Smashbomb

Search

Search results

All (1649)

Content

Arena of Valor: 5v5 Arena Game

Games

6.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

App

Experience Arena of Valor, an epic new 5v5 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) designed by...

Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Injustice 2 in Video Games

Jul 14, 2017

Injustice 2

2017 | Fighting

8.2

(21 Ratings)

Video Game Rating Watch

Large Roster (4 more)

Simple but Deep Mechanics

Worthwhile and Well-written Campaign

Loot in a Fighting Game!

Harley Quinn Kicks Ass

Loot Acquisition Could Have Been Better Implemented (0 more)

Superhero Brawling at its Finest

As a fighting game, Injustice 2 is near perfect. As a DC superhero story, it's better than most movies. The fighting mechanics are sharp and simple, while still offering plenty of depth and nuance for dedicated fighting fans. Most of the character design is great (you may have heard about or seen the new "Hot Topic Joker"), and all serves to fit the alternate Injustice universe. The only real gripe I have with the game is that loot acquisition is randomly decided through loot boxes called Mother Boxes. These boxes drop through completing single-player missions in the Multiverse, but it could have been a lot more fun if loot dropped from defeated enemies like most other loot-based single player experiences. It's a minor complaint, I admit, but something that throws off the experience for me. In the end, Injustice 2 is a fantastic game that fights to be innovative in a crowded fighting game market. It largely succeeds, and due to the Multiverse and the loot you'll never run out of things to do.

Kudos

ClareR (6037 KP) rated Gallowstree Lane (Collins and Griffiths #3) in Books

Feb 11, 2019

Gallowstree Lane (Collins and Griffiths #3)

Kate London | 2019 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller

7.0

(4 Ratings)

Book Rating

Fans of The Wire or Broadchurch will love this.

I didn't realise until after I'd finished this, that it was actually the third in the series - not that it made any difference whatsoever to my enjoyment!
It's a really well told, gritty police procedural, heavy on the character building. In fact I became very attached to these characters: the struggling single parent WPC; the teenaged boys who had become involved in drug dealing; the officer involved with a big operation; the DC investigating a murder. I didn't like the big drug dealer though (which I think was the whole point. He was a man devoid of conscience).
The mothers in this really resonated with me: women trying to do their best , one working long hours and sacrificing time with her baby to be able to provide for him in a job she loves; the other, a woman who risks losing her son to drug dealing and violence. Both women backed into impossible-to-get-out-of corners.
I really, really enjoyed this book, and I'll be buying the first two in the series to read and catch up!!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and to the author, Kate London, for reading along with us!

Kudos

Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Incredibles 2 (2018) in Movies

Nov 10, 2018

The Incredibles 2 (2018)

2018 | Action, Animation, Comedy

8.2

(178 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

A good sequel

I’ll be honest, the first Incredibles film was one of my least favourite Pixar films. Not because it was bad, but like Cars it never really appealed to me very much. But I’m pleased to say that I actually enjoyed the sequel much more than the original.

The plot itself is very similar to the original but with dad Bob being left at home to look after the kids. And for me, this is where most of the enjoyment and humour comes from this film. Watching Bob deal with the kids and Jack-Jack’s uncontrollable powers, and getting increasingly more frazzled, is a delight to watch. Indeed it’s Jack-Jack who is the star of this film and without him, this film would have actually been quite dull. Don’t get me wrong, the animation is top notch as you’d expect from Pixar, but the rest of the plot is a little bit predictable and unfortunately there have been far too many superhero films lately and this doesn’t feel like anything new.

That said, this is still a Pixar film and ultimately good, and will always be a lot more enjoyable than watching one of the latest DC films...