Myles Obenza

Hands-On + INTERVIEW – “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” Director Naoki Hamaguchi talks Switch 2 performance

by Myles Obenza | Features Nintendo Switch 2 Previews | 0 Comments | 28 Apr 2026

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was one of 2024’s best games, earning SmashPad’s #6 spot on our Top 10 Games of 2024. It originally released on the PlayStation 5, eventually seeing a PC release in January of last year. But this June, both Xbox and Nintendo gamers will get the opportunity to play the gargantuan Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy’s sophomore outing. I recently had the opportunity to test the Switch 2 version of Rebirth for about half an hour, and even chatted digitally with game director Naoki Hamaguchi about porting the game to Nintendo’s handheld hybrid console, the concessions made, and what we can expect in the future.

[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Grim Trials” is a Hades-like worth checking out

by Myles Obenza | PAX East PC Previews Steam | 0 Comments | 08 Apr 2026

During PAX East in Boston, I had the opportunity to play Grim Trials for about half an hour, but that wasn’t nearly enough time to really sink my teeth in. Not only because that isn’t really enough time to get a full impression, but also because what I played was genuinely fun, and I’m excited to eventually dive back in.

[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: Bylina is a clunky ARPG that’s more frustrating than fun

by Myles Obenza | PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 07 Apr 2026

A dark, Slavic myth-themed dungeon-crawling action RPG sounds amazing on paper, and that’s what Bylina from developer Far Far Games sets out to be. This year at PAX East in Boston, I got to play roughly 20 minutes of what I can only assume is an early build of the game. Unfortunately, it was quite a buggy mess and largely unenjoyable, but the bones of a great game are here, especially if you’re a fan of other ARPGs of its ilk. I just think it needs a bit more time in the oven.

[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: We’re ready for “Mina the Hollower”

by Myles Obenza | PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 06 Apr 2026

It was a few days before I was set to hop on a plane to travel across the country to Boston to attend my first PAX East. My schedule was set, and I was ecstatic to check out all the…

[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Fractured Blooms” is the perfect mix of cozy and creepy

by Myles Obenza | PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 03 Apr 2026

I was able to get about half an hour with Fractured Blooms, and came away quite impressed. I’m not typically the biggest farming sim gamer, but I am SmashPad’s resident horror guy, and the spooky vibes here were immaculate. From what I’ve played, the farming sim mechanics are as crucial to the game’s overall loop as the esoteric, psychological horror themes, and the blend of genres works well in a way I wasn’t expecting.

REVIEW – “Love Eternal” is a weird horror platformer with an enthralling narrative

by Myles Obenza | PC Reviews Steam Xbox One Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 19 Feb 2026

It’s not every day a game has such a profound emotional effect on me, and even less so with pixel art platformers. But Love Eternal is one of the weirdest games I’ve ever played, and in all the most complimentary ways.

Myles’ Top 10 Games of 2025

by Myles Obenza | Features | 0 Comments | 28 Dec 2025

Like previous years, my top 10 games of 2025 was pretty tough to nail down. There are some easy lock-ins, considering some of these were among my most anticipated titles in recent memory, and definitely a few surprises that affected…

[PAX West 2025] “Little Nightmares III” Multiplayer Hands-On

by Myles Obenza | Events PAX West Previews | 0 Comments | 10 Sep 2025

Little Nightmares broke the platforming mold with the original game’s release in 2017. It expertly blended 2D and 3D platforming with horror elements, with developer Tarsier Studios releasing some DLC, a mobile entry, and a full on sequel over the…

[PAX West 2025] Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted Hands-On

by Myles Obenza | Events PAX West Previews | 0 Comments | 02 Sep 2025

At PAX West 2025, I got to get some hands-on time with Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted, PopCap Studios’ and The Lost Pixels’ 4K upgrade of their original mobile game.

“Deadcam” Early Access Review

by Myles Obenza | PC Reviews | 0 Comments | 22 Aug 2025

As the resident horror sicko here on SmashPad, it fell upon me to check out Deadcam, a self-proclaimed analog indie horror game from developer Joure Visser. Currently in early access, Deadcam is an anthology horror game that will tackle multiple…

“Shadow Labyrinth” Review

by Myles Obenza | Nintendo Switch 2 Reviews | 0 Comments | 17 Jul 2025

Last year, if you told me that Prime Video’s Secret Lair episode “PAC-MAN: Circle” would actually as serve as the secret prequel to a dark, post apocalyptic Pac-Man Metroidvania from Bandai Namco, I would have said… Yeah, that makes sense.

“Donkey Kong Country Returns HD” Review

by Myles Obenza | Nintendo Switch Reviews | 0 Comments | 25 Jan 2025

The Nintendo Switch is rounding the corner on its eighth birthday. We’ve seen countless ports and remasters of their first party catalog from the Wii and Wii U libraries of games. Donkey Kong Country Returns HD continues this trend in…

Author: mobenza

Hands-On + INTERVIEW – “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth” Director Naoki Hamaguchi talks Switch 2 performance

[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Grim Trials” is a Hades-like worth checking out

[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: Bylina is a clunky ARPG that’s more frustrating than fun

[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: We’re ready for “Mina the Hollower”

[PAX East 2026] Hands-On: “Fractured Blooms” is the perfect mix of cozy and creepy

REVIEW – “Love Eternal” is a weird horror platformer with an enthralling narrative

Myles’ Top 10 Games of 2025

[PAX West 2025] “Little Nightmares III” Multiplayer Hands-On

[PAX West 2025] Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted Hands-On

“Deadcam” Early Access Review

“Shadow Labyrinth” Review

“Donkey Kong Country Returns HD” Review

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