If personality can’t save a platformer, there’s always charm. This is evident in such games as LittleBigPlanet, Badland, Thomas Was Alone, Snapshot, Capsized and many others that have serene simplicity, but also personality that comes shining through either their level and character design, visuals, and soundtrack. So with the amount of platformers being released these days, this has become a common theme. But it’s been a while since a game like JumpJet Rex convinced me that this trope wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, if put into the right hands.

Gameplay:

And yes you can give your dinosaur a mustache

Unlike the other platformers that were previously mentioned, JumpJet Rex has a more explored sense of freedom. (No pun intended) This is a great addition for people that are megafans of platformers, but are rightfully tired of the over saturation the genre has gained in the last couple years of it’s indie renaissance. But, don’t go into this game thinking that this makes up for a lack of possible content, as it doesn’t. Although I’ll go into it later, JumpJet Rex is perfect for every platformer fan, for a multitude of different reasons that mostly lay in it’s content.

Story/ Design:

Unlike some other examples, most environment levels in this game don’t feel cheap

Levels that feel built for speedrunners but with a casual take in mind, coop modes that go up to four players, leaderboards, and time trials. JumpJet Rex has it all, and this is partly one of the reasons why it’s so enjoyable in the first place. There’s a meaty amount of game here, but none of it overstays it’s welcome. (Likely due to the branching paths that exist in every stage) Sometimes it can get a little too repetitive, but it’s not a game that I would like to finish in one sitting either.

Presentation/ Visuals & Audio:

We weren’t kidding about the branching paths.

Another great thing at JumpJet Rex’s disposal is the visuals, and audio. At first glance, it might seem like another average platformer or even a top-notch mobile game (the clunky presentation gives this feeling) , but there’s much more under the surface. Every sound fits with the game’s aged assets, and vice versa. I do wish the dinosaur could talk though, but we don’t get every wish in the book do we?

Conclusion:

JumpJet Rex is a definitive game for any Xbox One or PC owner looking for a cheap way to spend a Saturday night, without forking over sixty dollars for an AAA game or playing yet another round of Call of Duty. It’s refreshing not in one special way, but rather an escalation of ideals that have been compounded by gaming’s greatest.

JumpJet Rex gets an 8/10 (Very Good)

We’d like to thank Loot Interactive for sending us a code!

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