Jumanji: Wild Adventures

When you take a second to think about it, Jumanji is quite the odd product nowadays. Primarily a movie franchise, but based on the idea of people getting transported into a video game, it almost seems like it's working backwards. Luckily, this makes it pretty perfect for a video game adaptation. Outright Games has created Jumanji: The Video Game previously, a third-person adventure with traps, wild beasts, and more.

Jumanji: Wild Adventures is largely similar, except for the fact that this time we're seeing more of a top-down perspective, focused on beat-em-up action as you take on one of the four main characters from the movies, each with their own moveset and unique power-ups. This genre seems much more suited to the Jumanji IP, in my opinion, and it also allows for some fun platforming sections as well as just beating up baboons, mercenaries, and more.

In co-op, this game is a lot of fun. Perfect for the family to gather round and simple enough for anyone to pick up. The tutorial throws you straight in against a giant octopus and has you learn the controls during the boss fight. From there, you're able to venture around the world map in your own 4x4, which lets you drive from level to level in the game's varied environments. There's a lot of variety in the levels and gameplay here. One minute you're in a fight for your life against a tiger, and another you have to dash through a trap-filled temple as quickly as possible. Replaying each level is heavily encouraged so you can beat the challenges and get 3 stars, which again adds another level of depth to the gameplay. It's simple, as mentioned, but that enhances the fun, meaning practically anyone can have a go.

However, if you're looking to play through this solo, it can feel a bit repetitive. There's much more of a tedious atmosphere when you're running through the jungle alone, and that's expected from a co-op game. You're not hindered by going alone or anything like that, it just doesn't feel nearly as fun as adventuring with a friend or a few family members. Each of the four playable characters are a lot of fun and definitely fit their counterparts in the movie, both in terms of their performances and how they play. Dr. Smoulder Bravestone, for example, is always the stoic, muscular hero, and can pick up a massive totem as a power-up, while Shelly is often focused on keeping enemies away from them, gaining bug spray as an ability.

While we're on the topic of characters, I did find their dialogue to be quite good. Especially in cutscenes, there's a lot of fun quips and jokes to keep you entertained between bouts of gameplay, and while not every joke lands and some lines don't read as well as others, there's nothing that feels totally out of place. The story as well is pretty simple, classic Jumanji stuff if you've watched the recent movies, but again we're not looking for War and Peace here, and I was more than happy to venture on through the levels without a necessarily gripping plot hook.

Outside of the game's levels, you'll basically just be trekking from one mission to the next in your car. There is some exploring you can do, but it's not very rewarding, and it often feels like your best bet is to take the linear path the game offers in front of you. It sometimes feels like it would've been easier just for you to roam from one map zone to the next naturally by progressing through the levels, as the car can often be a bit janky and gets stuck rather easily.

Graphically, Jumanji: Wild Adventures again does its job. The character designs are fun and cartoonish, and the world is a decent enough backdrop to adventure in. What doesn't quite hit the mark is the game's performance, which slows down at random points, especially when you're in the car. I also noticed some bugs, especially when it came to combat, as at times I could get stuck on an enemy, unable to dodge or jump away and be forced to eat their next attack. There's also the menus, which do feel quite lacking, both in their presentation and what they offer players. Considering this is meant to be a game for absolutely anyone, I was surprised that there aren't many options that allow you to tweak the accessibility of it. Things like subtitles are available by default, but I was expecting a bit more considering the precedent for accessibility set in recent years.

Jumanji: Wild Adventures is a great bit of fun for a few friends or a family. Incredibly easy to pick up and play with unique characters and varied levels, there's a lot to like, but there are a few areas in which it stumbles. The car feels like a needless addition, the accessibility settings are lacking, and it's not the greatest experience solo, but if you're looking for a co-op adventure that stays true to the movies while also being a fun game on its own.