Smash Jump's Reviews
Hidden Through Time 2 is not your typical game. It is often easy to dismiss the unconventional as unworthy of attention. I’m happy to say that this nifty hidden object puzzler grabbed hold of me with its quirky and charming presentation and made me stay for its accessible and addictive gameplay loop. This sequel improves upon its predecessor in every possible way. While the very light campaign story, small optimization issues, and the lack of DualSense implementation detract from the overall presentation, it is not enough to affect my enjoyment of the game.
Another Code: Recollection is a fun experience with a great sense of progression. You really feel like you are investigating the past. The characters you learn about actually had lives and cared for one another. Despite some camera problems and some characters feeling bland, by the end of the experience, you’ll be so invested that you’ll actually feel for and care about them.
While playing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, I was constantly disappointed. Whether it be the game story, combat, or visuals, it felt like every step forward in a positive direction was followed soon after by two steps back. The game’s positive aspects are still good, and I’m sure diehard fans of the film will enjoy the realistic recreation of Pandora’s wilderness.
At the end of the day, it’s hard not to recommend a free DLC. God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is an excellent companion piece to go along with the main game. Its highlights are the narrative and gameplay elements that focus on Kratos as a character and how he copes with his new place in the world.
In many ways, Bear and Breakfast reminded me that taking it slow in a game is absolutely fine and even encouraged for exploration and world building. Nonetheless, it has some limitations, including the lack of quality-of-life features, the absence of an item sale system, curtailed player choices, and the lack of DualSense features.
Choo-Choo Charles is the antithesis of a game that wears its silly nature on its sleeve, it hinges on the wacky premise of running from a spider-train to draw people in, but fails to deliver on anything to keep people thanks in large part due to its lackluster story, forgettable characters, shoddy design, and buggy experience.
Spider-Man 2 is great fun — a very concise package of technically exceptional set pieces webbed together by compelling characters dealing with friendship, loss, and trauma. The story, however, is unevenly paced with a short and quick tail-end, leaving players asking for more.