SmashPad's Reviews
Digimon Story: Time Stranger is good. It's just that the story takes too long to get going, the fast travel is archaic, and there are too many menus to scroll through. You would think a game about time travel would do better getting with the times.
Little Nightmares III is a very good game and Supermassive’s first attempt is a more than valid entry to the series thanks to its timeless art style and terrifying yet riveting design that’s thankfully a tad more lengthy than its predecessors. Its problem is that it doesn’t give players completely free reign to play how they want to play, needlessly locking them into whether they started solo or with a friend. With a friend, the game is absolutely enjoyable despite its lack of dedicated voice chat. Playing solo is also fun, but it doesn’t do much different than the previous game did as a single player experience.
Baiyon has made another cool game that has just enough flaws to keep the average player at bay that isn’t bought into the concept based on the director’s pedigree alone. I would say that PixelJunk Eden is still his best work, but this may be his most interesting project of all, despite its flaws.
It’s disappointing that none of the licenses we’ve seen other in LEGO games make an appearance here, but the game more than makes up for it with the amount of fun and polish each minigame offers, and at $40, I’d definitely recommend this over most Mario Party games, and if DLC comes that does bring known IP to the mix, I just might partake.
Do I recommend the Dear Me, I was…? Absolutely. Do I think the game is worth it at $7.99? I’m going to say no here. If there was just a little bit more to do in the game from a gameplay perspective, like Florence? I would. I’d say $5 is the sweet spot here, so I’d definitely hop on it if I saw it on sale.
Puzzle Quest: Immortal Edition, despite its flaws, is a genuine VALUE. It’s worth FAR more than its asking price, and that’s RARE these days.
Longtime fans will appreciate some changes and resent others, but the game’s a bit of a mixed bag overall, even if I do like that so much effort was put in here.
Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles not only brings back a fan-favorite spinoff of the Final Fantasy series, but also delivers a wealth of improvements to create a polished tactical-RPG experience, complete with a culturally relevant story that has been given new life with stellar voice acting.
Hades II was always destined to be great because it builds on a modern classic. It brings you into a world we have seen many times before, with gods and titans locked in battle, and makes it feel new again. Simply put, Hades II is an excellent game that represents a bright future for both roguelikes and the Switch 2.
Blippo+ is a great example of what happens when creative people think completely outside the box. It doesn’t make you struggle with difficulty, it lets you watch at your own pace and take the story how you want to. It’s a game that respects your intelligence by presenting the programming, then letting you put the pieces together. Blippo+ isn’t a hard game, and that’s fine. Sometimes you just want something to enjoy without stress, and Blippo+ provides that. Definitely check it out if you’re looking for a game that isn’t afraid to be different.
Baby Steps is an amazing game that very much fits my vibe in the simulation genre where the main mechanic is satisfying and the journey is just as enjoyable. It’s not a perfect game, but it does so much right that I can’t wait to play more of it at my own pace.
Sadly, although a technically accomplished game, Towa just cannot get out of its inspiration’s shadow. It’s enjoyable to a degree, but even when I was enjoying it I was thinking of Hades. Let this game stand as a cautionary tale about wearing your influences on your sleeve a little too closely; There’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from other games, but unless the original stuff can measure up, you’re really just a hollow copy at best.
Despite its shortcomings, primarily in timed crossover character selection, I’m very impressed with what I’ve played out of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and while I think it’s a bit of a detriment, I also think the fact that we’re getting events with new characters is a solid way to keep people invested.
Gatekeeping veterans will definitely show shade at some of the things that were taken away from the original game, but at its core, as a full JRPG released in 2025–this is one of the best games of the year, and as a longtime fan myself, I hope this is the beginning of the series getting the full attention and love it deserves.
Bubsy in: The Purrfect Collection is an excellent example of how to do a retro compilation the right way and give a better life to one of the most notorious gaming mascots of the 90s. Look past the memes and the jokes about this character and you can find some serious fun here.
While it doesn’t have nearly the same focus on presentation as a Hazelight game does, LEGO Voyagers is a more than worthy choice if you’re looking for a charming multiplayer adventure.
Madden NFL 26 is a fun time as long as you can accept the caveats that come with it.
OFF was a groundbreaking title and in many ways it still holds up incredibly well, and the remaster has added a bunch of new content that newcomers and old fans should enjoy. There may be games that came after it that did it better, but this is one game you should experience at least once. Trust me: you won’t be the same afterwards.
Once I played through a year and a half and experienced the entire calendar’s events like the winter holidays, I didn’t find myself coming back to the game very much. And I’m absolutely in the minority based on continued online discussions. It’s only $20 so I say give it a try and see if it grabs you like it has with so many gamers who aren’t like me. I needed to go back to much more challenging games after this one.
If you can get over the fact that it doesn’t play EXACTLY like its past games but can appreciate the steps in direction the game has taken to play like both a retro and modern game in 2025, you might find a candidate for Game of the Year.