As a big Jujutsu Kaisen fan of both the anime and the manga, I was undoubtedly excited for the release of Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash. The thought of playing as my favorite Jujustu Sorcerers and Curse Spirits had me on the edge of my seat. Upon playing the title, my jaw hit the floor. Unlike the anime and manga, Cursed Clash was a rushed, shallow, and disappointing introduction to console gaming. Mimicking the words of Kento Nanami, Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash sucked; having to play this game sucked!
The Real Curse
Again, I reiterate that I’m a big JJK fan, so even before playing Cursed Clash I automatically wanted to like the game, but after spending hours completing the story mode and playing both ranked and casual lobbies online, it was difficult for me to admit that Cursed Clash would’ve been better off as some sort of mobile game instead of a botched debut for console and PC gaming.
The first thing gamers will notice is how visually lacking Cursed Clash is. From the game’s special and ultimate moves to the design and UI of menus and story mode cutscenes, it looks cheap, as if so many shortcuts were taken. In story mode, The story of JJK, including JJK 0, is retold through only cut-ins from the anime with blue backgrounds. Additional missions not found in the anime just have a JPEG of the characters bouncing and standing around. All special moves have lost their flair as they happen so fast with little to no special effects. I’m not saying they had to be on the level that Mappa curated, but these moves are iconic, and this game doesn’t do any of them justice. Everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion. The main menu and character selection are simplistic, and the character models are nothing to be excited about, especially when lip-syncing is off on many occasions.
Barely Touching The Soul
As a 2V2 battle arena title, the gameplay itself wasn’t actually half bad. I absolutely loved how each character had their own playstyle playing into their abilities from the anime. For instance, Nobara uses her nails to keep her distance from long range and can activate her Hairpin Technique as she pleases. Somebody like Todo, however, is all about getting up close and personal and can choose who to switch with using his Boogie Woogie technique. Additionally, normal attacks do not damage enemies; instead, players will need to they are intended to charge their cursed energy and perform special moves to deal damage. I can’t mention enough that I absolutely loved this game aspect. Sadly, Sakuna was OP on launch and forced players to figure out a way to counter the character, but nonetheless, it was actually, dare I say, fun learning the characters.
The biggest downside, however, is it’s so difficult to play this game with a friend. For some unknown reason, the only way to play with a friend in this game is to create a custom lobby. Matchmaking in any game mode pairs you with random players. Going in with randoms loses its charm quickly as some throw the game while others can’t communicate properly. Players must wait for others to join to launch a match, even in a custom lobby with a friend. The Onlne-Coop mode is boring, and the shop is just customization for player cards, buffs that are not needed for the Coop mode, and character recolors.
Conclusion
Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash lacks spirit and depth and is just Hollow overall. Just because the franchise is popular doesn’t mean fans will mindlessly love the game. Its combat and mechanics are interesting, almost touching the soul, but that flame is quickly snuffed out with poor graphics resembling a mobile game, and a lazy attempt as a arena fighter. Astonishingly, this game has a price tag of up to $100.
This game was reviewed based on Xbox One review code, using an Xbox Series S|X console. All of the opinions and insights here are subject to that version. Game provided by publisher.
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