I think I like Shadow Warrior more, but this was fun and challenging. Diverse levels, same enemies though. Some cheap gimmicks - enemy behind doors, etc. Fun and good.
What an awesome game. I started and finished the game in 2024. It took an hour to get used to the graphics, but with the HD patch it looks great. Addicting gameplay. By the time I started grasping some of the finer gameplay moments, I was already on mission 16/20 on the main campaign. Favourite creature is the Dark Mistress, too strong. About 20 hours of gameplay in total. The expansion Deeper Dungeons was harder, but in a different way. While the OG is difficult when the NPC attacks you wave after wave, the expansion is difficult in a more strategic/exploratory way. Deeper Dungeons: about 55 hours of gameplay in total.
Jill of the Jungle is great for a bit of downtime and switching off after an emotionally or psychologically demanding day. I have never played the original, but I thought I'd give this a chance since it was staying in my games library on GOG since forever. Some of the weapons/special abilities in the game feel, naturally, dated. The level design is questionable at parts too with whole sections of levels having no obstacles, enemies or otherwise being meaningful in any shape or form. The game is also more or less consistently easy, with the only difficult sections of the game being so for no other reason but, alas, poor level design. Jill Goes Underground offers more of the same. Nothing has changed, really, apart from a couple of new enemies being introduced and some minor changes in the level design - more visual than anything. The whole series definitely feels dated throughout and it is probably not a game that one would ordinarily play unless one has nostalgic feelings towards the game. I myself being the exception. I disliked the final installment in the series (Jill Saves the Prince) more than the first two chapters because of the dreadful design of the world map, i.e. the level selection process. It is completely pointless in serving no gameplay purpose whatsoever, it is slow and it also takes away the mystique-ish feeling of the original with wondering where every new door will lead to. Having said that, the minor humour at the end of the game is what balances it a bit. Thankfully each games only last for an hour or so, therefore by the time it starts to get boring and repetitive, it ends. Overall a decent 4 hours of gameplay for the series.
