SmashPad's Reviews
When working as intended, Minecraft Dungeons II runs smoothly and plays far better than the first game. The environments are beautiful and thoughtfully designed, and new mechanics to deliver a deeper story were very welcome. However, the grand finale was anticlimactic, the new enchantment system feels like it discourages build experimentation, the titular dungeons are completely optional, and a glaring oversight in the artifact cooldown system flies in the face of the faster-paced combat Mojang was going for.
Something We Made created one of the best, most worthwhile experiences of the year that's a salve for the soul and a wonderfully complete endeavor that doesn't overstay or lack the substance required to feel satisfied by the end. I loved every second of this game, and I won't forget it any time soon.
It should come as no surprise, but this is easily the best way to experience one of the greatest games ever made. With the unexpected but welcome Songs of the Past expansion dropping next year and The Witcher IV on the horizon, I implore newcomers and returning fans alike to remember why The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has earned its enduring legacy.
Ace Combat 8, as a whole, is a lot of “two steps forward, one step back.”
On one hand, SiN Reloaded is absolutely a game of its time, remaster or not. On the other hand, it still fits neatly in the current pantheon of retro-attuned games making comebacks or blazing their own trails as homages to history. It's an easy sell for anyone wanting to explore the annals of first-person shooters not named DOOM or Quake, a below-the-surface treat that did a lot right, and for most of what it missed, Nightdive gave it a second chance.
If you’re fond of 3D platformers, you’ll likely find a lot to whet your appetite here, as OSome Studio has done a terrific job with the game, regardless of if you’re a fan of the franchise.
Given that the game is a direct continuation and has you explore most of the same areas, the fact that its gameplay systems keep things fresh makes it all the more impressive, and that goes without saying the game is roughly one and a half times bigger than the last one. At the end of the day, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter is a remake of what many consider the best game in the Trails series. Of course it's amazing.
If you can put up with some poor combat and areas overstuffed with repetitive enemies, The Sinking City 2 is well worth fighting against the tide in the end. I enjoyed the story and the exploration, and the areas are honestly close to being as good as its inspiration. It needs some balancing, and it’s downright questionable that an entire DLC featuring an entire new area came out near launch, but I’m very glad I got to play this one.
Mexican Ninja is fun — fun enough to buy and spend a weekend on debaucherous violence, cultural humor, and ninja heroics. It’s a scrappy indie game that certainly could have been better, but defiantly and confidently stands among peers offering things they cannot. It’s respectable if nothing else. Genre purists will vibe with it, as this would have killed in the 90s with its irreverent tone, but if you’re expecting the next Absolum, this is the wrong juego for you, hermano.
The story is passable, but the action is capable of nice heights, especially with pals on your side or diving into the unpredictable lottery of public matchmaking. It’s hard to beat the intensity of hearing the ping of your motion sensor that precedes mowing down aliens with a smartgun or pulse rifle, and the game provides candy of that sort and more to indulge in. Genre fans who are more forgiving of prominent flaws will have a good time with it. More critical players may want to wait for some title updates to roll through.
Where Geppy-X falls short is its actual gameplay. If you want a shooter that does anything above average or remarkable from a gameplay standpoint, this isn't the game for you.
I do wish that plot details in Orbitals were a little more obvious from a storytelling perspective, but the amount of fun you’ll have in this short six-hour sci-fi adventure hardly makes you think about any of that. Orbitals is just a good time to spend with a friend, and that’s all you should really want from it.
Some bugs, a couple of crashes, weak boss battles, and other strange design choices hold Mortal Shell II back from being the masterpiece I hoped it’d be, but Cold Symmetry has more than proven itself as a small-but-mighty team that knows how to deliver the action RPG goods.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the modern revival that fans have been waiting decades for. It exudes charm through its comedy and fantastic cast of characters, while delivering intense combat and swordplay. While the console version does have some issues with lighting outside of cutscenes, and its story and side content could’ve done a better job matching the spectacle that the combat brings, it makes for a fun and entertaining action title.
"It is impossible to experience everything in The Blood of Dawnwalker in a single playthrough, and because so many things are time-sensitive, you’ll come across different results. There really is no wrong way to play this game, and that in and of itself is remarkable.
STAR WARS Zero Company won me over. It was obviously made by and for fans of the world's favorite sci-fi universe, with great respect to the source material and spinning established lore into something fresh and entertaining.
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy is proof that the series, even if it changes genres, is fantastic. With excellent acting, breathtaking graphics, and a gripping narrative, fans of the franchise will be happy to know it still has it.
As far as boomer shooters go, Cultic is an excellent entry into the genre with fun gameplay and a stellar environment that kept me playing for hours. This is a great experience for fans of the shooter genre, but it’s also an excellent experience for fans of any horror medium.
Addictive? Yes. Strategic? Hell yeah. Gratifying? You bet. Messhof have another potential underground classic on their hands here because they put in the work to make the game feel good, look intriguing, and make your neck snap from the whiplash of slapping you with fun unlocks at just about every turn.
In summary, my criticisms are that I want more updates. If you love Stardew Valley and Story of Seasons, Fields of Mistria is an easy decision–buy it, play it, love it. The game is so easy to get into, and I suspect many of us will keep this in constant rotation for a good while.