Geekscape Games Reviews: ‘The Jackbox Party Pack 2’

The Jackbox Party Pack 2 is anything but an ordinary party game.  It’s an experience.

Releasing almost a year after the first one, The Jackbox Party Pack 2 is more of the same wacky humor you’ve come to expect, but with completely different games. So, is this the party of the year, or should you not bother with an RSVP? Just like my Rare Replay review, I’m not sure if I can do this game justice by giving it a regular review. That’s why I’ve decided to take a look at each of the 5 games separately and talk about what did and didn’t work.  

Fibbage 2:

Out of all five games in the original party pack, this is the only returning game to the sequel, but for a reason.  Fibbage 2 is still as charming and funny as it was when it debuted. For those who don’t know: Fibbage is a game where the players are given a true statement with a missing answer. The players, then, type in their own lies in hopes of the other players being fooled into thinking that it’s real. The updated sequel adds hundreds of new facts as well as a new DeFIBrillator which for one round can get rid of all lies but one, thus leaving you with only two choices. There’s really nothing bad to say about this game as it’s one of the best in the collection. Definite play if you’re picking the game up.

Quiplash XL:

Originally starting out as a small Kickstarter project earlier this March, Quiplash is another pre-existing game that has been updated for this new collection. This game tasks players with competing against each other to see who has a better response for the current on screen prompt. What do you NOT want to find in a burrito: A half-eaten turd or a dead rat? If there’s a downside to this it’d have to be that the game can end a little prematurely with only 3-4 people, so it’s best you play with at least 6-8 people. With 100’s of different questions and the ability to have over 1000 people playing at once, you’re in for one game you won’t forget anytime soon.

Bidiots:

Now we’re getting into the new games. Bidiots is a new drawing game that’s been stated to be the spiritual successor to one of the previous party pack titles, Drawful. In this game, you and your friends are a group of people at an art auction, and it’s your job to create and sell art for the auction in order to please your rich art clients. In-between rounds, you’ll get hints from your clients telling you what the prices on specific items are so you don’t end up over or under bidding on it.

You can also get free $1000 loans from the bank in order to ensure you have enough money to buy art pieces. Beware though, because at the end of the game you lose 1,500 points for each loan you take. Even though the game has some really good ideas and potential, the game ends up becoming a bit confusing at times with people not knowing what to do. While I do commend the team for trying something new with drawing games, it ultimately ends up being the weakest game of the pack. It’s good for a play every now and then, but not all the time.

Earwax:

I’m just going to say it right now in advance. Out of all the new games in this collection, Earwax is the game you’ll have the most fun with. Think Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity, but with sound effects instead. Each round, a judge is picked to determine a category, and afterwards, the rest of the players must choose 2 options from a list of 6 randomized sound effects. Once everyone’s done, Players get to vote on what they think was their favorite answer, but in the end it’s up to the judge to determine the winner. Sound effects are very varied and range from things such as an anvil dropping on someone’s head to a crying baby.

Not to mention Fart Noises.  Lots and lots of fart noises. If there was one problem with the game though, it’d have to be that you can’t preview the sounds you choose. So, the first couple of times you play it might be a guessing game to see how well some sounds interact with others. Although, I can see why they didn’t as that’d make the game too loud and give away your answers. All in all, this is a must play if you’re planning on buying this game.

Bomb Corp:

This game is just weird; like really weird. In Bomb Corp, you and up to 3 players are hired at a bomb defusing company. Your job is to defuse as many bombs as you can in one day (while also filing the occasional paperwork.) The only catch with these tasks are that depending on how many people are playing, instructions on how to complete the tasks are scattered throughout everyone’s devices using the game. The humor is spot on as most of the characters joke about how they can die at any moment while also talking about other nonsensical things during their break. If you want to take a serious shot at beating this, it’s best to play by yourself, but if you and all your friends are drunk or just want to yell at each other, this is another great party game to play together.

Overall:

Overall, The Jackbox Party Pack 2 is the most fun I’ve had with a party game since last year’s Jackbox Party Pack. The team really tried something new with these 5 games and didn’t want to just re-skin the 1st pack. While Bidiots feels like a slight misfire, other games like Earwax, Fibbage 2, and more make this collection even more memorable than its predecessor. If you haven’t picked up the game yet, I strongly suggest dropping $25 on both collections if you haven’t yet, because you’re going to be in for one hell of a family game night. The Jackbox Party Pack is Available now to Download on PS3, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Amazon Fire TV.

Final Score: 5/5 BUY IT!!!