the way to get you invested in exploring each level. It definitely doesn’t break any ground in the genre but it is a worthy entry in the genre even just solely based on how well it pays homage to what inspired it in the first place. It might not be everything that I want it to be now, but I’m already holding out hope to see a Pumpkin Jack 2 that answers all my prayers.
I think Nicolas Meyssonnier's work falls just short of its action-platformer goals. But when you consider its great Halloween-themed visual design, engaging soundtrack, strong personality, creative potential, and its place in today's market, genre fans can still have a gourd time with it.
A very fun and varied game, but with its short duration and little replayability there is little reason to revisit it.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Pumpkin Jack might not add anything ground-breaking to the genre, but it’s an adventure platformer that tastes like home. Reminiscent of old school games such as Medieval, Spyro the Dragon, and Bugs Bunny: Lost In Time, it’s a joyful experience with a wide variety of game play. Albeit a bit clunky with controls and combat, the humour, dialogue and character capturing that Halloween spirit exceeds those trivial irks.
Pumpkin Jack is a fun little experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome. For 29.99, it’s not a bad deal and something the young ones in your family could easily enjoy in repeated sessions. The combat is fun, the puzzles are engaging, and the story has that charming storybook feel. If you enjoy 3D Platformers, this isn’t a bad one to give a download.
Pumpkin Jack is a brilliant throwback to old-school 3D platforming action games, providing a colourful adventure with a twist on the good vs. evil concept. Although you’ll most likely complete the game within six hours, if you’re very observant within each stage and find all the collectables, it’s a very enjoyable experience which anyone of all ages will find amusing and entertaining. The free next-gen upgrade greatly enhances the visuals over last-gen, as long as you’re willing to sacrifice half of the framerate – personally, I feel there should have been a third visual option as framerate and quality trump resolution every time. If you’re looking for a themed game to play this Halloween, and you’re not too keen on games filled with jump scares, gore, or intense spooks, then Pumpkin Jack is perfect. It even has the hidden Christmas mode which adds new content automatically during the month of December.
Emblazoned across Pumpkin Jack’s website is the slogan “Medieval meets Jak & Daxter”. If that isn’t an indicator of what’s to follow, I’m not sure what would be. It’s indicative of everything this game stands for, warts and all, and feels very much a take it or leave it approach by the developer. ‘Remember those games from the late 90’s and early 2000’s that we all know and loved? Well, if you think you’ll still love them now, I’ve made a new one.’
Pumpkin Jack is a pretty enjoyable and fun game if you want to spend a few hours in a Halloween themed world. It certainly isn’t a masterpiece, but being a game made entirely by a one man band, it is pretty much a great starting point. It has linear and simple levels, a good variety of puzzles, basic fighting mechanics and below average difficulty which make it a perfect starting point for those who want to dive into 3D platform games. Its festive context and colourful places will definitely conquer you for the 5 hour game.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A great game for fans of 3D platforms. Pumpkin Jack guarantees few but fun hours of gameplay with characters full of personality and simple gameplay. Despite the little variety of enemies, the title has a good balance between moments of combat, exploration and minigames, making it a light and relaxed experience.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Between the platforming, every level features a smaller-scale puzzle level. These can be some simple puzzles like pushing a bomb to dynamite. There’s some fun mini-games like the whack-a-mole equivalent puzzle.
A worthy piece to the collection of platformers on your shelf.
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and I’ve long adored games that embody the cheery hilarity of the season, including Costume Quest, themed events in Animal Crossing, and the costumes characters might acquire in World of Warcraft. Pumpkin Jack easily enters this pantheon of all-hallowed gaming for me, and I enjoyed nearly every moment I spent with it. Pumpkin Jack is a game that will have little difficulty being enjoyed by gamers of all ages, and I’m excited to get to share an updated version of one of my childhood favorite genres with my own children.
Pumpkin Jack proves that with good ideas and the right perseverance you get what you hope for. Meysonnier's video game amazes with its varied gameplay and entertaining dialogues. It stands as a title that is not perfect but a must for the little ones and that will give a nice sense of nostalgia for the older ones.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Overall, Pumpkin Jack is a hilarious platforming experience that had me smiling from ear to ear. It absorbed a few hours of time and I loved taking my head off for a bit (literally). This is a game that will amuse fans of the genre. As such, I give Pumpkin Jack a 9 out of 10!
A spiritual successor to Medievil that surpasses the original and the remake in many respects and that in its own right becomes one of the most pleasant surprises of this horrifying 2020.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Pumpkin Jack isn’t a bad game. But it’s not a good game, either. It’s just, well, fine. For some, fine is fine; I imagine that some people will buy this game and enjoy it, and that’s okay. However, as someone who really has a fondness for GCN-era platformers, I hold games like this to a higher standard. I expect, if you will, a certain level of greatness. Do I think that this game had the potential to reach said greatness? Absolutely. But it didn’t, and, unfortunately, it’s the end result that matters the most.
Overall this game gives us an excellent experience leaving the players completely immersed in the game, which the single major flaw is simply being too short! With a very solid design, both in terms of graphics and gameplay, it is certainly an excellent title to play not only during Halloween, but all year round! The inspiration in Medievil is tangent, yet in a honorific proper kind a way, which is a good thing for all the fans!
Review in Portuguese | Read full review