SmashPad's Reviews
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.
Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted has been a really fun way to play PvZ once again in a package that is a solid improvement over the original PC version in most ways, but it has enough flaws in the controls and audio that keeps it from being a perfect upgrade for old fans and new players.
I’ve tried to be as even-handed as possible with this review because I am a diehard Ninja Gaiden fan. I have played since the 8-bit days on the original Nintendo, and I also really dig Platinum Games and what they produce. If you are in one camp or the other, you’re either going to be pissed or you’re going to be happy. If you like both, you may end up confused, disappointed, or really happy, because Ninja Gaiden 4 isn’t really a proper Ninja Gaiden game nor is it a pure Platinum game.
I don’t know if the game will be able to find that much of an audience, as it’s very much an artistic game and favors visuals and vibes over complex game systems and an extended playtime. But this is a game that truly feels special, as its incredible art direction, clever game design, and sublime pacing make for a very unique few hours.
Yooka-Replaylee is fun, but it lacks the sense of wonder that those old games to create. The various worlds themselves still feel kind of generic, even with the redesigns (ice level, swamp level, vague space pirate level, you get the idea), and yet somehow are also incredibly convoluted and hard to traverse (hence the map).
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.