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- Artists Entertainment
- Artists Entertainment
- Artists Entertainment
- Artists Entertainment
Zquirrels Jump
Released On: Nov 26, 2018
Metascore
Critic reviews are not available yet
8.3
All Platforms
tbd
Critic Reviews
tbd
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 User Ratings
8.3
80% Positive
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
10% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
10% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 10 User Ratings
8.3
80% Positive
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
10% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
10% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
The Zquirrels Jump is an arcade game with a super hard difficulty that can’t be changed. The player is supposed to „speedrun” every level in less than 15 seconds. Whole game contains 40 levels divided into 5 groups of 8, every group has its own art style and soundtrack. For completing a level player gets one to three stars, and if it's 3 stars then there's a reward in a form of a chest with customizable parachutes and skins. This game doesn't have a story to tell, but the player gets comics from time to time for completing new levels. It's a comedy relief and also the opportunity to learn more about goofy zquirrels. The main story arch is that zquirrels had overloaded a tree with peanuts and it has exploded. The limited time is the time after the explosion but before the peanuts hit the ground.
In Zquirrels Jumo you can also find a level editor, which is always nice and a leaderboard. The leaderboard has 10 places for best players with the best time for completing 40 levels. It also shows the player's current position and time if he has completed all the 40 levels.
The input in this game is insane, however, you can turn something called "Babymode" to change it to an easier one, but it still won't let the player get his own key binding. It may be a problem for casual players and it was for me for a while. I understand that this game requires this solution to make the player to learn rather than just let you play for yourself. Keeping in mind that there are only 10 visible places on the leaderboard the controls may be considered as a part of an experience. You will find yourself playing this game with both hands on the keyboard rather than mouse and keyboard and you probably will need some time for this transition.
Gameplay is simple but interesting. The goal is to obtain 3 peanuts in less than 15 seconds. However, there are death traps everywhere and it's just impossible to complete level on the first try. It's not because of bad time reaction to a new obstacle, the player has to do some recon and learn the level. In time the game will introduce you to new mechanics, it's happening every few levels. Most of the new "skills" are one use only for a level, like being fireproof for 1 second or traveling back in time, but there are also unlimited powers as a parachute and dashing. What I find very unusual is the fact that you can't complete a certain level on 3 stars without skill introduced in a next one. For a while just felt like I'm just not good enough but in one level game tells you that all the skills are available from the beginning and you could use them. It's a surprising twist in a game like this.
The graphics are astonishing. It's not a Cuphead but I didn't see such a beautiful game for this price in... I think I have never seen such a beautiful game for $2.99. All the Zquirrels are animated, a lot of traps and all the enemies are animated, there are 5 different biomes and event the audio changes. Sound effects are good and the colors are vibrant.
Overall the price to quality ratio is beyond my scale. It's 10/10 and you can't argue that the experience isn’t unique. If this game tries to show me the speedrunner's life, which it does, then I have to say I really feel like a speedrunner now. It might be frustrating but it's rewarding as hell. You invest your time in every level, you need your full attention and space in your brain to come up with a solution to a problem. You have limited abilities and you have to use them wisely or else you will have to start over and over again. But when you complete a level it's a big relief and joy because you made it by yourself in less than 15 seconds.
I truly recommend it to you because it's awesome quality for this price and it really shows the passion and love to the game industry.
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PC
It’s hardcore arcade game. And you will die alot. But don’t worry, you have to do every level in less than 15 seconds. YES, less than 15 seconds. You probably can finish this game in less than 10 minutes, but you won’t. No, you won’t. You will spend your precious 10 minutes just on level 10 wondering what the hell is going on. Then you will write a bad review on Steam. Then you will wonder why this tutorial guy tells you over and over about some skill that gives you immortality for 1 sec. Then you will find out that it’s not only immortality and it’s called astral for a reason. Then you will get one star on level 10. Then you will change your review on Steam to a positive one. And then there will be level 11. And you will loose your head and break your window because this game will make you angry. But relax, it’s all your fault. You now the rules, you have the tools to solve the probem. But you fail, miserably. And you die, and learn, and respawn, and repeat. And where you know everything about level 11, you go to level 12. And there is a new skill for you. And you learn it too. But you fail again. Because level 12 requires this stupid skill from level 8 that you thought would never be usefull. And you die. I don’t know what’s there next, cuz I decided to stop for a little bit and write a review here. So I guess you stop and write a review on metacritic to take a break. And you finish your review and try again n again. There’s a lot of ‘and’ in my review, but don’t worry, it’s the end.
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PC
Great game for old school arcade hardcores. It might be frustrating but in the end you loose only a few seconds. I like it very much and I really want to be on this leaderboard, becuse there is this leaderboard and everybody see 10 best speedruns. It’s not for a certain level but for the sum of 40 levels and it’s great. You figured out how to be smart on that one level? Great, but to be on the board you have to get better time overall. I like this, it’s like we are back in the 90 in a bar and tere is this flipper. And you know you want to be on the leaderboard.
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PC
I’ve played some „games for speedruners”, I don’t feel like one of them and usually it gets boring after a while. With Zquirrels it’s more than a while. Why? Because they (zquirrels) are frustrating as f*** but also rewards you so much. You get stars for levels. And usually a comics. And if you was good and get 3 stars then you get a chest. And we love chests, right? (especially when you don’t have to pay for them) There are customizable in chests. It’s great how game can be frustrating and pleasant at the same time. The humour is strange in a good way I guess. You might not like it but it won’t make you quit. Go and play it for yourself, it’s cheaper than a hot dog.
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PC
Graphics 4,5 /5 (Without postprocessing, you can turn it off in options)
Gameplay 5/5
Music 5/5
Sound effects 4/5
Price 5/5
It’s not a masterpiece, however it’s a really good, unique game with some of the best execution on the market. I don’t want to compare it with other games. Watch the trailer and grab it or leave it.
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PC
What do zquirrels jump do better? It surprises you even after its first half. There is always new skill around the corner. You thought it’s not posibble? It is, because you can use it other way. You think you had a good run? Nope. You can do better. You can always do better in this game.
To be honest, I thought this game is bugged. Twice. But it wasn’t, it works as intended and it was a true surprise for me. I don’t want to spoil it, but there happens weird stuff. Let’s say you have played this game for some time, like one evening. You know quite enough about this game. Nope. This game shows you how little you know. It teaches you that you are always on the top, that every object in the game is behind. But no! Let’s surprise you with a level where a lot of objects are placed between the player and the character, so when character is behind them you don’t see the character. Usually bouncy pillows are placed to help you, but sometimes… they are not. They just want to kill you like etery other thing. It’s a common thing, they want you dead. But some of them build your trust and not today, but tomorrow they will betray on you. You little, squishy, beatiful bouncy pillows… Why did you betray me? The game is frustrating as hell, because it’s not like a childish „HAHA I’m the game and I got you! You didn’t see this invisible spike that I spawned 0,00001 second before your reaction time”, no not like this. More like „Hey, meet Barry, He loves to read, he listens to Queen, and you can count in him. But you know... He is a good guy and everything but sometimes… Meh... Don’t think about it, have a good time with Barry.” AND THEN HE STABS YOU IN THE BACK. It may be frustrating but actually you had in your head that Barry (Barry is the bouncy pillow in this story) might hurt you. And that was ok, till he hurt you. But it’s not his fault, he couldn’t know that he will send you into some spikes or a bomb. He tries his best but you can not trust him again. This little arcade game is a deep adventure where you have to learn a lot and can’t get coocky, because even with your great reaction time this game will kill you.
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PC
Summary Why do Zquirrels Jump? Why do they risk their health and life? In the name and glory of the one and only true love. The love for peanuts! Join the Zquirrels, strap in and jump. You have only a few seconds before the nuts hit the ground. Make us proud, jump now!
Platforms:
- PC
Initial Release Date: Nov 26, 2018
Developer:
- Artists Entertainment
Publisher: Artists Entertainment
Genres: