Controlled chaos is the most important thing in shoot ’em ups, especially bullet hell games. The experience is all about endless waves of enemies and making decisions in a split second, with screens full of projectiles that need your full attention.
Inspired by Modern Hits and Indie Success
There have been some great games in this genre in the past few years, from big-name releases like Returnal to indie hits like NeverAwake. Jackal, the newest indie game, clearly knows how to make this formula work. Even though it doesn’t last long, it has the best parts of the genre thanks to its bold, neon-drenched look that is inspired by the trippy 1970s. The game doesn’t play it safe very often; it fully embraces who it is.
A Vision That Doesn’t Always Land Perfectly
That goal doesn’t always work out perfectly. Some mechanics seem well thought out, while others don’t seem to be fully developed. Still, the whole thing is a high-energy, chaotic experience that fully commits to its vision, for better or worse.
Story Setup: A Drug-Fueled Rampage
Jackal has a story that ties everything together, but the main draw is the gameplay. There are cutscenes between raids that tell the story. The story is meant to be crazy, with a drug-fueled, superpowered hitman going on a rampage through casino hotels to break up the Las Vegas mob.
Anubis as Your Guide
Anubis, the Egyptian god of the dead, is your guide and a surprisingly calm companion. He often tells the main character to stay focused, especially when a beautiful blonde woman comes into the story halfway through. The goal is clear: get rid of targets, not distractions, and the game stays focused on that.
Predictable Narrative, Strong Gameplay Focus
The story itself follows familiar beats, and most players will see the twist coming. In the end, it just adds to the background of what really matters: the gameplay from moment to moment.
Procedurally Generated Combat Arenas
Jackal drops players into procedurally generated arenas where they have to fight waves of enemies armed with everything from knives to automatic weapons. The game is shown from a top-down view. You move forward by clearing each area, which keeps the game going.
Core Combat Mechanics and Environmental Interaction
A flexible and satisfying move set is at the heart of combat. You can stun enemies by kicking doors into them and then finishing them off. Basic kicks are the building blocks. You can slide heavy things like desks and casino tables across rooms to crush enemies against walls, which is a big part of how the environment works. The system is easy to understand, but it is also smartly designed, which encourages players to think outside the box in each fight.
Diverse Melee Weapons for Close Combat
There are many melee weapons that can be used in hand-to-hand combat, and each one has its own set of features. Many people feel like they are being overpowered on purpose, and some tools that you wouldn’t expect to work well, like a billiard cue, do.
Firearms Variety Keeps Gameplay Fresh
Firearms are also very important, and they can be anything from pistols and machine guns to shotgun-style weapons. Each one is different, and when you add in procedural level design, no two runs feel the same.
Customization and Replayability Options
Customization options make the game even more replayable. Players can change how the game works by rerolling dungeon layouts after they die and changing modifiers. Options like turning off reloading, randomizing levels, or only allowing kills with finishers add variety and make the game last longer. It’s clear that the developers thought about how to keep the game interesting over time.
Missing Steam Achievements Feels Like a Gap
One thing that stands out is that there are no Steam achievements. This seems like a missed chance to add more challenges, given how creative and flexible the game is.
Creativity Peaks Late in the Campaign
As the campaign goes on, though, Jackal starts to run out of ideas. Ironically, some of the game’s most creative parts happen near the end, just before it ends.
Memorable One-Off Levels and Missed Potential
One great example is the rooftop level, where being in the wrong place can make you fall to your death. It has a lot of tension and is one of a kind, but it only happens once. Another memorable part is hunting aggressive tigers on a casino floor, but this is also only for one level before the game goes back to its usual patterns.
Destruction and Chaos Enhance Gameplay
This is disappointing because Jackal’s experiments usually work. Controls stay tight the whole time, and the environments are very interactive. When you fight, doors can be broken, furniture can break under pressure, and most rooms quickly turn into ruins.
Increasing Difficulty and Repetitive Raid Structure
This destruction, along with big splashes of blood, adds to the chaos and makes the game feel even more frantic. Jackal is at its best when it seems like everything is about to fall apart.
But in terms of structure, a lot of raids follow a set pattern. In later stages, things often get worse when reinforcements flood areas and aggressively track your position. This mechanic works well at first, but it gets old quickly and becomes more annoying than fun.
God-Powers System and Its Limitations
After reaching certain kill milestones, Anubis gives players “God-powers” that make combat even better. Some of these one-time powers are slowing down time, confusing enemies, teleporting, or speeding up movement.
Lack of Depth in Power Mechanics
These powers are helpful, but they don’t have much depth. There isn’t enough variety, and the encounters don’t change in ways that matter very often. A risk-reward system could have made them more fun. For example, they could have slowed down time in exchange for speeding up enemies for a short time.
Overpowered Abilities Dominate Gameplay
In practice, powers like teleportation and slowing down time quickly become the best options. They are often the easiest ways to get away when things get out of hand.
Inconsistent Enemy AI Behavior
Another thing that isn’t clear is the enemy AI. Sometimes, opponents get stuck in doorways, lose track of the player, or can’t aim well. Sometimes they just walk around the hallways without trying to attack in a coordinated way. Most of the time, enemies either rush at you or shoot at you from a distance.
Visual Style and Soundtrack Excellence
This isn’t a big deal in a game that moves quickly, but it does make things a little easier sometimes.
Jackal looks great. The neon-soaked style is unique, but some of the distorted effects during cutscenes can be annoying. The game’s great soundtrack makes up for these small problems.
Final Verdict: Stylish Chaos Worth Experiencing
The music, which mixes neo-noir sounds with sharp guitar riffs and acid-jazz influences, makes the whole experience much better and makes each encounter more intense.
Jackal probably won’t change the top-down shooter genre or be better than classics like Hotline Miami. But it gives you a thrilling, unapologetically stylish experience that fully embraces its chaotic nature. It would have been better with a longer campaign and more advanced power systems, but what’s here is good enough to recommend to fans of the genre.