PLOT: Hetero lifemates Jay and Silent Bob embark on a Streets of Rage-like beat ’em up through iconic locations in the View Askewniverse.
REVIEW: If you’re a diehard fan of Kevin Smith‘s collection of movies, there’s a chance you grew up during the heady days of roller rinks and bowling alleys with respectable arcades, pumping quarters into games like Double Dragon, Streets of Rage 2, and Pit Fighter. If you just cracked a smile at the mention of those classic beat ’em ups, chances are you’ll dig Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch.
Developed by Interbang Entertainment and published by Atari and Digital Eclipse, Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch is a fun, Easter egg-filled tour through Smith’s View Askewniverse, complete with recognizable locations, classic characters, and expletive-filled one-liners that harken back to some of the dynamic duo’s most hilarious misadventures.
Much like Jay and Silent Bob are wont to do, the game finds the mischief-making duo wandering from one iconic location to the next, including View Askewniverse hangouts like the Quick Stop Groceries from Clerks, the Eden Prairie Center from Mallrats, Mooby’s, and more. Each level packs more nods to Smith’s movies than a bong overflowing with dank nugs, ranging from obvious Easter eggs to obscure ones that only longtime fans of Smith’s work will catch. I played through the game with my wife, who’s also a fan of Smith’s movies, and we kept pointing out gags and homages throughout.
Of course, a beat ’em up lives and dies by its combat. While it’s fun to beat the snot out of enemies like hockey brats, social media-addicted kids, hipsters with sentient beards, buxom revolutionaries, shit demons, bodybuilders with pretzel heads, woefully inadequate security guards, and more, the combat quickly left me wanting, or feeling frustrated by the game’s sticky controls. I played through most of the game as Jay, while my wife played using Silent Bob. In addition to light and heavy attacks, the game features a combo system that feels more random than organized chaos. I never got the button patterns down to pull off a specific move when desired, but that could be my failing, not the game’s.
I say “most of the game” because we did encounter a few game-breaking bugs that impeded our progress at the 77% mark. While this aspect of my experience was distressing, Interbang has informed me that a patch is forthcoming that addresses known issues plaguing the game. I’m glad to hear they’re working on a fix, because, as is, the game is unplayable partway through the Food Court level. That said, I used to test games for Acclaim Entertainment before joining up with JoBlo, and I understand that things happen, and the bug is a priority for the team. I’m also playing the game ahead of release, so I’ll look past the issue for now.
I really dig the game’s overall art style. Jay, Silent Bob, and all the characters look like they jumped out of a comic book, and the levels pack enough surprises to keep you feeling like Leonardo DiCaprio in that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood meme. You know the one. Adding to the fun is a buddy system that finds you earning assists from View Askewniverse characters like Dante, Randall, Brody, Cock Knocker, and my personal favorite, Buddy Christ, who blesses your characters back to full health when summoned. There are more assist characters, but we did not get to see them after being forced to put the game aside. I’m also disappointed by a lack of online play, but the couch co-op makes up for the omission by letting you conquer the game while sitting side-by-side with a friend or loved one. When you’re not playing with another flesh-and-blood player, you can swap between Jay and Silent Bob for more gameplay variety.
Despite some frustrating roadblocks, I was having plenty of fun with Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch. At just $20 for the experience, the game more than delivers on its premise. It’s Jay and Silent Bob (along with some friends), wreaking havoc across the View Askewniverse with sweet power-ups, entertaining combat-related barks, stylish artwork, creative enemy types, and no shortage of references to games that helped put the beat ’em up genre on the map, like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (that Pizza Monster in the suspension tank did not escape me, nice touch), Castle Crashers, The Simpsons, and River City Girls. The combat is slightly stiff (I’ve played far worse), and the combo system is tough to nail down. However, the game is colorful and entertaining, yet never ventures outside its lane. I can’t imagine anyone knowing what they’re in for, walking away from the experience disappointed. If you’re a View Askewniverse fan, Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch will have you feeling like you’ve taken a few hits from the bong. If you’re a casual beat ’em up enthusiast, there’s still plenty here for $20 worth of fun with an uncomplicated brawl in the mall and beyond.