SmashPad's Reviews
Despite it’s unique look and feel, Skate Story isn’t one of those indies that’s gonna change the world. The game is fine, but once you get through the game’s nine sections in the six hours or so to do it, there isn’t much to have you go back except to start the game over again. I hate to have kept mentioning THPS and skate, but when this game started development, I doubt there was any sort of expectation that it would come out at a year where we got both, and that makes Skate Story a harder sell.
This remaster has commendable aspects, but it would have benefited from focusing on the original’s charm or a more suitable title in the series.
Octopath Traveler 0 has a lot to it. The “main” parts of the story, primarily the antagonists discussed here, are some of the best in the series and will keep people invested along with the Animal Crossing-like charm you get from restoring Wishvale, but once you get past it, it’s all really just… there, and getting to its real, yet satisfying ending will take some effort. The end result is a huge game that definitely boasts more value than its $50 asking price.
Whether you want something a little more fast paced than Mario Kart World or want something loaded with content to get your money’s worth out of the Switch 2, Kirby Air Riders is an excellent addition to any Switch 2 library.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is exactly the kind of fun you should expect from a Marvel video game no matter what era you're living in. Like I said in my review of TMNT: Shredder's Revenge three years ago, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a reminder that with the right approach, seemingly outdated genres can be more than relevant today. Tribute Games has done it again.
umines Arise is, to sum it up in a single word, brilliant. Its simple to learn mechanics make it easy to get started, but very difficult to stop once you do. It’s a sensory feast for three of the five senses, and I suspect that’s only because smell-o-vision and taste-o-tron never took off, or Enhance would find a way to incorporate those, too. I’ll be playing this game for many months to come. As it is, it’s the best version of Lumines, full stop.
ARC Raiders is an extraction shooter designed for people who have always been extraction-curious but too intimidated to dive in. It keeps the core appeal of the genre, the high stakes, the gut-check decisions at the edge of extraction, the stories you tell afterward, but wraps it in accessible progression, a hopeful (if fragile) world, and a surprisingly wholesome streak of player-driven cooperation.
R-Type Delta HD Boosted is a great game. It’s still the same brutal, unapologetic, and dark-as-hell shooter that came out back in the day. But now it’s here to torment you on your modern systems. It’s a landmark in the genre, and one that really does need to be experienced by anyone with a passing interest in shooters.
Now that every episode is available, it’s clear that AdHoc Studio’s hard work and dedication made Dispatch stand out in all the best ways possible. Dispatch is the result of learning from mistakes made in the genre, while doing just enough to make it special.
With robust content like more zones than I expected, tool upgrades, and the gradually unfolding stories from your neighbors, this game promises to keep many gamers happy this winter. I know I’m going to be playing and replaying this for a while.
The quality of a multiplayer game is more fluid than ever nowadays as time goes on. But at this point in time, Battlefield 6 is a pretty enjoyable game, and I hope it stays that way. However, I also hope EA doesn’t take its broadly positive reception so far as a sign that reaching the standard is as sufficient or desirable as raising it.
Goodnight Universe does have its captivating points and the story did leave a smile on my face when I rolled credits, but that was mostly because I was finally done. There just isn’t enough here to recommend it at this point of the year at the price its being offered for, even if you played it the way it’s meant to be played–on a PC with a webcam.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A continues the progression the series has made since arriving on the Switch. It’s a pretty similar formula to what the series has been like since it debuted more than 30 years ago, but with enough quality-of-life changes and a new battle system to freshen it up. It looks gorgeous on the Switch 2, despite some off-looking textures here and there. It’s a promising vision of what’s to come with the long-running series and a great addition to any Pokémon fan’s Switch library.
Once Upon a Katamari is a good addition to the series, opting for an entertaining theme of traveling between different points in time. The tried-and-true gameplay is as smooth as ever, and the new customization options allow for a more personal experience to roll through. That said, the game unfortunately gets held back by a constant string of tutorials and telling the player where to go instead of allowing them to explore on their own terms.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Mortal Kombat, or you are just getting into the series via its modern versions, Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection is a great way to experience the series’ formative era on modern platforms. It isn’t a complete collection, but it does hit all the landmark titles of the series’ growing phase.
Maybe with a bit of post-launch updating some of this stuff could be worked on and enhanced, but as the game is now, Double Dragon Revive is only recommended if you have a Double Dragon shaped hole in your life that needs to be filled immediately. Otherwise, wait on it a bit. It’s not an outright pass, but Double Dragon Revive is a game you’re going to need to be in a very patient mood to play.
Majogami is a decent game with good ideas, but could stand to push the envelope further when it comes to level depth and exploration. The visual style is an absolute treat, and compliments the combat well, while also allowing for some fascinating character designs. However, progression feels hindered by variable difficulty spikes and a necessity for grinding currency to engage more with the variety of combat abilities in the game.
Despite some bloat, as a whole, Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake did an outstanding job making the Erdrick Trilogy feel more epic and cohesive than ever, and this effort has given me a more fond appreciation for it, which to me was the goal all along.
Bounty Star has a good concept, and it has potential, but the end product as it stands now just doesn't measure up. It'll take some serious tune ups before I'm willing to ride into this desert again.
I liked Full Metal Schoolgirl overall, but its large consequences for dying during the campaign, the uselessness of many of its weapons, and general jank will deter a lot of potential players. But if lady androids demolishing hundreds of robots sounds great to you, it's still worth a look.