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Jumper: Griffin's Story
By Marc Saltzman,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Gamers should "jump" away from this bad brawler.
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What’s It About?
Based on the Jumper movie, JUMPER: GRIFFIN'S STORY is a boring brawler that feels like a shameless marketing tool for the film. The game stars Griffin, a secondary character in the movie played by Jamie Bell (who also lends his voice to this game), rather than the lead protagonist, David, played by Hayden Christensen (Star Wars: Episode II and Star Wars: Episode III). As told by an introductory animated sequence, Griffin is a Jumper -- someone with a genetic anomaly that enables them to teleport anywhere on the planet -- who vows revenge on Paladins, a secret organization at war with Jumpers, and directly responsible for the murder of Griffin's parents.
Played from a third-person perspective, this linear fighting game has you, as Griffin, exchange blows with Paladins, which unlocks the next part of the level to repeat the process. The game introduces Griffin's jumping ability while fighting, which means you can quickly teleport to different sides of the enemy in a flash by pressing one of the main A, B, X and Y buttons on the controller (for the Xbox 360 version). In order to maximize damage, you're supposed to attack from the enemy's most vulnerable side based on the color shown under them (example: green is better than red). Despite some tougher "boss" fighters, though, you can get by with simple "button mashing" by pressing random buttons quickly and executing combos.
Is It Any Good?
Even with its teleportation spin, the game is a derivative fighter that looks as bad as it plays. Not only are the graphics below par compared to today's video games, but technical glitches mean half of Griffin's body will get stuck in a wall or the camera will be temporarily positioned behind the wall Griffin is fighting near, so you can't see who you're brawling against. Because of its simplistic gameplay, unattractive graphics and technical glitches, Jumper: Griffin's Story should be overlooked at your local game store – even for fans of the film.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about video games based on movies. Are they just well-timed merchandising opportunities? Or can these games stand on their own merits? Can you think of any examples of movie-based games done right, and if so, what made them work? Why do you think game companies release games with glitches?
Game Details
- Platforms: Xbox 360 , Nintendo Wii , PlayStation 2
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Brash Entertainment
- Release date: February 14, 2008
- Genre: Fighting
- ESRB rating: T for Mild Language, Violence
- Last updated: November 4, 2015
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