Each mission has one central objective, but the player is free to explore the game world at their own pace, which is populated with a large number of interactive NPCs, each with their own action or gag.

[2][3] The game is centered on a top-secret espionage agency operating out of an abandoned subway station in a fictional place called Japanada in the late 1950s in a surreal retro-futuristic, alternate reality where the Empire of Japan conquered most of North America.

[2][3] The missions assigned to Polyblank are almost always bizarre and nonsensical, relying heavily on free association and references to older movies and video games.

Tasks include degaussing and smuggling pigeons, assassinating cowboys, cross-dressing, killing a pig with a guitar, and photocopying Polyblank's buttocks to fool a security scanner (this also can be done by taking a photo off of the wall).

Later at the Kai Tak resort while waiting for heat to die down, Polyblank receives a phone call telling him he has to find a man known as The Editor and fetch the contents of his briefcase.

[citation needed] According to interviews with staff at Necrophone Games, Jazzpunk is a combination of the creators' favourite literature, movies, and music from the spy, cyberpunk, and film noir genres.

[2] In early 2014, the authors appeared in an interview conducted by Rock, Paper, Shotgun in which they stated that their idea for a short-form comedy game was partially influenced by the success of the original Portal.