SmashPad's Reviews
Madden NFL 18 is every bit as great as the last Madden was, but aside from its awesome story mode, there really isn’t anything new to talk about. If you’re a Franchise guy, it’s the same. If you like MUT, there are some new things sprinkled here and there, but it’s mostly the same. Madden is still Madden, and it’s not really a bad thing.
There are two kinds of players that Yakuza Kiwami should interest — existing Yakuza fans that want to give the first game a visit, and the gamers who’ve heard great things about Yakuza but never gave it a chance. When it comes to these two audiences, Sega hit it right out of the park with this remake especially with the game’s $30 price point.
It’s clear that Sonic Mania was made with a lot of tender loving care, and with all the fans this game is set to please in addition to finding new ones, it would be a shame if Sega doesn’t name Christian Whitehead and company the new Sonic Team.
...aside from RiME having good graphics, it’s tough to recommend this title at $30 ($40 on the Switch) when there are so many other great games that came out this year."
In order to sell me on a new version of Cave Story in 2017, I needed to see a significant amount of new content—new weapons, new areas, new playable characters, new choices. Without any of those things, Cave Story+ is a short, simple, fun experience that doesn’t quite live up to the standard set by similar games in the time since Cave Story originally released.
I wish this final episode packed a heavier punch, but it doesn’t make the season any better or worse. In fact, it’s every bit as fun as the last one was.
MLB The Show 17 has some flaws and parts of the game that are less interesting for what I want to do, but there's plenty here that should be able to appeal to most types of baseball fans out there.
The game is worth it if sandbox creation games are your thing. On the other hand, if you’re like me and felt you would get this game based on your love of Harvest Moon only, that would be like comparing apples and oranges, and this may be a skip.
Tetriminoes and puyos may come from two very different worlds but Puyo Puyo Tetris serves as the perfect stage for both to shine.
Although it won’t last hundreds of hours like Spelunky or Binding of Isaac, and while it doesn’t have the amazing gameplay loop of Rogue Legacy that made me want to keep playing that game forever, Flinthook captures enough of the genre to satisfy that itch for a couple dozen hours.
...if we’re comparing Mario Kart from the 90’s to Mario Kart now, you honestly can’t have it any better. Switch owners finally have a definitive library piece other than Zelda, and the game definitely will hold its place as a leader in couch co-op for years to come.
The 3rd gives its audience credit and delivers a fine reward for longtime fans, reasserting Nihon Falcom’s place as the contemporary masters of the genre. If you’ve played the previous games, don’t hesitate to get in on this adventure. If you haven’t, it’s certainly worth working your way toward.
The latest episode in Telltale’s The Walking Dead seemingly came out of left field, and it boasts an ending that really makes you second guess the decisions you made up to this point.
At the end of it, you’ll be wanting more, and waiting impatiently for Episode 2 to be released.
The Shiness: Lightning Kingdom brings forth an effort that far exceeds its minimal $30 price tag.
With more work on the story and writing, Cosmic Star Heroine could have been an incredible game. At the very least, it contributes a fantastic new battle system to the world of old-school RPGs.
If you even have a slight interest in RPG’s, Persona 5 is easily a recommended must-have. At over 100 hours, you’re definitely getting a whole lot of game, but everything from the production value to the battle system and even its painfully relevant story about the devolution of the human race make Persona 5 a staple of this gaming generation and more than justifies the series as the king of JRPG’s.
Bigger multiplayer games may be on the way, but Super Bomberman R will still give you plenty of reasons to gather around the TV – or perhaps even just the Switch itself – for a long time to come.
Everything else, however, is of the quality you would expect of a Mass Effect game. The writing and characters are amazing. The combat is extremely enjoyable, the graphics are gorgeous, and the plot is gripping.
The game being hard isn’t what brings it down. We all love a good challenge. It’s the fact that so many factors go into the actual gameplay, and it simply isn’t worth the effort. It’s stressful for no reason, and it’s unfortunate because of how much I enjoy different “out there” ideas.