Vincent Lade brings out a challenging yet immersive horror experience in Jawbreaker.
Jawbreaker is a stalker survival horror developed and published by Vincent Lade. Vincent Lade began writing, designing, and coding video games in 2018. All of the games he has released, such as Harthorn and Witching Hour, are based on short horror stories he has written. Each game is centered around different aspects, such as investigating mysteries like in Harthorn, or as a survival horror, such as what you experience in Jawbreaker.
Survival Horror games are known for their limited resources, such as less ammunition, health packs, and other consumables, as well as for their puzzles that allow players to open up new areas or pathways, all while avoiding enemies. Survival Horror was first used for the original Japanese release of Resident Evil in 1996, which was influenced by games like 1989’s Sweet Home and 1992’s Alone in the Dark. All Survival Horrors follow the same theme of a protagonist who is both under-armed and usually incredibly vulnerable to any enemy NPCs.
Jawbreaker features a dark story setting where survival is the only thing that matters in what was once a thriving city. After a devastating economic collapse, most normal citizens are compelled to join armed groups or gangs to obtain resources and rations to survive in this dystopian world. With gangs come territories and territorial disputes as they take over and fight for different areas in the city.
You are the new blood in a small gang based in New Citadel City. Your Gang’s bunker supplies are dwindling, and you get a High-risk yet high-reward mission to raid an unlooted police station based on a tip that your Gang got from a different one. You make your way through the desolate city streets before finally arriving at your destination.
The New Citadel Police Department was supposedly abandoned by its previous Gang and occupants. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Your character had been set up, and there’s no knowing if it was by your current crew or by the Gang that tipped you off about the police department. You are locked in the New Citadel Police Department with a gang that has been taking over large amounts of territory very quickly, The Faceless Gang.
After being set up, you will have to navigate your way through the NCPD to get out alive. There are puzzles to solve to leave each area and collectables to be found. In most game playthroughs, you come across members of the Faceless gang. You will need to make ample use of any tools you have and keep out of their line of sight.
You cannot rush this unless you know where the hiding places are, and even then, you will need to lose them to escape them. This more stalker horror aspect of the game does give a very similar vibe to Silent Hills 2 and the 2005 release of Resident Evil 4 in terms of navigating the dystopian world you find yourself in.
While you do have 3 ‘lives,’ to use the term loosely, it is always better to be on the more cautious side, as if you get hit three times, it is game over. Unfortunately, the game saves at the beginning of a scene, meaning all your progress toward the current level will be reset. You can get items to heal your injuries, such as painkillers and health kits, but much like every other Survival Horror game, there isn’t a large amount of loot to pick up along the way, especially with limited inventory space.
It’s a good idea to move cautiously through the levels when navigating the level, as you could miss valuable loot like Uncle Faceless Tokens, which is an in-game currency you can use at a vendor to get new items such as a silenced pistol, ammunition, painkillers to heal injuries and Vision which allows you to see the enemies location for 60 seconds. There are some boss fights scattered through the levels, but don’t expect to run and gun it, as most require quick thinking and caution to figure out the most effective way to finish the fight.
The AI has a line of sight, so staying behind them, crouching behind a wall or a piece of furniture, and staying in the shadows is a great way to keep yourself hidden. However, there are times when that doesn’t work, such as going up against the Faceless Speaker. Unlike Bob’s Big Boy, you don’t have a large room with lots of places to hide from the AI’s line of sight.
The survival horror aspect of Jawbreaker comes from your inventory management, as you only have a total of six slots with which to carry items. Still, luckily, you can easily store things away to take with you between levels in a suitcase if you can find one at the level you’re currently on. This allows you to store the tokens and only carry what you need, such as painkillers or a first aid kit, in case you get injured and need to restore your health to a full three lives.
When it comes to horror games, it isn’t just about the ambiance or the character and world designs when you’re looking for a scare factor. Your biggest thing is jump scares, too many, and it’s a bit cheaply done too little jump scares, and while it does build up suspense, they aren’t as terrifying. Jawbreaker has hit it right in the middle for a good balance of gameplay, suspense, and jump scares built on top of the sound and great graphics designs.
While a lot of the mechanics are reminiscent of Silent Hills and the 2005 release of Resident Evil 4 in terms of survival horror inventory management and the way the game saved, there were times when the gameplay reminded me a lot of In Sound Mind, especially with how the characters were built up between the lore and their interactions with each other throughout the game.
The graphics of Jawbreaker are reminiscent of late PlayStation 2 and early PlayStation 3 horror games. They are very gritty and dark, although there is a great use of bright neon colors and lights to break it up completely. The game’s design as you explore the different levels gives off a Silent Hills vibe, just without the mist and more human enemies than monsters, although later on in the game, you encounter Numb Bodies.
The sound engineering in Jawbreaker is masterfully executed, seamlessly blending the music, background ambiance, and voice acting to immerse players in its gritty dystopian world. From subtle ambient noises to intense moments of tension when you’re navigating a room filled with members of the Faceless Gang, the audio elements complement the visuals, enhancing the overall atmosphere without overwhelming you as you navigate your way through the NCPD. The voice acting stands out as particularly impressive, bringing the characters to life with convincing performances and expressive dialogue delivery.
Overall, Jawbreaker is a fantastic survival horror with just the right amount of suspense and story to keep you going. Jump scares are strategically balanced with suspenseful moments, enhancing the horror experience. With atmospheric graphics reminiscent of late PlayStation 2 and early Playstation 3 horror games and an immersive sound design, Jawbreaker delivers a chilling journey through a dark and dangerous world. This is definitely a game for fans of both survival and stalker horror games.
