JustAxe brings back fond memories of those classic old Adobe Flash games that were all the rage on platforms like Newgrounds and Kongregate. Although it’s a simple platformer, it captures the nostalgic fluidity and control style reminiscent of those earlier days. However, for gamers unacquainted with this vintage charm, the gameplay can feel a bit sluggish and the physics somewhat awkward. Truth be told, it’s not exactly what you’d anticipate from a console game debuting in 2024.
The game features a protagonist named Martha, whom players control as she navigates through various levels. The enemies in JustAxe are remarkably aggressive, chasing Martha relentlessly to the point of tumbling over traps and into crevices just to reach her. When they manage to catch up, their attacks send her flying in ways that defy the laws of real-world physics. It’s as if the Flash game physics have been carried over entirely.
Moving through JustAxe feels like another echo from the Flash era. Martha runs, jumps, and wields her axe as you’d expect, but there’s a certain stiffness to the controls that stands out. In one chase sequence, for example, a tumble into the spiky abyss doesn’t send Martha straight to her doom as you might think. Instead, she bounces repeatedly, accumulating damage with each impact. Little quirks like this hint at a lack of polish.
For a game like JustAxe, brevity is a blessing. Clocking in at around three hours, it’s the kind of game you can complete in an afternoon. Though the storyline is minimal, that’s par for the course with this genre. It serves best as a distraction during a long trip on the train or bus or might even keep you occupied during a tedious family gathering. At the very least, it provides an escape from reality as you tackle its somewhat exasperating levels and foes.
The review here is based on a retail version of the game that was provided by the publisher.
