Back in the Groove is a triumphant return for Toejam & Earl, boasting an upgraded take on the gameplay and atmosphere that made the original game so fresh. It has some issues with its framerate, but that can’t stop Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove from being an overall excellent and wonderfully weird roguelike.
Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove!
Developer: HumaNature Studios
Price: $19.99
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PS4 code for review
As a Sega kid, few things could make me as happy as the return of Toejam & Earl. Though I remember the sequels being “fine,” the original Sega Genesis title has always stood out as the crown jewel of the series. I’m pretty guarded when it comes to Kickstarter games however, so my expectations for Back in the Groove were cautiously optimistic. This skepticism was unfounded, as Back in the Groove, despite a few small technical hiccups, is a fantastic return to form for two of gaming’s weirdest and funkiest mascots.
Back in the Groove starts with a familiar scenario: Toejam, Earl, Latisha, and Lewanda are jamming their way through space when, shockingly enough, they crash on Earth. Pieces of the ship are scattered across multiple floors of the very vertical planet, meaning the aliens will have to traverse all sorts of dangerous and randomized environments, filled to the brim with obnoxious Earthlings, in order to fix their ship and head home to Funkotron. It’s a fun and simple story that requires no previous knowledge or prep to understand, so don’t feel pressured if you’ve yet to play any other Toejam & Earl games.
Fans of roguelikes will feel right at home with Back in the Groove. After choosing one of the game’s nine characters (or more, if you play splitscreen), you’re dropped onto an island with only a few presents, some trees, and an elevator. From there, you’ll have to climb floor after floor in search of ten ship parts, using only your wits, stats, and presents. You also gather EXP by doing pretty much anything, which lets you “promote” your character, giving them random permanent stat boosts and wonderful titles like “Dufus” and “Homie.” There’s so much going on that it can be tough to grasp at first, but you get used to the different mechanics pretty quickly, largely thanks to the great and optional “tutorial” playthrough, which gives you tips and hints throughout your entire playthrough without ever interrupting gameplay.
“It’s a thrill to use presents, especially when you don’t know what they are, as they offer a quick dose of “risk vs reward” that is entirely optional, but often worth the risk.“
Presents, which can be found all over each stage, are randomized items that can range from overpowered boosts to crippling debuffs. One gift will let you literally fly across stages using taped-on wings, while another will set you on fire, which boosts your speed but rapidly saps your health. If that wasn’t random enough, presents can be found “broken,” which means they may blow up upon use, damaging your health. Presents can also be “amped,” which makes them considerably more powerful. It’s a thrill to use presents, especially when you don’t know what they are, as they offer a quick dose of “risk vs reward” that is entirely optional, but often worth the risk. Finishing a run grants you with a “power hat,” each of which has its own permanent perks that may be randomly applied at the beginning of a level. The replay value in Back to the Groove is a major plus, as I still find myself going back to play “one more round”.
There are a lot of different ways to play Back in the Groove, which I definitely appreciate. You can play through a fixed/planned world, a randomized one, or a hardcore randomized world, depending on your preference. The composition of each level can vary so wildly that I never got bored in any of my many playthroughs, especially when you factor in how different each character is. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses, fitting of their appearance and personalities. Toejam is fast but not especially hardy, while Peabo is lucky, but fairly average overall. Even the “old school” versions of Toejam and Earl, based on their Genesis designs, have stat differences, meaning you’ll have a slightly different playthrough with each character. It adds a lot of replay value to the game, and makes playing with others a more cooperative experience.
“Cody Wright and John Baker have done an amazing job with the soundtrack, which is as funky as one should expect from a Toejam & Earl game.“
Back in the Groove does have a couple of issues, though. The framerate stutters every now and then at the beginning of a level or when a lot of things happen on screen at once. It doesn’t happen often enough to be a major issue, but I did find these stutters to be a minor annoyance. The other issue comes from the sound levelling, as some sound effects are way louder than others. Though it’s another minor issue, riding the volume is always a pain, no matter the medium. It’s worth noting that I played Back in the Groove on the PS4, so other consoles may not have the same problems.
The visuals and sound design perfectly compliment the wacky 90’s aesthetic Back in the Groove has. Everything looks ridiculously colorful and tacky (in a good way), and sounds cheesy and catchy. I’m of the belief that Toejam & Earl has always been at its best when embracing this corny atmosphere, which Back in the Groove does perfectly. Cody Wright and John Baker have done an amazing job with the soundtrack, which is as funky as one should expect from a Toejam & Earl game.
I like that Back in the Groove has updated with current times without losing its original style, which is exemplified through the design of this game’s Earthlings. Earthlings have always been heavily-parodied versions of stereotypes like the way-too-tanned tourist or the obnoxious nerd, so seeing those characters alongside new archetypes like annoying drone-pilots and self-absorbed social media fiends just feels natural.
The Final Word
Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove is everything I wanted from a modern take on gaming’s funkiest duo. Though I hope its framerate stutters and inconsistent sound levelling get fixed through a patch, these minor issues are hardly a problem when compared to Back in the Groove’s addictive gameplay and gloriously kitschy presentation.
MonsterVine Review Score: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
