Jet Kave Adventure is an action platformer by 7Levels that has been out on Nintendo Switch for quite some time however I never got to play it until only now. Now, Jet Kave Adventure is expanding its platforms and is now releasing on Steam and Xbox One including the new Xbox Series. Jet Kave Adventure brings back memories of the classic platformers which offered low-stress platforming with great environments and fun combat mechanics. This is our review of Jet Kave Adventure on the Xbox Series X in which we zoom around prehistoric scenery in our jetpack.
Jet Kave Adventure is a narrative-driven title and it follows a set story however instead of a single campaign, the story is divided into multiple short levels. These levels are brilliantly designed and feature some really cool artwork. The game follows the story of Kave who used to be the chief of his tribe of cavepeople. Right at the start of the game, Kave is banished from his tribe and not long after that, an alien crashes on the planet and makes his way towards the island’s volcano. Messing around with items dropped by the alien, Kave finds a jetpack and thus the story begins where Kave starts heading towards the volcano as well.
Each level in the game is a part of the main story and they start from the same location or point where the previous level ends. Once you complete a level, you unlock three challenges for that particular level which include a time limit challenge, a Sea Shell challenge, and a no damage taken challenge. These can be completed at any time once you have completed a level and do not affect the story’s progress in any way. Each level takes around 10 to 15 minutes to complete depending on your platforming skills.
Each level in the game is brilliantly designed and looks beautiful. Since the game is set in prehistoric times, the enemies are dinosaurs, large insects, and even giant animals of that particular era. Apart from traditional platforming, you also have to avoid obstacles, jump from falling ledges, fight mini-bosses, complete mini-games, and even complete epic chase sequences. The chase sequences in the game were one of my favorite aspects however the glider sections were my least favorite as the glider controls are pretty clunky and could have been a lot better.
Jet Kave Adventure also features an upgrade shop where you can purchase different upgrades for yourself by spending the Sea Shells that you collect in the game. These upgrades range from increasing your health to increasing the number of rocks that you can hold in your inventory for shooting via your slingshot. Upgrades come in handy in later stages of the game when you come across tougher enemies. The costs are not too absurd so you can easily upgrade yourself even if you do not look for Sea Shells in every hidden nook and corner of a level. For getting back to full health, you collect food items randomly and use them to fill the drumsticks which can be then eater to refill your health.
Jet Kave Adventure plays out just like any other classic side-scroller platforming game however it feels fresh with its mechanics. While you move around and jump around to reach platforms, grab ledges, and avoid obstacles, the jetpack comes in handy for various reasons. The combat and movement work exceptionally well in tandem and I don’t remember a single time when the character did not respond to how I wanted him to respond. Jumping around, dashing, and at the same time using your club to whack enemies out of your way is just seamless and does not feel stiff in any way. In various scenarios, even I was amazed at how much flexibility the game’s mechanics give you in order to proceed in the game.
In certain places, I completely avoided the ground platforms and used dash, jump, and the jetpack in order to avoid obstacles or to reach a potentially high platform to find some hidden rooms. Each level has multiple hidden locations for you to find and some cool collectibles to find and collect as well. Apart from these collectibles, the game’s main currency seashells are sometimes also hiding in higher places or secret rooms that you can find only by using all of the in-game mechanics available to you in the game. This is one of the main things that I like about Jet Kave Adventure. As you progress in the game, you get a cool slingshot as well which you can use to shoot enemies however it can only be shot in one direction which is not really useful in some cases.
This particular version of Jet Kave Adventure is for the original Xbox One however for this review I played the game on an Xbox Series X. There were no technical issues for the entirety of my playthrough. The loading times were decent and there was not too much wait between screens as well. However, it did not support any additional Xbox Series X features such as Quick Resume but that is understandable since this is not a Series X|S optimized title. This was simply an Xbox One game that I reviewed on a Series X so I will not hold this aspect into consideration for the review. On its own, the game is extremely stable on the platform and runs better than some AAA titles out there in the market.
Final Verdict:
Jet Kave Adventure offers a low-stress platforming experience that is challenging enough but not too challenging that it will have you cursing at your screen again and again. The gameplay is fast, crisp, and satisfying. I loved the level design as well as the enemy design. It is an excellent throwback to classic side-scrolling platforming with enough modern mechanics here and there which feels fresh and not dated at all. If you are a fan of classic platformers with simple yet satisfying controls and fast gameplay, Jet Kave Adventure is certainly going to keep you occupied with its crisp gameplay and brilliant level design.
Final Score: 9.0/10
