Jacked

If you told your friend that you were playing a game with the name Jacked, it would raise a few eyebrows. What in the world could this title refer to? Perhaps it's a weightlifting game? Maybe a game all about people named Jack? It could even refer to an offering about puberty. Whatever your initial thoughts are, it feels like no good could come from a game with such a title.

You may be surprised to learn that Jacked is a motorcycle game - seemingly odd as the title doesn't make industry reference. Or does it? I've never been too interested in these types of games myself, so perhaps there's something I'm missing. Jacked from its initial viewpoint doesn't look like it's going to inspire a new pattern of thought for this genre either.

Jacked-in-the-Box

If anyone needed a definition of what a bargain-basement game played like - Jacked is your man. This game is so poor - it almost makes watching paint dry more entertaining. It's incredible how this game even saw a release, considering it feels broken in every regard. More to the point, who the hell even bought this?

So, what's wrong with Jacked, you ask? Where do I begin? The controls feel like you're shifting large cinderblocks around an unbalanced terrain. The visuals are poor and generally make no sense. Most significantly - the gameplay is a drag through and through. For a game that tries to be edgy and adrenaline-pumped, absolutely nothing works.

Accomplishing any motorbike tasks requires pinpoint precision on a control schematic that barely functions. The multiple game modes like 'Capture the Flag' and 'Gang Battle' seem enticing on the surface but are rendered mute by the design decisions. When you're achieving the game's objectives for doing absolutely the wrong thing, you know gameplay has fallen into the depths of despair.

It's not excruciating to a point where it's a humorous cult classic. Jacked is just a bad game. It's got zero development effort behind it and nothing that will hold players for more than a few minutes. I suppose the only upside is that determined gamers will find more incentive to accomplish the game's poorly construed objectives - but that's really about it.

Highway to Hell

We revisit the point of why people would even invest their time and effort in games like Jacked? It never looked good from the get-go, yet somehow managed to fool audiences that this was a worthwhile experience. Well, it's not the only poor racing game to pull in the punters. Speed Kings, to name one of them.

Pros:

• Will attract the 'completionist' type of gamer

Cons:

• Control schematic is unplayable
• Visuals are inconsistent with core game mechanics
• The gameplay is generally poor