Gaming

Jump Force’s Cut Scene Animations Are So Bad They’re Good

This is... really something.

by Amanda Yeo  19 February 2019
Jump Force

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Fighting game Jump Force was released last week, giving players the power to create the greatest anime face-offs of their childhood daydreams. Unfortunately, the game’s cut scenes look less like Akira and more like My First Animation Project.

Developed by Spike Chunsoft, Jump Force‘s roster is made up of characters from popular manga serialised in Weekly Shōnen Jump. This lineup of all stars means players can pit Dragon Ball‘s Goku against Bleach‘s Ichigo, Yu-Gi-Oh!‘s Yugi against One Piece‘s Luffy, or Rurouni Kenshin‘s Kenshin against Naruto‘s Naruto.

This list of names would excite any anime fan. However, if 2003’s Movie 43 taught us anything, it’s that a star-studded cast does not guarantee a quality piece of entertainment. And it seems as though Jump Force is no exception.

In-game footage began spreading online before Jump Force‘s official launch, as players who pre-purchased the game’s Ultimate Edition were given early access. One of the most widely-shared clips was of Dragon Ball villain Frieza doing the Mannequin Challenge as he levitated into the sky.

When I first saw these clips, I thought at least some had to be exaggerated fan animations. Sadly, it has since become apparent that they were not.

Jump Force‘s cutscenes are its most glaring transgression, but they aren’t the only aspect of the game that has drawn criticism. Though some eternal optimists have dug into the game, finding the fun where they can, far more disappointed fans have been tearing it apart.

Both players and critics have reported unbalanced fighters, lack of gameplay modes, long loading times, a poor story and lacklustre writing. Some of the gameplay animation has also raised eyebrows.

It’s a massive letdown to the many anime fans who had been looking forward to seeing how a card game player holds up against a literal god of death.

But, credit where credit is due, at least nobody can say Jump Force hasn’t provided some entertainment.

Jump Force is available on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, just in case you wanted to pay $80-108 to witness these animations in their natural habitat.