Developer: 7Levels S.A.
Publisher: 7Levels S.A.
Platform: Switch
Tested on: Switch
Jet Kave Adventure – Review
Nintendo’s Switch has proven to be a great breeding grounds for a lot of (bad) indie releases. While this certainly shows the accessibility of the platform for developers, it also shows that there isn’t really any quality control present, as it seems that everyone is able to drop something on the store and ask for money. Nonetheless, sometimes a title pops up that grabs us by the horns and manages to intrigue us with early game footage. We noticed Jet Kave Adventure when it was still in development, and today we can finally present you with our opinion of the game.
Story
In Jet Kave Adventure, you’ll be playing as Kave, the chief of a tribe of cavemen, who is having a bad day. You get banished from your tribe for letting them down, by returning from a hunt with no food. Whilst you’re fending for yourself, you’ll come across a strange lifeform, who leaves a peculiar object behind. This will eventually become your jetpack, which allows you once again to pick up the pieces and be the very best chief you can be. Nonetheless, to prove yourself, you’ll have to chase the alien to see what he’s about to do.
Overall the story value of Jet Kave Adventure is actually quite nice for an indie platformer. At first, you won’t properly know what is going on, but the cutscenes are pleasantly handled and add a bit of background to what is going on. Overall, it’s a job well done in the story department.
Graphics
Graphically Jet Kave Adventure is a very good looking game. While the backdrops remain the same for many levels on end, the different sceneries, enemies, and obstacles prove to be interesting. The character models are a bit less qualitative than all the rest, but still, everything looks quite spiffy and colorful, making the game a joy to blast through. The game does not have any issues rendering in both handheld and docked mode, which is certainly a plus considering the frame drops certain other good-looking titles tend to have.
Sound
While the voice acting in the cutscenes is superb, the rest of the sound design isn’t all to spectacular. The sound effects do the trick, but they all sound a bit basic. It’s mostly the music that doesn’t sweep you off your feet. Don’t get us wrong, the music isn’t bad, it’s just not catchy enough to stick. You’ll get treated to tunes that fit the levels, but they aren’t unforgettable like they are in other bigger platformer titles. This somewhat feels like a missed opportunity because Jet Kave Adventure could have been a great first iteration of a bigger franchise, and having memorable music in this genre is one of the key factors of becoming a major hit.
Gameplay
Jet Kave Adventure is a 2D platformer with a few fun quirks. You’ll be playing as Kave, a caveman, who finds himself an alien jetpack. From here on out, you’ll be plowing through levels, all while using your wooden club, your sling for throwing rocks and the jetpack which has somewhat limited power. The jetpack will serve to give you speed boosts to bash through obstacles or as a sort of second jump which allows you to hover small distances. The latter is the replacement of a double-jump in this title and truth be told, in combination with the bashing ability of the jetpack, the formula works really well.
The game is pretty straightforward in what it does. You’ll be treated to a platformer that relies a lot on the usage of your jetpack and some combat sequences that allow you to use your club and sling. The game does spice things up from time to time, by adding sections in which you control a glider or have an overdrive function for your jetpack, allowing you to fly for a long period of time. These sections are a fun change of pace, but they don’t feel that finished compared to the rest of the game. The game also relies too much on doing the same thing over and over again. Every few levels an animal will chase you, and this feels exactly the same for all different animals. The same can be said about the boss fights, which all rely on the boss doing his moves, which make him dizzy, allowing you to strike.
When progressing through the game, you’ll collect shells that serve as currency. With these shells you can buy upgrades, allowing your jetpack to close bigger gaps, increasing your pouch for throwing rocks, making your club more powerful and so on. This gives a bit of incentive to keep playing and adds a nice touch to the formula.
The game does have a few problems with hit detection. When you get hit during a boss fight, for example, it’s possible that you can’t move out of the way immediately, which will damage you twice, or more, because there is no real period of ‘invulnerability’ after getting hit. This can cause some minor annoyances but overall isn’t a big deal.
Conclusion
Jet Kave Adventure is a very fun platformer that is found exclusively on the Switch (for the time being). The game has its own fun quirks and the story is quite amusing thanks to the setting of the game. While not everything is perfect and some mechanics are overused, the game does manage to set itself apart from other titles in the genre, and with the proper attention, love, and care, this game could spawn an amazing sequel. We enjoyed the game, and while the price isn’t too cheap for a game in the genre, we can still advise you to check out this title if you’re looking for a decent platformer.
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