GDC 2013: Prepare Your Technologic Devices for Jazzpunk

ust keep your cool, prepare your videographic terminal, and take some pills before the next mission. We’re not talking about the Matrix here -- this is the real deal.

Jazzpunk, which developer Necrophone Games describes as a cartoon styled retro cyperpunk comedy, puts you in command of the wacky adventures of Agent Polyblank as he searches for only God knows what while throwing some “Comrade Crunch” cereal in the process. Delicious.

Developer Luiz Hernandez gave us some downtime with the game to see how much intel we could infogate (yes, “infogate”) on the terminal in the amount of super spy time we had. Upon entering the first area, I explored each room freely and looked for as many interactive objects as I could find. Once discovering that practically anything and everything allowed for interaction, I was hooked. I swallowed a bottle of pills given to me by a mysterious individual I’d never met in my life and prepared for my first mission. The objective? Infiltrate a suspicious government compound. It was a dream come true.

As players progress, they’re handed clues to discover their next objective. In one case, a subtle hint from a security guard expressing his desire to go grab some food was all it took to distract everyone in the lobby. With his super sneaky skills, Agent Polyblank manipulated the very elements of time and space by changing the wall clock to lunch hours. Luckily, the window washers let their guard down at the same time, which made super sneaky spy infiltration that much easier. This is just one of many wacky scenarios you’ll face in the world of Jazzpunk.

The game looks hilarious in all ways imaginable. Between the block-like cartoon art style paired with other subtle spy culture hints from past decades, the demented demeanor of Jazzpunk will make anyone who plays laugh and potentially cry from said laughter in the process. Just make sure you're sitting down.

The general control scheme also feels incredibly smooth and functional. Each objective seemed pretty straightforward when jumping in, and anyone could become instantly addicted. Aside from sticking with missions, the entire game feels like an adventurous playground overall. I probably spent a good six or seven shakes on the aforementioned “Comrade Crunch” cereal box before chucking the empty container across the room. I wasn’t entirely sure how this helped my overall mission, but who cares? Next time someone messes with me, I’ll be prepared.

Though there’s no scheduled release date, Necrophone plans on releasing Jazzpunk for both PC and Mac users. So never fear -- either way you probably have a videographic to jazz some punk with the essential amount of cyberness.