Developer: Momo-pi
Publisher: SHUEISHA GAMES, Crunchyroll, Hitotsubashi Group
Platform: Switch, PC, iOS, Android, Xbox Series X|S
Tested on: Switch
Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions – Review
Another backlog title? Well, yes, but actually no. The subject of today’s review, Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions debuted on the Switch back in July of 2022, but only recently made the jump -pun intended- to Xbox Series X|S. Additionally, a physical deluxe version of Captain Velvet Meteor on Switch is coming in Q4 of 2024. As such, this title is likely going to be top-of-mind for many players. This makes for the perfect opportunity to take a look at the adventures of the Captain and his rag-tag band of Shonen Jump+ guest characters (hence the Jump+ in the title). Whether you’ve been eyeing up the adventures of the Captain for a while now, or this is your first time hearing of it, read on to find out all you need to know about Captain Velvet Meteor.
Story
There are two layers to Captain Velvet Meteor’s story. The more prominent one focuses on the titular Captain Velvet Meteor, a superhero traveling through the galaxy in his trusty spaceship. With the assistance of his trusty robot companion Jay-P, Captain Velvet Meteor visits various planets where he faces off against space monsters. On each planet, he also runs into a companion who aids him in exploring the planet and defeating the source of the space monsters in an epic boss battle. Each of these adventures is presented as a self-contained episode and doesn’t just involve space battles. Captain Velvet Meteor also always learns something new at the behest of his companion.
The second layer of Captain Velvet Meteor zooms out to reveal that the space adventures are in fact all happening in the imagination of a young boy, Damien. His family recently moved from France to Japan, and the introverted Damien is trying to adjust to his new life. He has a list of chores that he has to take care of, and each chore leads to one of Captain Velvet Meteor’s adventures, whether it’s dealing with a spider in the bathroom when he has to brush his teeth or having to eat a particularly odd-looking breakfast. Elements of Captain Velvet Meteor’s adventures are found in the real world: Jay-P is actually the family’s Roomba, and each companion is a character from the manga that Damien likes to read. Of note is that these characters hail from real-life Shonen Jump+ manga, with the guest character that is perhaps best known being SPY X FAMILY’s Loid Forger. This adds an extra layer for anyone familiar with these guest stars, but if you’re unfamiliar with them, don’t worry, as you don’t need to know anything about the cast to be able to follow the story.
Graphics
There are several different art styles present here, and not just because of the aesthetic differences between the various guest characters. The story is told through the eyes of Damien, and as such, parts of the game are depicted as his drawings, for example. Most of the game uses a simple hand-drawn art style, however, with some of the more dramatic attack effects and dialogue scenes instead relying on manga art. It’s a mix of styles that works surprisingly well, although we did feel some of the animations were a bit too simple and we really would have loved more enemy variety.
Sound
Given that most of the manga that the guests are from have been adapted into anime series as well, it stands to reason to expect that there would be voice acting in Captain Velvet Meteor. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case here. The soundtrack does make up for this, as it sounds suitably epic for the kind of space adventures you’d expect to happen in the fantasy of a ten-year-old boy. Likewise, the sound effects definitely have some oomph to them, and add depth to the on-screen action.
Gameplay
Just like with the story, there are two layers to Captain Velvet Meteor’s gameplay. While playing as Damien, the game presents itself as a simple point-and-click adventure, where you explore Damien’s house. There is a handy checklist of tasks that Damien needs to do, and these can be tackled in any order. These typically lead to one of Captain Velvet Meteor’s adventures, of course. Additionally, there are stickers hidden around the house, and one of the game’s side quests is to complete Damien’s sticker collection. The point-and-click aspect of the game is simple and serves as little more than a framework to tie everything together, but it works well enough.
Where Captain Velvet Meteor truly shines is in its turn-based battles, which see the Captain team up with his companions. Each adventure consists of a series of levels, with varying objectives like defeating all enemies, escaping before a bomb explodes, or facing off against a boss. Players take control of both the Captain and that adventure’s companion, and each companion has their own specific set of attacks. Gabimaru, for example, uses flame-based attacks, whereas Ushio Kufone can teleport through shadows and sneak up on enemies. Each of these attacks is powerful in its own right, but the real key to success lies in teaming up with the Captain, through positioning. When standing next to one another, the Captain and his companion can launch a blue attack, which doesn’t do a whole lot of damage to bigger monsters but clears parts of the battlefield of the weakest monster type as well as specific obstacles. Alternatively, by beating enemies and picking up yellow orbs, a gauge is filled, which lets the Captain and his companion unleash a powerful attack that does massive damage.
With only two units on the battlefield and only a limited set of attacks at any given time, Captain Velvet Meteor isn’t the most tactically challenging game, making it feel like a very watered-down version of Disgaea. Powerful enemy attacks are telegraphed beforehand and can easily be avoided, and any damage you take from basic enemies is easily mitigated as you restore HP by killing things. The few times where we didn’t beat a level on the first try were either because time ran out in a bomb escape level or where basic enemies swarmed us, but with some planning, both of these instances were easily overcome. However, the fast-paced gameplay is fun and satisfying, and playing a turn-based strategy that didn’t require a lot of planning meant that we could enjoy our time with Captain Velvet Meteor in a stress-free manner. Likewise, if you’ve been thinking of getting into the genre but Fire Emblem feels too daunting, then Captain Velvet Meteor is an exceptionally good entry point.
Clocking in at around 10 hours, Captain Velvet Meteor isn’t a particularly long game, and it boasts very little replay value beyond returning to gather any collectibles you may have missed, like missing stickers. Even so, some of the Captain’s adventures feel a bit drawn out, like the planet that is stuck in a time loop and where you need to replay levels over and over again, inching forward with every clear, or the boss battle on the jungle planet, which takes upwards of 20 minutes. Despite the overall short length, there are times when Captain Velvet Meteor seems like it’s padding things to stretch for time. The developers probably wanted to add perceived value to justify the €24.99 asking price, and while we don’t feel that Captain Velvet Meteor is overpriced and that it’s a good little game for what it wants to be, we would’ve preferred a shorter but more focused version of the game.
Conclusion
Although Captain Velvet Meteor isn’t the most challenging or deep game, there still is a lot to enjoy here. The principal cast is very likable, whether you already know them or not. While we wouldn’t have minded a more challenging version of the turn-based battles, they are very accessible and should be a hit with anyone looking to dip their toe into the genre. Add the fantastic soundtrack and great visuals, and you’ve got a game that delivers a complex-free good time, with a lot of heart.
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