Going into PAX West 2024, I knew that I was going to enjoy ‘Jay and Silent Bob: The Chronic Blunt Punch’, but I did not know it was going to be my game of the show. Some may remember the retro style ‘Jay and Silent Bob: Mall Brawl’ game that was released in 2020. Well, The Chronic Blunt Punch was made by those same people and is sporting a new hand drawn look.
When I first picked up the controller, I knew I was in for a fun time. If you are a fan of games like Streets of Rage and The Simpsons arcade games, this is the game for you. Like those games, The Chronic Blunt Punch is a side scrolling ‘beat-em-up’ that lets you take control of either Jay or Silent Bob in, what can be, a co-op adventure. Unlike the previous game, Mall Brawl, which sported an 8-bit style, Chronic Blunt Punch upgraded to a colorful, hand drawn esthetic.
The gameplay was magnificent. You have all your standard, run of the mill movement and combat abilities. Where this game really shines is its combos and super moves. When I first started getting into combat, I was just mashing buttons. Soon I started to see different abilities and combinations appear. This is when Justin leaned in and let me know about the combo system. While some other games in the genre may get boring with simple punches and kicks, there are a few more moves to dig into with this game.
Along with the base combat system, there are different joint and super abilities. As you make your way through each level, you meet and save different characters that give you different combat abilities. Also, as you build your meter, Jay and Silent Bob gain access the various super abilities. During our demo, we had access to some of the lower-level abilities but in different trailers and gameplay videos, you can see some interesting power moves.
I had time to sit down with Justin Woodward, the founder of The Mix Games, to talk more about the development of Jay and Silent Bob: The Chronic Blunt Punch. He let me know that this was a labor of love. He, and many others that worked on the game are big fans of the Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob movies. When I asked about the involvement of Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, Justin let me know that they were deeply involved and give their full blessing. To me it seems like the this collaboration has transitioned to a friendship.
There is no official release date for Jay and Silent Bob: The Chronic Blunt Punch but be on the lookout for more information soon. If you head over to Steam, you can wishlist the game now.
