SmashPad

INTERVIEW – “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales” was heavily inspired by “Final Fantasy Adventure”

by Myles Obenza | Features Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Previews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 18 May 2026

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Square Enix offices in Los Angeles to play a couple hours of The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, where I came away impressed and excited to finally explore the world of Philabieldia in full. You can read my full thoughts on my hands-on preview here, where I dive deeper into the game’s mechanics, structure, and time travel elements.

PREVIEW – “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales” is shaping up to be a wonderful new HD-2D action RPG

by Myles Obenza | Articles Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Previews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 18 May 2026

This summer, Square’s H2-2D styles makes its first foray into real-time RPG gameplay with The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. A mouthful of an endearingly odd title Square’s been known for over recent years, Elliot takes the HD-2D visual style and moves the action from turn-based to reactionary real-time combat. Myles recently had the opportunity to play about an hour of the game during a visit to Square Enix’s offices in Los Angeles and came away excited for the gameplay, but slightly worried about the story.

REVIEW – Despite sizable flaws, “STARBITES” enthralls with great combat and characters in a ruined, desperate world

by David Rodriguez | Nintendo Switch PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 18 May 2026

STARBITES has a lot going for it. The things that bothered me with this game were not fundamental enough to keep me from playing to the very end, and that makes for an overall, convincing win. It has ample charisma, a good message, and plenty of heart.

INTERVIEW – “Fishbowl” team talks about how their heartfelt shelter-in-place cozy title was inspired by Ghibli, “To The Moon” and more

by Danreb Victorio | Features PC PlayStation 5 | 0 Comments | 15 May 2026

Last month, Fishbowl from imissmyfriends.studio came out with high marks, including a 4 out of 5 from yours truly. I recently had the time to talk with the members of the two-person studio, based in India, and I left the interview with a smile.

REVIEW – “Forza Horizon 6” is a game-changer for accessible gaming

by Filippo Dinolfo | PC Reviews Steam Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 14 May 2026

This is a review that I wasn’t actually expecting to write. I mentioned in passing to our editor that I was interested in Forza Horizon 6, but sort of forgot about it amid a whole lot of other unrelated stuff in my life. Well, a couple of weeks back, I got a DM with a Steam code, and here we are now.

HANDS-ON – The title says it all with “Disgaea Mayhem”

by Danreb Victorio | Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch 2 PAX East PC PlayStation 5 Previews | 0 Comments | 14 May 2026

Just take one look at Disgaea Mayhem, and you already know what you’re getting. The game is being marketedlike an action spinoff to their marquee, prinny-filled SRPG, but it’s obviously a musou, and so far, it’s pretty fun.

HANDS-ON + INTERVIEW – “Brigandine: Abyss” demo was punishing but has potential

by Danreb Victorio | Events Features PAX East Previews | 0 Comments | 13 May 2026

Our appointment with NIS America during PAX East was one of the opportunities I was most looking forward to, as I got to play Brigandine: Abyss behind closed doors, and it turned out to be quite a humbling experience. Typically, such a punishing demo would make me lose interest, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something worthwhile here, especially after the talk I had with the developer after the play session.

REVIEW – “Clockwork Ambrosia” is an absolute blast!

by Michael Fertitta | PC Reviews Steam | 0 Comments | 12 May 2026

Clockwork Ambrosia is a game that takes that concept and goes in a fascinating, different direction, focusing instead on letting the player modify their weapons. To put it simply, I absolutely enjoyed my time with this game and its weapon mod mechanics.

REVIEW – “Directive 8020” goes above and beyond before crashing on impact

by Chris Penwell | PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 11 May 2026

Directive 8020 is worth the journey, despite a few rough detours. The performances are superb, and most of the writing is effective. However, there are way too many stealth sections.

“Dead as Disco” early access — Is it worth it?

by Andrew Farrell | Features | 0 Comments | 08 May 2026

What do you get if you take Batman: Arkham’s combat, mix it with a rhythm game, and throw it into several short levels? Well, you get Dead as Disco, that’s what! The game has just entered early access and is set to stay there for at least a year as it receives new combat mechanics, levels, and bosses to fight. At launch, there are five levels, in addition to the endless mode available in the demo. The game has a long way to go and is sure to receive lots of additional polish, but is Dead as Disco worth it in early access?

[MagicCon Vegas 2026] Expansion for today and tomorrow’s community

by Marie Ablaza | Features | 0 Comments | 07 May 2026

MagicCon Vegas 2026 showcase didn’t just tease new cards. It outlined a broader strategy: expand Magic’s reach through crossovers, experiment with new formats, and lower the barrier to entry without losing depth. From “Universes Beyond” spectacles to entirely new ways to play, MagicCon Vegas 2026 felt less like a preview and more like a mission statement.

REVIEW – “Mixtape” is an instant classic that truly delivers only the hits

by Danreb Victorio | Nintendo Switch 2 PC PlayStation 5 Reviews Xbox Series X | 0 Comments | 07 May 2026

When I first got my hands on a demo of Mixtape at Summer Game Fest last year, I knew it was going to be special. I knew it as soon as I put on the headphones and started vibing to…

VIDEO – Unboxing a “Jollibee x Final Fantasy XIV” mystery box

INTERVIEW – “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales” was heavily inspired by “Final Fantasy Adventure”

PREVIEW – “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales” is shaping up to be a wonderful new HD-2D action RPG

REVIEW – Despite sizable flaws, “STARBITES” enthralls with great combat and characters in a ruined, desperate world

INTERVIEW – “Fishbowl” team talks about how their heartfelt shelter-in-place cozy title was inspired by Ghibli, “To The Moon” and more

REVIEW – “Forza Horizon 6” is a game-changer for accessible gaming

HANDS-ON – The title says it all with “Disgaea Mayhem”

HANDS-ON + INTERVIEW – “Brigandine: Abyss” demo was punishing but has potential

REVIEW – “Clockwork Ambrosia” is an absolute blast!

REVIEW – “Directive 8020” goes above and beyond before crashing on impact

“Dead as Disco” early access — Is it worth it?

[MagicCon Vegas 2026] Expansion for today and tomorrow’s community

REVIEW – “Mixtape” is an instant classic that truly delivers only the hits

Latest Podcasts