Pumpkin Jack Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 13 Ratings

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  • Summary: Pumpkin Jack is a Spooky Scary 3D platformer in which you embody Jack, the Mythical Pumpkin Lord! Dive into an Epic Adventure through otherworldly landscapes and help the Evil annihilate the Good!
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Nov 17, 2020
    95
    Pumpkin Jack is a great looking game, a great playing game, and a well written game. It should not be skipped in the slightest. The Halloween aesthetic may seem out of season now, but don’t let it fool you, this game is enjoyable at any time; the minions of hell rising up to destroy humanity truly is a timeless tale. The end credits show the development and love Nicolas poured into this game, and all of that can be found in the final product. I really hope this isn’t the last we see of Jack.
  2. Dec 9, 2020
    91
    Pumpkin Jack is an excellent 3D platformer that’s well worth your time, whether you’re playing it at Halloween or any other time of the year.
  3. Oct 22, 2020
    90
    Pumpkin Jack is both timely and welcome on Xbox One. As a Halloween-themed action platformer, it fills a niche and void nicely and delivers a brilliant adventure in its own right. From its great pacing, solid gameplay, and consistently engaging design with only a few minor annoyances, this is one spooky adventure that can potentially achieve cult status.
  4. Oct 22, 2020
    80
    Pumpkin Jack is both a love letter to years of 3D platformers and one of the most timely releases of 2020, delivering a great family-friendly adventure just in time for Halloween.
  5. Nov 8, 2020
    77
    A complete 3D platform that will surprise you if you give it a chance.
  6. Nov 8, 2021
    75
    Overall, if you’re after a classic platformer that harkens back to the good old days of platforming past, then Pumpkin Jack is certain to bring you some joy. The story may not be one I, or anyone else, will be telling their children about (as I did with Crash Bandicoot as if it were a true story) but it’s not a totally inept offering either, and if you simply want something that can return that nostalgic charm, and some Halloween festivities, then there are many worse options you could choose than a shot with Pumpkin Jack.
  7. Oct 22, 2020
    70
    When you go trick-or-treating, you don't come back 100 percent with candy you love. There's some bleh stuff mixed in, stuff that you put up with to get to the candy you can't wait to eat. That's a perfect analog for Pumpkin Jack. You'll push past parts of it because this mascot platformer has some really great qualities. And, when viewed as a whole, a bucket full of candy ain't so bad.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. Oct 29, 2020
    10
    Awesome Game.
    Awesome vibe from 90's
    Great feelings after playing this masterpiece.
    This game will 100% bring you back in your childhood
  2. Jul 26, 2021
    10
    is good. very good. best platformer of 2020 i'd say. i didnt play many. but i did play... none of the other ones i think oops
  3. 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
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  4. Nov 18, 2020
    9
    One of the best indie games of 2020.
    Contains all of the vibes from 90's original PlayStation platform games.
    It has a great art style and
    One of the best indie games of 2020.
    Contains all of the vibes from 90's original PlayStation platform games.
    It has a great art style and gorgeous music and pretty awesome boss fights
    It almost deserved a 10 but some errors, lack of replayability and a small move set or weapon variety substract points for it to reach perfection It's a pretty amazing game done only by one person which it makes it even more amazing
    Kudos to Nicolas Meyssonnier!
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  5. Oct 27, 2020
    8
    Its a very good homemade game, for 3 - 4 evenin, but has some optimization issues in some places.
  6. Nov 3, 2020
    5
    Playing the "nostalgy" card loud and clear, Pumpkin Jack fails to hide its many flows:
    - highly repetitive
    - recipe type of game (every
    Playing the "nostalgy" card loud and clear, Pumpkin Jack fails to hide its many flows:
    - highly repetitive
    - recipe type of game (every single environment is split the exact same way systematically offering two annoying "races" and "head" minigames, then a boss with 3 layers to it.)
    - slipery controls
    - not original one bit
    The only thing that saves it is it's artistic direction that will appeal to those who enjoyed platformers in the late 90s.
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