Mullet Madjack review

The bad news: the future is unrelentingly bleak, violent, and still controlled by billionaires. The good news: it looks like a ‘90s anime.

As game protagonists go, few are more susceptible than Mullet Madjack. As the eponymous lead of HAMMER95’s inaugural outing, he’ll die within ten seconds without your intervention. You see, in a dystopian world ruled by immoral robobillionaires, we’re all online all the time. And if you’re a down-on-your-luck type called a moderator, the only way to sustain your nano-lifespan is by getting a dopamine hit by livestreaming a killing. Yes, this is The Running Man for the social media age.

Although Mullet Madjack’s premise might sound nihilistic, any pessimism is counterbalanced by an acerbic sense of humor and visuals that resemble Madhouse’s 90’s-era animation. In execution, that means a steady succession of quips by the gun-toting Madjack and a spirited streamer as our hero attempts to rescue his influencer princess. Unfortunately, the e-girl with millions of followers always seems to be in another tower. Of course, the allusion to Super Mario Bros. isn’t isolated, with Mullet satirizing everything from brand fetishism to hyper-capitalism. Cleverly, the game also offers numerous nods to gaming culture and VHS-based exploitation cinema, to keep things from feeling preachy.

No Twitch Bans Here

Like many of us, Madjack and his steamer sidekick don’t complain about being exploited. Instead, they offer bogus affirmations like, “The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary”. When you’re forced to perform acts of brutality to entertain viewers, perhaps fake positivity is a coping system. But save for some repetition, the dialog is wonderfully amusing, especially when Mullet flirts with gallows humor or provides pulpy animated sequences at the end of each chapter.

However, the humor often takes a backseat to the unremitting action. Each stage sends our charmingly coiffed lead through largely linear stages, although the game gradually adds elements like a bit of verticality and even some simple parkour. Using either a gun or blade, as well as a powerful melee kick, you’ll gradually push back at death, earning a few seconds for every opponent you kill. Pleasingly, if you find a hammer or cleaver, you can perform a cool finishing move, that offers some in-your-face carnage and a generous 10-second life bonus.

Meet Your Fans

Expectedly, you’ll do plenty of gunning, but you’ll also exploit conveniently placed environmental objects. Kicking a robo-foe into a spinning circular blade releases a spray of pulpy viscera, while shooting a fire extinguisher decimates any adjacent opponents. Occasionally, you’ll even find a foe standing guard in front of a vending machine. Here, a powerful punt will electrocute the unfortunate foot soldier, while netting a case of health-rejuvenating energy drinks. Essentially, Mullet Madjack feels like an interactive adaptation of Crank – the movie where Jason Statham’s character dies unless he keeps his heart rate up.

Even with segments that have you sliding down ramps and careening over enemies, navigating through the exit door can get a bit tedious after a while. Pleasingly, Madjack mixes things up. At the end of each stage, you’ll be able to choose a new roguelike-style perk from a batch of three offerings. Although some of these contribute basic aid with larger weapon magazines or an additional second of life for nailing a headshot, other bonuses provide access to enhanced weaponry. At present, the third-tier nailgun feels nearly too powerful, but it’s only earned once you’ve saved up several permanent upgrades.

The other trick up HAMMER95’s sleeve is some creative boss battles. Although your first confrontation is a typical arena-based showdown, the following conflict is a heated struggle against a building full of snipers. Smartly, these sequences temporarily freeze Madjack’s countdown timer, allowing you to play defensively without worry. And while the environments stay the same, you will face new types of enemies that carry shields or sturdy shotguns.

Conclusion

Enjoyably, Mullet Madjack performs supplely on portable PCs like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, easily outputting sixty frames-per-second on both systems. To help keep the refresh rate feeling lively, the developers eschew high-poly counts for a look that channels Yoshiaki Kawajiri’s films, which should enchant Wicked City and Ninja Scroll fans. For some, the only issue might be a shortage of sexiness. Madjack has the blood, but it doesn’t have the bods.

Beyond the game’s storied campaign, there’s also an endless mode. Additional components are always welcome, but it would have been great to see more variance here, perhaps with a different set of perks. But certainly, HAMMER95’s approach to accessibility should be complimented. Not only is there a wide range of difficulties, but there are also options to remove screen flashing and screen shake – allowing Madjack to be enjoyed by anyone with a thirst for a bit of the old ultraviolence.

Mullet Madjack was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.