Jack Move
A turn-based RPG with strategic elemental combat and a 2D-inspired visual style.
Jack Move is a single-player turn-based role-playing video game developed by So Romantic and published by HypeTrain Digital. Released in 2022 for macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, the game is notable for its combat system based on the strategic use of three different elements and its visual style, which uses 3D environments and forced perspective to create the illusion of a 2D overworld.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Jack Move
- Developer
- So Romantic
- Publisher
- HypeTrain Digital
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- macOS · Windows · Nintendo Switch · PlayStation 4 · Xbox One
- Released
- macOS, Windows · September 8, 2022 · Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One · September 20, 2022
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player
- Programmer
- Edd Parris
- Writer
- Amalie Kae
- Artist
- Joe Williamson
- Composer
- Charlie Fieber
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Development of Jack Move began in 2012 with the creation of its battle system. The game was built using the Unity game engine, employing 3D environments combined with forced perspective, video post-processing, and other artistic techniques to simulate a 2D overworld. The developers cited Golden Sun, the Final Fantasy series, and elements of the film Hackers as influences. A public demo was released on Steam during the 2021 Steam Summer Festival, and an animated trailer followed in August 2022. The Windows and macOS versions launched on September 8, 2022, with console versions for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One arriving on September 20, 2022.
Reader's Guide
Jack Move received generally favorable reviews from critics, as aggregated on Metacritic based on five reviews. Several reviewers noted the game's impactful nature despite its short length. The game's development spanned a decade from its initial battle system work in 2012 to its full release in 2022, reflecting a long-term independent project. Its visual technique of using 3D environments to mimic a 2D overworld, along with its elemental combat system, distinguished it among turn-based RPGs of the early 2020s. The game's release across multiple platforms—PC, macOS, and three consoles—broadened its accessibility. Its influences from classic RPGs like Golden Sun and Final Fantasy, combined with a cyberpunk aesthetic drawn from the film Hackers, positioned it as a homage to both retro gaming and hacker culture.
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