Alright, stop.
Collaborate and listen. ToeJam and Earl are back with a brand new mission.
Upon hearing that HumaNature Studios were working on a fourth game in the ToeJam and Earl series my old school heart almost exploded. ToeJam and Earl was a giant part of my childhood and a game that I sank way too many hours into. So, working on a ToeJam and Earl review is a dream come true for me.
It was 1991, I was nine years old and constantly getting it trouble for getting out of bed to play the original when I should have been asleep. And now I have ToeJam and Earl Back in the Groove to show to my kids and point out how good they have it.
ToeJam and Earl Review
It’s amazing how the gameplay in games has changed so much.
Back in the 90s, a story could be lacking or non-existent was a phenomenal feeling just to play a new game. The now retro graphics those classic games by today’s standards, suck. It was the though and those games were all we had to play.
HumaNature has shown here an almost perfect recreation of ToeJam and Earl. A perfect meshing of sprite-based graphics and today’s 3D visuals. Every aspect of the game’s graphics have had an upgrade but keep the 90s vibe alive.
ToeJam and Earl Review their Options
ToeJam and Earl Back in the Groove opens with a quick introduction of Toejam and Earl and some lady friends they are showing off for. It was a great old moment and punches the nostalgia button way hard.
The sounds and music used here sound like they have been lifted straight from the original. This really helps to frame an already well-presented scene. A new thing added in here to make it rip forward in time is an actual voice.
The voice acting is well done and adds a depth to the characters not previously obtainable. The comedy – and 90s acting – if you can call it that is bang on point and deliberately eye rolling. Kicking into the game you have the option of controlling a multitude of characters. All of these have different abilities and stats and gaining experience throughout the levels will help you upgrade your characters.
Totally Mondo Dude
The old isometric exploration game that was ToeJam and Earl is ever so present with only some of the more annoying mechanics changed.
You now swim in water as opposed to disappearing under the water blowing bubbles and it’s so much quicker getting in and out of the water. Collecting presents to give your self, buffs or at times de-buffs is still the driving force of your quest.
You still need to find all the missing parts of your spaceship so you can once again leave earth. The playstyle is so much like the original, I found playing at certain points a little frustrating as you would fall off of tight paths even when you think you should have been safe.
Although HumaNature has done such a phenomenal job at creating a sequel to one of my most memorable childhood games, The style of game really hasn’t aged very well. The gameplay is still very old school and feels lacking by today’s standards.
This is, however, a retro gamers dream. Sadly many other people will think it’s a tad lacklustre or somewhat repetitive. The new features and updates just miss the mark to carry the rest of what is one of the best attempts at bringing the 90s into the current time.
ToeJam and Earl Back in the Groove was reviewed on PS4 using a digital code provided by the developer.
PowerUp! Reviews
Game Title: ToeJam & Earl Back in the Groove
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Nostalgia Everywhere - 8/108/10
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Accurate Remake - 7/107/10
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Didn't Age Well - 6/106/10
