In combat, you’re allowed to pick three different fighters, with your first pick being your “main” fighter. Each team relates to that specific character with Alpha adopting more direct fighting, Beta offering a “pirate” style, and Gamma taking you down the ninja path. There’s Team Alpha fronted by Goku, Team Beta fronted by Luffy, and Team Gamma fronted by Naruto. For example, you’re given the option to pick between three fighting styles at the beginning of the game, with each one represented by a different protagonist. This makes sense in the grand scheme of things, with Jump Force placing an emphasis on collective teamwork. The combat in Jump Force was a bit of a surprise in that it’s a 3v3 brawler rather than an intimate, one-on-one battle. C-C-Combat Breaker Jump Force promises a fighting game, and it delivers. It’s nothing remarkable, though it does make a hell of an effort in its attempt to mesh a variety of different worlds and concepts together.

As a whole, the story feels like light anime fare, stripped down in parts in order to appeal to a broader audience. However, we do wish the ones included were a bit more fleshed out. Being a “Shonen” game, we didn’t necessarily mind the lack of female fighters. Of the four, Galena is certainly the most interesting, even though she lacks complexity. These new characters include Navigator, a cute little helper robot Glover, a wise mentor Galena, a sinister green villain and Kane, who's like an amalgamation of every signature Toriyama villain in one. Outside of familiar Shonen Jump staples, there are four new characters to get acquainted with, all designed by Akira Toriyama. You’re also given the ability to create your very own custom character at the start who, no matter how well you design them, seems woefully out of place when standing next to characters like Goku, Naruto, or Luffy. Many of the Jump Force characters are available right from the start, though others you need to unlock through the campaign itself (sort of like Super Smash Bros. While not immediately challenging or intimidating, things do ramp up towards the end. The main story campaign of Jump Force is short and comprised largely of action cutscenes and fight sequences. Standard Shonen Saga While uninspired, the story does its best at demystifying the Jump Force concept. Is it playable and enjoyable? Most definitely. Is Jump Force game of the year material? Not really, no. One that made the baffling, yet oddly respectable decision to test out a more realistic art style. It’s a fighting game with every notable Shonen Jump character you can imagine. The concept behind Jump Force is undeniably interesting. At least, that’s what the experience was like for me. It’s like when you eat something outside of your comfort zone it’s not immediately satisfying, but piques your interest enough that you finish everything on your plate. As a game, Jump Force is an acquired taste.

Omae wa mou