Pumpkin Jack

 PC
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 16
  3. Negative: 1 out of 16
  1. Everyeye.it
    Oct 23, 2020
    72
    An exquisitely old-fashioned adventure, modest in ambitions and dignified in realization.
  2. CD-Action
    Feb 8, 2021
    70
    Pumpkin Jack is a charmingly old-school game that would fit perfectly into the PS1 era. It’s colorful, full of humor, and offers huge, well-designed levels. It tries many different ways to mix up the gameplay, which is great, but all these efforts are too safe to bring any real surprises. [13/2020, p.71]
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  3. Multiplayer.it
    Oct 30, 2020
    70
    Pumpkin Jack is a funny little game, a perfect match for Halloween.
  5. TheSixthAxis
    Oct 24, 2020
    70
    Pumpkin Jack is a fun and nostalgic title that is perfectly placed to be your Halloween game this year. Highly recommended for any fans of old school platforming adventures, but also worth checking out for the spookier sorts too. It doesn’t revolutionise anything, but it also doesn’t outstay its welcome, and the fact that it is the work of a solo developer makes it even more impressive. This particular pumpkin deserves to carve out some of your seasonal gaming time.
  6. Worth Playing
    Jan 15, 2021
    68
    In the end, Pumpkin Jack is a game that is flawed but still enjoyable. The platforming is solid if you don't mind the unsteady camera and loads of objects blurring your view. The sections where you can only control your head and the chase sequences add some variety to the adventure, but they feel overused. The combat is basic enough to get the job done. If these things aren't enough to drive you away from the title, and with the game running roughly six hours or so if you're thorough, it is easily digestible for a weekend and worth checking out for those who don't want something too deep.
  7. Ragequit.gr
    Nov 1, 2020
    68
    Pumpkin Jack is not the game that will change your life, but what it is trying to achieve, that is, to offer a slightly old-school platform experience accompanied by various "spices" to provide more taste to the dish, it does it with dignity. As a work of a single person, the result is impressive, as a product it is just a decent title to spend your time.
  8. PC Invasion
    Oct 22, 2020
    65
    Pumpkin Jack is a competent Halloween platformer that's too generic, shallow, and short to make it a must-play.
  9. Game Rant
    Oct 25, 2020
    60
    Ultimately, players' enjoyment of Pumpkin Jack will crux on how nostalgic they are for the 3D action platformers of yesteryear. The makings of a great game are definitely here, with witty dialogue, a wonderful selection of fun mini-games, and some serviceable platforming. But, outside of its clear homages and lofty inspirations, Pumpkin Jack feels like it has nothing new to say and no modern insights to add. It ultimately winds up a jack of all trades but a master of none, offering plenty of ideas rife with potential but never honing in on one long enough to make it stand out.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 40 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 40
  3. Negative: 3 out of 40
  1. churros
    Oct 25, 2020
    8
    Pros:
    + great music and artstyle
    + bite-sized puzzles and on-rails sections
    + charming characters

    Cons:
    - clunky combat
    - bad hitboxes
  2. Gohax
    Nov 4, 2020
    7
    pumpkin jack is a cool indie game that is an awesome spooktober addition

    story you play as the great jack sent by the devil to defeat the    pumpkin jack is a cool indie game that is an awesome spooktober addition

    story you play as the great jack sent by the devil to defeat the human wizard so that the devil can finally rule earth and that's kinda it

    pros:

    -the music and art style is very cool

    -the platforming and the puzzles are a cool addition

    -really charming characters although cringy at some points

    -the amount of weapons you get actually surprised me i didn't expect so many to be honest

    -really funny jokes and a lot of pop culture references and a lot of Easter eggs to find

    -cool skins that don't reacquire in game purchases *ahem ahem*

    cons:

    -the combat is very clunky and weird

    -the movement and platforming is very bad most of my deaths were only because i was struggling with it

    -game felt way to short i finished it in like 4 hours

    -no skill tree what so ever so that vest arsenal of weapons felt kinda pointless because i could just spam the shotgun and that's that

    in conclusion pumpkin jack is a very cute indie game for the spooktober vibe yet it is a little pricey at the moment but i would still recommend it however only for a lower price
    so my final score to pumpkin jack is a 7.5 out of 10    … Full Review »
  3. SuperkenGaming
    Oct 25, 2020
    9
    Pumpkin Jack
    The jack of all trades
    Im just gonna start by saying go play this game, stop watching this review and just go buy it.. im that    Pumpkin Jack
    The jack of all trades
    Im just gonna start by saying go play this game, stop watching this review and just go buy it.. im that confident that you will absolutely love pumpkin jack.
    Pumkin jack is a 3d platformer pretty similar to the likes of medivel, but I actually like pumpkin jack much more as this feels like medivel meets uncharted to an extent.. sadly not necessarily in the story as this is the weakest part of pumpkin jack… a story of good and evil except youre on the evil side this time.. you’ve been hired by the devil to stop a wizard from saving all of humanity from the monster running around terrorizing them… sadly no voice acting or what id consider real cutscenes.. which isn’t necesrily a big deal, but I would’ve loved to hear the wise cracks my crow companion was making as id play rather than try to stop and read whoich is near impossible in more than handful or situations.. but this is pumkin jacks biggest sore thumb, the rest of this 5 hour journey is an absolute blast, linear 3d platforming style with secret bird skulls for you to collect and unlock other literal skins for jack, for example you can be a lumber jack, or samurai jack, bashing monsters with what starts as a shovel, but as you beat the games bosses youll unlock more weapons and each of these weapons getting progressively powerful and more fun to use, and this is what I feel makes pumpkin jack so special, it doesn’t allow thing to get stale and it doe so with fun, not over complicating progression, the game progressively gets harder while you get closer and close to god like power, but it always remains fun with great checkpoints, satisfying combat, an little set pieces here and there such as a mining kart roller coaster or riding a ghost horse.. mini games where youll be matching the rhythm of the mushrooms, or matching tomb stones, these are an appreciated break from the main game, however these are also where any frustration can set in.. I died a little over 30 times throughout me 5 hour journey, and id say that probably over 20 of thise deaths came at the hand of not tilting the right direction on the carts, getting smacking with too many boxes as I feel through a portal… and these didn’t feel like fun quick time frustrations, these moments felt cheap and annoying, I dreading the moments I had to jump and dodge on a cart.. mostly be casue these are decently lengthy sections with no checkpoints… but after they were done it was back to the fun.. Pumpkin Jack is such a pleasant surprise and is officially one of my favorite Halloween games. So full of character charm and whit, wonderful music, great cast of characters, I want a sequel like right now.
    I give Pumpkin Jack
    an 8.5/10    … Full Review »
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