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Jump Force, the ambitious crossover fighting game from Bandai Namco, promised to unite the vibrant world of Shonen Jump manga and anime into a single, spectacular brawl. The game boasts a massive roster featuring iconic characters from beloved series like Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu Yu Hakusho, My Hero Academia, and Bleach. While the premise is undeniably exciting, the execution unfortunately falls short, leaving players with a hollow experience.

A Disjointed Narrative and Repetitive Gameplay

Jump Force

Jump Force thrusts players into a chaotic real-world setting where Shonen Jump characters have inexplicably crossed over. Under the influence of the villainous Kane, these powerful figures wreak havoc, and the player, a bystander caught in the crossfire, is recruited into the Jump Force to restore order. After character creation and choosing a fighting style based on Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Naruto, the game’s story unfolds within a large, multi-tiered hub world.

Navigation within this hub is frustratingly unclear. The lack of a comprehensive map and the random triggering of cutscenes disrupts the flow and leaves players feeling lost. Missions are presented in a similarly haphazard manner, often requiring repetitive battles against generic Venom enemies before progressing to confrontations with actual manga characters. These Venom enemies are remarkably uninspired, sharing repetitive movesets and appearances cloned from Sanji and Frieza.

The narrative itself is shallow and predictable. The player aids heroes in breaking free from Kane’s control and thwarts his plans through a series of repetitive tasks. The story lacks depth and fails to capitalize on the rich lore of the represented franchises. Character interactions are equally disappointing. While the core trio of Dragon Ball, Naruto, and One Piece characters retain their personalities, other characters suffer from inconsistent portrayals and awkward dialogue. Cutscenes are poorly executed, with stiff animations, emotionless faces, and lip movements that often don’t match the spoken dialogue.

Technical Issues and Lackluster Combat

Jump Force

Jump Force features a simplified 3v3 fighting system where players control one character at a time, switching between their team or calling in assists. While accessible for newcomers, the combat quickly becomes repetitive. Combos are achieved through button mashing, with limited strategic depth. Special abilities offer some variety, but the overall gameplay lacks the nuance and complexity of dedicated fighting games.

Technical issues further detract from the experience. Frequent loading screens with excessively long load times interrupt the flow, even for simple actions like accessing the in-game shop. Frame rate drops are common, especially during cutscenes and, ironically, loading screens. The overuse of motion blur adds another layer of frustration, blurring character movements to a distracting degree without an option to disable it.

A Missed Opportunity

Jump Force

Jump Force had the potential to be a dream crossover for Shonen Jump fans. However, its disjointed narrative, repetitive gameplay, technical issues, and lackluster character portrayals ultimately deliver a disappointing experience. The game’s simplified combat and shallow story fail to capture the depth and excitement of the source material, leaving players with a forgettable adventure.

Conclusion

While the roster of iconic characters initially draws players in, Jump Force fails to deliver on its promise of a truly engaging crossover experience. The game’s flaws overshadow its strengths, resulting in a shallow and ultimately unsatisfying journey through the Shonen Jump universe. While the core concept holds potential, the execution leaves much to be desired.