Jawbreaker is a stealth survival horror: nothing more, nothing less. Despite this formula seeming uninspired and stale, it actually hides some significant gems, crowned with surprisingly polished graphics.
Jawbreaker (our previous article) was released on April 22, 2024, for PC, through Steam and Epic Games Store. Created by Vincent Lade, an independent developer with five other projects under his belt (here’s their website), it doesn’t stray far from the archetypes of the survival horror stealth genre. The events unfold in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States, where fierce criminal gangs control streets and society.
What could possibly go wrong?
In the brief introductory section of Jawbreaker, we take control of Jacob Eccles, a newcomer to one of the numerous criminal gangs infesting the cities after the Great Economic Collapse of 2028. A voice through a radio asks us to infiltrate a disused police station to retrieve supplies that could be useful to the gang. Of course, once inside, we’ll discover that the building is anything but abandoned. Trapped inside the huge structure, with the dreaded “Faceless Gang” on our heels, we’ll need to use intuition and cunning to make it out alive.
The premise is good, and Vincent Lade has done everything to make our adversaries truly terrifying. Despite having consumed my fair share of survival horror, I must admit that some sections of Jawbreaker managed to unsettle me a lot. The game handles the oppression and distress of the situation quite well, thanks also to excellent graphics. The police station is truly enormous, and even with the help of the map, it won’t be easy to navigate. The inspiration from genre classics like Outlast and the early Resident Evil games is clear, as admitted by the developer himself.
Maybe this way…?
Ultimately, Jawbreaker is quite linear. Rarely will we have the chance to deviate from our path, but the puzzles will always keep our attention high, along with the enemies wandering the rooms. A very good aspect of these puzzles is their level of difficulty: never frustrating but not trivial either, although later on, we start to feel a certain underlying repetitiveness. Often we’ll find ourselves wandering around the room in search of the object that will allow us to proceed, examining every nook and cranny. This is because interactive objects are hidden very well, they fully exploit the complexity of the environments.
The inventory is cramped and we have to carefully manage our resources. In addition to consumable items, we may also find weapons, with very limited ammunition, to offer a chance of survival if we are discovered by enemies. We have many options to hide and avoid encounters, but especially during the first attempts, we will fail quite often. We must learn the movements and behaviors of our adversaries with patience and time. The action and development of the plot are accompanied by decent and well-characterized voice acting, but what contributes most to the atmosphere are the graphics and music, as I mentioned before.
Old yet new
The initial impression of Jawbreaker‘s graphics is strange. It appears both old-school, reminiscent of old PS2 and Xbox titles, and modern. The effect is not unpleasant and represents a signature of the title. The environments are meticulously crafted, rich in interaction, details, and collectible items. There isn’t one identical room, and it’s simply enjoyable to examine what we’ve collected and notice the details. Feelings of abandonment, desolation, and anguish permeate the adventure, which lasts about 7-10 hours, depending on your skill or play style.
The music, on the other hand, is exceptional. With a good variety of tracks that adapt to the ongoing action, they never become annoying or superfluous, accompanying the numerous stealth sections, combat, and exploration of the police station. It’s always pleasing to notice the quality of a soundtrack, but in an independent video game, I personally value this effort even more, also due to the fewer resources available for the project compared to a AAA game.
Under the table!
Now let’s get to the heart of Jawbreaker: stealth. Perfect? No. Functional? Yes. It will be possible to hide under tables, in lockers, or the like, nothing new for those familiar with survival horror. But the difficulty of these sections, initially very high, quickly fades when we realize that we can easily circumvent the AI. And often it will be possible to escape danger simply by fleeing and quickly turning corners. This, combined with the fact that sometimes the enemies are overly perceptive, can cause a certain degree of frustration, especially in the more advanced sections of the game.
Nevertheless, let’s remember that we’re talking about an independent product. I trust that Vincent will resolve this fairly crippling flaw in the near future, they already released some updates in the previous days. In reality, the work done by Vincent Lade is commendable, and I don’t feel like being too critical of his project. The atmosphere remains unsettling throughout the adventure, the dystopian version of the United States exerts a certain charm on the player, the dialogues are interesting, the story is not particularly captivating, but it holds up well.
Deserves a chance
Jawbreaker is not perfect and represents a departure from Vincent Lade‘s previous works. Overall, it’s a decent, passable product that has its moments but above all is capable of entertaining. Honorable mention goes to the music and graphics, true gems, rarely of such quality in the independent gaming market. Let’s not forget that it’s a survival horror, and it does its job damn well. At times disturbing, it will undoubtedly satisfy fans of the genre and consumers of products like Outlast. So, give the game a chance. The price is reasonable and in line with what the game offers. Cross the entrance of the police station, and pray they don’t hear you.
Jawbreaker
PRO
- Impressive and unsettling atmosphere
- Exceptional graphics and music
- Quality voice acting
- Inspiration from Outlast is noticeable
- Good variety of scenarios
- Well-executed dystopian setting
CON
- Inconsistent AI
- Occasionally rough stealth mechanics
- Unengaging story
- Clumsy inventory
7.8/10
