I distinctly remember that a few of my friends had a hard time getting into Post Void after we showered the game with praise in our review. They pointed their collective fingers towards the abstract and surreal nature of the story, as well as its grungy, psychedelic visuals as turnoffs. To those dear fellows, I wholeheartedly recommend Mullet Madjack as a suitable alternative. Taking big cues from Post Void, Mullet Madjack is a relentless Roguelite FPS with a unique ’90s anime aesthetic. That isn’t to say that Mullet Madjack is a reskin of Post Void. In fact, it’s much more than that. Mullet Madjack is a polished, maximalist sibling of Post Void’s grungy minimalist experience.
The Vibe
Mullet Madjack is basically Mario…if the titular plumber in question was a badass bounty hunter who needs to maintain his dopamine levels to stay alive. In the far future, Robillionaires, or wealthy robots, govern the planet. People who are addicted to the internet have evolved to require dopamine surges every ten seconds in order to survive. Moderators like Jack are the ones who take out the robots. This time, he’s tasked with rescuing an influencer princess from the cold clutches of a billionaire robot. However, the princess is held atop of Nakamura plaza, a skyscraper teeming with bad guys. Jack’s objective is to climb each floor, take out hundreds of robots for his daily fix of dopamine, and rescue the princess. Each floor brings new challenges, dangers, and plenty of dopamine rushes.
The very first thing that stands out to the player is the distinct visual style of the game. From the retro anime character designs to the VHS-style UI and the booming synth wave OST, Mullet Madjack oozes flair. Heck, in place of the digital manual, the game features something called the “unboxing experience,” which simulates the opening of a big box PC game from back in the day. Another testament to the passion that went into designing this game.
The Action
The way Mullet Madjack works is that the plaza is divided into several small floors, culminating in a boss fight on every 10th floor. Since in the game’s version of the world, people need a dopamine rush every 10 seconds to stay alive, Jack is always on the clock. The core gameplay is very similar to Post Void in the sense that the game basically boils down to blitzing through tight corridors and heading straight to the exit while shooting the heck out of mobs. Each kill forms part of a combo and gives you extra time to stay alive. At the same time, taking damage results in your timer running out. Each floor can be completed in less than 30 seconds, resulting in a 3-hour campaign that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
Mullet Madjack is not just a fast-paced hyperviolent FPS. It’s also a decent Roguelite. You begin each run with a pistol. You can select one of three upgrades—which could include new weapons—after every floor. There is a boss on every tenth floor; following it, your upgrades partially reset, and you receive a checkpoint, as well as a permanent upgrade. You can only use your handgun to restart from your last checkpoint if you die on any floor. The additional weapons include a shotgun, an SMG, a frigging rail gun, as well as a katana. All of these weapons can be further upgraded and buffed depending on the random upgrades. Aside from traditional weapons, Jack can also incapacitate enemies in creative ways, like using the environment to his benefit or using a one-time-use melee weapon for an instakill. Mullet Madjack encourages creativity and rewards repeated attempts.
The most crucial aspect that separates Mullet Madjack from Post Void is the devs’ willingness to shake things up every few levels. Each chapter brings itself new challenges and hazards like laser grids, toixc floors, and locked doors Jack has to find his way around. There’s even segments like a sniper mini-game thrown in between chapters. Even most of the boss fights are pretty cool. The level design is another standout here. Despite the levels being short, their compactness and tight design ensure that the breakneck pace of the game is always in full swing, despite featuring shortcuts and branching pathways. The handcrafted enemy placements also warrant a mention, as they are all placed in the right spots of the map, making up for some hyperviolent FPS action.
If you’re someone who’s turned away by the timer, feel free to play the game on the accessible difficulty that removes the timer altogether. Though I would suggest everyone play the game on the default difficulty, the addition of such accessibility options are a welcome addition. For masochists, there are Hard and Permadeath modes to try out.
Real Talk
Mullet Madjack is a breakneck action package that never ceases to impress. Despite being quite challenging, it never stoops to the point of being unfair or frustrating. I would have loved to see more levels, more upgrades and more boss fights, but what’s on offer here is extremely captivating. Plus, the regional pricing is pretty reasonable as well.
FINAL RATING: 90/100
Mullet Madjack
MULLET MADJACK is a fast-paced FPS that brings you inside a CLASSIC ANIME. Power up your character and reach the last floor; Beat your best time or try again
Product Brand: Hammer95
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: $19.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
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