This week during PAX Online, publishing company Headup Games featured a 3D platformer titled Pumpkin Jack, developed by Nicolas Meyssonnier. The spooky setting and Jack himself, the Mythical Pumpkin Lord, was enough to pique my interest. Ahead of its official Q4 2020 release on PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, a Steam demo was made available. While I will be reviewing the full game next month, here are initial thoughts based on the demo.
Players take on the role of Jack, a soul plucked from hell and put into a body which has a flaming pumpkin for a head. The Devil needs Jack to do his bidding in a land ravaged by evil already, to take down a wizard fighting against him. Along the way, meet companions and mindless enemies, which were also sent by the Devil but see Jack as human, and try to take him down.
During the demo, Jack is given one companion, a sarcastic crow, which helps take down enemies from afar. As he travels through the land, Jack must jump, climb, and find his way around obstacles and barns. There are relics to collect, puzzles to complete, and checkpoints along the way which allow Jack to go back to full strength and save.
As the demo was played on Steam, the game responds smoothly to keyboard and mouse controls, and there was only one bug to be found. I tabbed out of the game for a moment and when I went back, the demo froze and needed to be shut down and relaunched. I attempted to replicate the issue a few more times, and found that it worked just fine. Considering this is a game demo, it definitely isn’t a deal breaker.
The colorful world in which Jack explores looks as if it has been ripped from a vivid comic book. The purples, oranges, blues, reds, and greens are stunning, adding quite a bit to the player experience and richness of the game. Jack himself has a fantastic look, as did the boss at the end of the demo– a flying, flame-shooting scarecrow.
For anyone getting in the Halloween spirit, Pumpkin Jack will be a visual treat. The 3D platforming gameplay is fun, easy to master, and even a bit addicting. Check out the demo on the Steam page, and stay tuned for my full review!
RELATED: The Best Video Games Featured at Sony’s PS5 Event
