Recent reviews by jonbjohns

This is like if the jackbox team was given the chance to make gloomhaven. Everything works so well compared to that video game adaption. There is so much of gloomhaven here it is amazing. Also as you do combat scenarios, individuals get flavor text on their phone depending on where they are in the map.

I'll warn those who have no idea what the above means. This is a co-op tactical game where actions each ally takes can help or hurt each other. There are growing pains as you learn exactly how your abilities work and how they can help you.

If you are looking for a new version of FF Crystal Chronicles, this isn't quite that game.

I think the game is mostly hit or miss storywise. At least for the positive the webcam controls worked for me as a person of color.
My negative is that I feel like there should've been more consideration to how the story can feel from other perspectives. While it can make some people sad, I was pretty much angry for the last half of the game and couldn't really appreciate what it was trying to do.

I am in love with this game and what it does. It isn't perfect though. It maybe minor to some, but the way that some audio lines are done is very harsh. Not in terms of delivery, but you'll notice things like talking on a microphone or yelling into a loud space is cut off harshly and doesn't sound natural because of it.

conceptually this is metal slug meets monster hunter. somehow the combination of both is more infuriating than either of those

As someone who has worked for multiple startups, the meta of this game is just *chefs kiss*. I was worried at first that the game is too easy and I would be done with it in about three hours, but it is just a ramp to get you ready for the main game.
I love this roguelike so much, taking all these elements from this old genre and making it this beautiful chaotic thing.

I'm really not a fan of how this game plays vs Man of Medan or Until Dawn. It seems like a good chunk of the QTEs and physical actions have no impact on the story, but it is the little choices that just resolves at the end where the personality check determines the end.
I feel like this offuscates it to the point where you are forced to replay it several times or read a guide to see the true ending. However, after playing it once, it is not worth the effort. Cyber David Bowie should feel ashamed of this work.

I'm fairly new to rhythm vr games. I've fallen out recently with Beat Saber and at the moment fell in love with Synth Riders.

I was originally attracted to the UI of Audio trip and felt like I should give it a go. However I fell off of it immediately.

There are two big differences between it and Synth Riders, one I've hinted at already.
1. UI. Synth Riders' UI is extremely simple compared to Audio trip. There is an extremely high polish to how Audio Trip looks. While in a song, it shows a path from note to note, making it easier for newbies to the game to follow what you have to do next. If you play a song in beginner, it does well to include a 3d model to show visually exactly what to do and also show a little flair.
2. Actions. The two games go different ways in what actions are supported in their songs.
In Synth Riders, there are colors denoting if you are supposed to use right/left/either/both hands. There are also trails that can optionally fail if you miss a note in the trail. There are optional configurations for force mode (requiring velocity for additional points instead of simply touching), among a slew of other configurations (accuracy, sudden death, smaller notes, ect)
In Audio Trip, there are notes you can touch, follow the trail, swipe, or slam.
Both have the concept of walls you have to avoid. However in Synth Riders, your hands can hit these walls (some songs embrace this) while in Audio Trip you have to completely avoid it (hands and head).

Issues:
1. Swipe vs Slam. This is probably different from others' perspective, but in the moment I cannot discern the difference between slam and swipe. This isn't in visual style, but in application of the action while playing. It is hard to explain in text, but both require velocity and a direction, but the slam is always downward.
2. Being tall. The game notes that it is supposed to actively work with your height, however it constantly gives me warnings that my hands are too far away if I do a full extension while in songs (for reference I'm 6'4").
3. Lack of content. I was willing to give it a go at $20, but didn't realize it was only 10 songs. The songs are mostly a miss for me and sorely miss the variety of stuff in Synth Riders.

It is a nice package, but these issues I've experienced, specifically the first two ruin the game for me.

I know, it is solitaire, but this game is great. The changes and power-ups added to the game make for a great game in similar vein as puzzle quest changed up match 3 games. I've 100% percent it, the asthetic is interesting, but does little for me. Dispite that, I loved this game and the experience it brought. Also the challenge of completing the achievements.

This is some good solitaire right here.

It claimed to be an homage to Mother, but isn't even close. It gets there with the asthetic of the battle system, but literally everything isn't even close. I buy a lot of games, often with as little info as possible to not spoil it. If I spent even a little time looking this up, I wouldn't have bought it. This is trash Suikoden, with trash Mother 2. Just don't

This is honestly the most fun I've had playing any of the jackbox packs besides getting it for free. The games in this pack are all very easy to play with little explanation to peers uninformed of this series. This was my biggest gripe with volume 2 as it required some additional knowledge of a few of the games before everyone jumped in (that or people in my group hated a large number of games in that collection.)

In this collection, the most played thus far has been Trivia Murder Party as it is mostly like You Don't Know Jack with some horror elements that are well thought out. The least played has been fakin' it. I don't consider fakin' it a bad game, but when playing with a new group and not everyone knows each other, it becomes super awkward. Themed episodes that have been in drawful 2 make a comeback in quiplash 2. Depending on the holiday, jackbox will tweet out codes to give out holiday themed episodes to play of quiplash 2. I dunno how long that feature will be active, but I got to try it out for halloween.

While Jackbox 2 wasn't that popular for me to use for parties, I feel like this one will get a lot more use this year.