I’m not really into first-person shooters and roguelike games, so when I say that Mullet Mad Jack was a blast, that should mean something if you are into that kind of game.
This fast-paced first-person retro shooter is something else. It’s a game created with love and care, packed with references to a bygone era that will make you feel nostalgic. It hooks you with a system that criticizes our dependency on dopamine while simultaneously using it to keep you playing. It’s pretty genius, honestly.
You Have 10 Seconds
Mullet Mad Jack has a straightforward concept that, while not necessarily original, is executed brilliantly. You only have 10 seconds to live, and each enemy you kill adds a few more seconds to your timer, allowing you to keep pushing forward. The objective is to advance while performing stylish skills to keep yourself alive. When you reach the end of a stage, you can select an upgrade in a robust roguelite style, which you keep for the next stage.
Each phase is divided into 10 sections, culminating in a boss fight. After defeating the boss, you lose all upgrades and start over, but with additional mechanics introduced. As the game progresses, it increases in complexity and difficulty, but not in a way that feels overwhelming or frustrating.
The upgrades feel a bit unbalanced, but there might be builds I’m not using correctly. You have melee weapons, shotguns, and my favorite, the SMG, which is as strong as a pistol but allows you to hold the trigger while aiming for the robots’ heads.
I particularly like the idea of wasting a few seconds to look around and see if there’s a better way to clear the room. Instead of rushing in and shooting all bots on sight. It’s a risk-reward system that can be incredibly rewarding.
For instance, realizing that a red barrel will kill all the robots in the room can instantly restore all the seconds you’ve lost, rather than picking off each enemy one by one, which can be risky and lead to your death.
However, if you spend too much time looking for something like explosive barrels or items to grant you more seconds, you might waste precious time and end up with nothing. It’s a delicate balance that adds depth to the gameplay.
It took me a while to understand why Mullet Mad Jack is fun, but once I got the hang of it and the rhythm of the game, I was hooked. It’s a very clever game in its design, from its visual feedback to the length of each section, and it cleverly breaks the pace with boss battles that let your brain rest for a bit.
The Art of Mullet Mad Jack
The game evokes the crazy retro-futuristic aesthetics of 90s’ cartoons while using an art style reminiscent of anime from that decade. The main character is your typical tough guy of that era, who looks suspiciously like Kurt Russell, and he has to save a green-haired influencer that looks just like any hot girl from a 90s’ manga.
The visuals are well complemented by the synthwave music playing in the background as you blast robots’ heads, creating a good marriage of art styles. The soundtrack and sound effects make the game feel good to play. However, the colorful corridors, enemies, and explosions can be very confusing at times, making it hard to understand what’s going on. But I guess that’s the price to pay for such a colorful and identifiable art style.
Self-Aware, But A Bit Much at Times
You are “The Moderator,” a guy who will kill robots for a pair of shoes, doing so during a live stream to keep the audience entertained. If they lose interest for 10 seconds, you die. This seems to be a critique of Twitch or any other streaming platform, where you need to keep the audience engaged with stylish kills to earn more seconds and stay alive.
The story is as silly as it sounds, filled with 90s tropes about how corporations control everything and you exist only to consume and be a slave. While there’s some truth to that, the game could have toned down the preaching a bit, as it gets annoying after a while. Thankfully, it doesn’t dwell too long on these themes, allowing you to enjoy the game without too much distraction.
The Verdict
If you’re looking for a game that you can beat in about four hours, Mullet Mad Jack is certainly worth its price tag. It’s a fun game that can be played casually and offers different difficulty settings for those who don’t want to deal with its unforgiving nature. However, if you get really good at it, the higher difficulties are available for those who seek a greater challenge. While the highest difficulty feels impossible to me, I’m sure some players will love the torture of battling mobster androids.
Given that this game combines genres I’m not particularly fond of, and I still had a lot of fun, I can confidently say that if you like retro shooters and roguelikes, you’re going to enjoy your time with Mullet Mad Jack.
