Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove Reviews
ToeJam & Earl : Back in the Groove is so similar to the original version released in 1991 that it fails to deliver the needed innovations that would have gave a new appeal to the game, instead of this dated gameplay that will bore any un-nostalgic gamer.
Review in French | Read full review
Fans of the original Sega Genesis titles will probably find a lot to like about ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove. The rest of us, unfortunately, will need to fight off waves of annoyance and irritation while trying to determine what all the fuss is about.
ToeJam & Earl: Back in he Groove is a straightfroward game that really struggles to find any form of relevance beyond its nostalgia factor.
ToeJam and Earl may have gained cult status for their past escapades, but unless you’re a hardcore fan of the series, the magic doesn’t quite carry over to the 21st century. ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is initially charming thanks to how offbeat it is, but it soon wears thin when you realise how barebones the gameplay is.
Unfortunately, 28 years after the first game’s release means doing more of the same won’t necessarily get the same results.
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is an endearing throwback whose charms and frustrations both feel unmistakably like products of 1991.
Back in the Groove can be completed in a single evening; subsequent playthroughs extend the experience, but feel like a pancake-eating contest where the prize is more pancakes.
The visuals are pretty, and the music is brilliant, but ToeJam and Earl: Back In The Groove! is the same game it was nearly three decades ago. This is fine I suppose, but it feels like more could have been done. It’s an enjoyable experience with friends, but a bit dull on your own.
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove shamelessly coasts on nostalgia and has little time for finessed gameplay or appealing visuals, but it nevertheless knows what its audience craves most.
If you don't like it, then hey — guess you can go get funked.
Gaming's most funky duo are back from Funkotron in a nostalgia-fueled experience that doesn't appeal to anyone but its limited fan base.
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is a relentlessly faithful retread of the 90s classics. Fans of the funky alien duo are sure to enjoy it, but clumsy gameplay and some frustrating design choices date it in a bad way. Mixing elements of the two Mega Drive titles works well, and the oddball stylings and music are as good as ever. However, it just feels a bit tired, and maybe could've benefitted from a modern shot in the arm. If you love ToeJam & Earl, this is well worth a look, but fans of other PS4 roguelikes might be less impressed.
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is a hard sell.
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove just feels like more of the original game sprinkled with some modern-day trimmings (rogue-lite progression, for example) that feel like an afterthought.
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is a weird and wonderful world filled with colourful characters, but some of the movement feels archaic.
For those that have played ToeJam & Earl in their distant past and became fans, you will love Back in the Groove, as it captures the feel and look of the original and gives you a game you’ll be very familiar with.
On the whole, the game is fun for short bursts or with a friend but there's little reason to play repeatedly unless you want to unlock all of the power hats.
Human Nature has proven to be a brave fucking. All its mechanics are outdated, its graphic design is outdated and its sense of humor for decades that stopped being funny but they do not care. They have made the game that they played as children and they wanted, we wanted, to play again and they have done it without caring for a duck egg what the current batch of players think about their game. And that a developer develops a game under the motto "If you do not like it !! do not play it "has a lot, but that much, merit. Human Nature Chapeau and thank you!
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The new features and updates just miss the mark to carry the rest of what is one of the best attempts at bringing the 90s into the current time.