Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate – A Comprehensive Review
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The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT) have captured the hearts of fans for decades, from their humble beginnings as comic book characters to becoming cultural icons through animated series, movies, and merchandise. Among the many adaptations, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate emerges as an exciting video game that brings the turtles back into action. This detailed review explores every aspect of the game, from gameplay mechanics and narrative to graphics and replayability, ensuring you get a complete understanding of what this title offers.
Gameplay: A Masterclass in Cooperative Action
One of the standout features of Splintered Fate is its cooperative gameplay. Players can embody Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, or Raphael, each bringing unique abilities and fighting styles to the battlefield. Whether you prefer Leonardo’s balanced approach, Raphael’s raw power, Donatello’s technical finesse, or Michelangelo’s agility, there is a character to suit every playstyle.
Core Mechanics
Combat: The game features a fluid combat system that blends button-mashing with tactical maneuvers. Players can chain combos, dodge incoming attacks, and execute powerful special moves unique to each turtle. The responsive controls ensure that every move feels impactful, with combat animations adding a sense of weight and intensity to every punch, kick, and special move.
Exploration: Levels are designed with a mix of linear progression and open areas for exploration. Hidden secrets, collectibles, and bonus missions encourage players to thoroughly search each environment. Environmental puzzles add a layer of complexity, requiring players to think strategically to unlock certain areas or gain extra rewards.
Co-op Multiplayer: The game truly shines in its cooperative multiplayer mode, allowing up to four players to team up. The synergy between turtles creates dynamic combat scenarios, making every battle feel fresh and engaging. Cooperative mechanics, like assisting a downed ally or combining special moves for devastating effects, add depth to the multiplayer experience.
Character Progression
As players progress, they can unlock upgrades and abilities, enhancing the turtles’ effectiveness in battle. The skill tree system allows for customization, ensuring no two playthroughs feel identical. Each turtle’s progression path offers a mix of passive buffs, such as increased health or attack power, and active abilities, like area-of-effect attacks or defensive shields.
Story: A Rescue Mission with High Stakes
The narrative of Splintered Fate centers on the abduction of Master Splinter. The turtles must navigate the seedy underbelly of New York City, facing off against the Foot Clan, mutants, and other iconic villains like Bebop and Rocksteady. The stakes are high, and the storytelling delivers a balance of humor, heart, and action that fans of the series have come to expect.
Key Highlights
Cinematic Cutscenes: The game incorporates beautifully animated cutscenes that advance the story while immersing players in the TMNT universe. These scenes are filled with dynamic camera angles, expressive character animations, and intense action sequences.
Engaging Dialogue: The witty banter between the turtles keeps the tone light-hearted, even during intense moments. The humor feels authentic, capturing the essence of the characters while balancing the darker aspects of the narrative.
Twists and Turns: The narrative includes unexpected plot twists that keep players engaged and eager to see how the story unfolds. The emotional stakes are heightened by moments of vulnerability, as the turtles grapple with their sense of duty and personal fears.
Visuals and Sound Design: A Feast for the Senses
Graphics
The art style of Splintered Fate pays homage to the TMNT’s comic book roots while incorporating modern visual effects. Vibrant colors, detailed character models, and dynamic environments make the game visually stunning. Each turtle’s design is faithful to their iconic look, with subtle updates that enhance their individuality. Enemies and bosses are equally well-designed, showcasing creative interpretations of classic characters.
Level Design
From the dark alleys of New York to underground lairs and high-tech facilities, the game’s environments are diverse and packed with detail. Each level feels alive, with interactive elements and background animations that add depth. Dynamic lighting effects and weather conditions, such as rain-soaked streets or dimly lit corridors, heighten the immersion.
Soundtrack and Voice Acting
Soundtrack: The soundtrack perfectly complements the action, blending upbeat tracks with intense battle music. Each level features a unique musical theme, reflecting its tone and setting.
Voice Acting: Voice acting deserves special mention, with each turtle’s personality shining through their dialogue. The voice actors deliver energetic and heartfelt performances, bringing the characters to life. Even the villains have memorable voice work, adding gravitas to their roles.
Features and Replayability
Core Features
Customizable Difficulty Levels: Players can choose difficulty settings that match their skill level, from casual gamers to hardcore action enthusiasts. Each difficulty level adjusts enemy behavior and resource availability, ensuring a tailored experience.
Unlockable Skins and Easter Eggs: Dedicated fans will appreciate the numerous nods to TMNT lore, including unlockable costumes and hidden references. These rewards incentivize exploration and replayability.
Boss Fights: Each boss encounter is uniquely designed, requiring players to adapt their strategies and use the turtles’ abilities to their fullest. Boss battles often incorporate environmental hazards, making them more challenging and dynamic.
Replayability
The game’s replay value is bolstered by:
Multiple Difficulty Settings: Replay the game on harder difficulties for a greater challenge.
Hidden Collectibles and Achievements: Completionists will enjoy tracking down every secret and earning all achievements.
Experimenting with Different Turtles: Each turtle offers a distinct playstyle, encouraging multiple playthroughs to fully appreciate their abilities.
Post-Game Content: Additional challenges, such as time trials and survival modes, extend the game’s lifespan.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Engaging Cooperative Gameplay: Perfect for friends or family looking for a fun gaming session.
Authentic TMNT Experience: Captures the spirit of the franchise with its humor, action, and storytelling.
High-Quality Visuals and Sound: Immersive environments and stellar voice acting enhance the experience.
Replayability: Offers plenty of content to keep players coming back.
Diverse Boss Battles: Unique and challenging encounters keep players on their toes.
Cons
Limited Solo Appeal: While the game can be played solo, it’s clearly designed with multiplayer in mind.
Repetitive Combat: Despite the fluid mechanics, combat can feel repetitive during extended play sessions. A wider variety of enemy types or more complex AI could alleviate this issue.
Short Campaign: The main story might feel too brief for players expecting a longer adventure. However, the additional content helps mitigate this concern.
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Final Verdict
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a must-play for TMNT fans and cooperative game enthusiasts. Its engaging gameplay, charming story, and polished presentation make it a standout title. While it has a few minor drawbacks, such as its short campaign and repetitive combat, the overall experience more than compensates. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer to the TMNT universe, this game offers an enjoyable journey that’s worth your time.
Customer reviews for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate
An average rogue-like. Played this with friends and we felt there is a disconnect between how you are meant to play the game and how the characters actually work and function. There are a lot of map covering AOE attacks in some parts but your characters are, you know, the turtles so you're mostly melee. As a result you're sometimes finding spots to dash in the map to avoid the ground attacks and are just sitting there doing nothing if the enemy isn't in melee range. Also when it does have dialogue it's a little much. I understand they wanted to make use of the IP but for this type of game, keep it simple. I don't need a bunch of plot for this.
Nostalgic for me in allot of ways. Love the little references. Its hard, but not impossible, and super fun to try out various builds. Replayability is high, and I expect I will get another 25 hours out of it at least. First 7 have been a blast so far though. Only wish I didnt have to pay for extra characters :(
[h1] Depends On What You Are Looking For From This Game [/h1]So here is the thing about this game:1) If [b] "singleplayer" [/b] experience is what you are looking for -> [b] This ain't it [/b] (more built for multiplayer and sadly there is no way to have CPU players play as other characters).2) If [b] "story" [/b] experience is what you are looking for -> [b] This ain't it [/b] (very short/basic story, but the dialogue/character artwork is nice).3) If [b] "couch co-op" [/b] experience is what you are looking for -> [b] This does the job good enough [/b] (but you can lose track of your character due to camera not following your specific character).4) If [b] "online co-op" [/b] experience is what you are looking for -> [b] This does the job the best [/b] (because in online at least each player has their own screen where the camera can follow their own character + bigger chance of getting a full party for the run).Overall, I don't think this is a "bad" game by any means and it is very solid as a "multiplayer-focused" beat 'em up game, but I will say the online experience can feel "unresponsive/laggy" at times and AFK players can ruin the experience by wasting other players time waiting for them to do a power selection (only way to deal with those is to "kick them out" if you are the host of the run). Anyways, the game is fun for short burst online gaming sessions, but I would recommend it getting it on a [b] sale/discount [/b] if you are still interested in it after all what I've said above.[b] Final Rating: 7.5/10. [/b](P.S: If you were looking forward for a more [b] "singleplayer/story-driven" [/b] TMNT experience, then either go play [b] "TMNT: Shredder's Revenge" [/b] OR go fire-up a [b] PS2 emulator [/b] and play the LEGENDARY [b] "TMNT 2: Battle Nexus (PS2)", [/b] aka THE greatest TMNT game ever made to date IMO)
When I think about TMNT, I always think of the legendary arcade games, whether it’s the 1984 game or the sequel, Turtles in Time. I have loved these green turtles for my entire life. I’ve always considered the Turtles as video game characters first and everything else secondary, all because I experienced the Turtles through these arcade games first and everything else afterward. Over time, I’ve grown to love other TMNT media as well, from the original comics to the movies, various cartoons, and games over the years.After TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge released in 2022, I thought anything that followed it would be a massive undertaking, as Shredder’s Revenge is a top-tier, must-play TMNT game. I adore Shredder’s Revenge—it was everything I wanted it to be and more. When Splintered Fate was announced, I believe it was originally for Apple Arcade before slowly making its way to consoles. I vividly remember seeing the game and thinking the character designs and official art looked cool, but I dismissed it and felt disappointed that it wasn’t something more like Shredder’s Revenge.Fast forward to 2024, and I decided to pick up the game. I understood it was a Hades-style roguelite, which didn’t turn me off, but I went in cautiously optimistic about what to expect. Fairly quickly, I was drawn in—not only by the great visuals, but also by the all-star cast, with some great names included. Just like Hades, you gain abilities and fight your way through runs spanning different locations, boss battles, and upgrades as you work to save your father, Master Splinter.After attempting a few runs, I enjoyed what I played a lot. It was a welcome change from Shredder’s Revenge, and I started to love the build variety and how each character brought something different to the table. Unfortunately, something else must have come out around the time I bought the game, because I put it on ice until November of this year—about a full year after purchasing it. When I returned, I got hooked immediately again. During my time away, I would think about the game every now and then and always wanted to come back. Naturally, I did—and at the best possible time.After playing this game for nearly 17 hours (as of writing this review), I would place it right alongside Shredder’s Revenge. I’ve been playing it almost nonstop for the past month or so, and it’s been one of the most rewarding gaming experiences I’ve had in recent memory. The beauty of a game like this is the slow mastery of builds and the big payoff at the end of eight runs—rescuing your father. Coming face to face with familiar enemies like Bebop and Rocksteady, Leatherhead, Karai, and Shredder in intense boss battles, along with optional higher difficulties, makes every run exciting.As I started clearing runs and truly understanding how satisfying the gameplay is, I also felt the heart and soul poured into the writing and story. I can’t help but adore this game—even down to the headcanon where, after reading the comics, I can hear these voices when I think of the Turtles and their allies. I also recommend the DLC, which adds great flavor to an already excellent experience by letting us play as Casey Jones and Metalhead, as well as visit new locations during runs.In closing, TMNT: Splintered Fate is a must-play for any TMNT fan. Please don’t be like me and initially pass this game up. I wholeheartedly recommend it not only as a TMNT fan, but simply as a great game. It also features four-player co-op if you want to grab three friends and charge through a run or two (unfortunately, I haven’t experienced co-op yet). Still, the opportunity alone is awesome. Whether you’re a TMNT fan or just looking for something new to play, this is the game—COWABUNGA IT IS! 🐢💥
It has the things that plague this type of games, can become repetitive and grindy. It works well in short 20-40 minute bursts every other play session. If you have a nice game going and you need a break or feel like needing something else, this can help you. Get it on a sale, not sure about Metalhead...
It literally is Hades Lite. Instead of picking a starting weapon you pick a starting character. Far less upgrade choices. Far more linear. And much much much easier. But its fun and its worth playing through.
I love this game. It’s easily one the contenders for Game of the year for me!
If hades met the turtles while being multiplayer!My biggest gripe with the game is you can’t play it in offline mode. It boots up and says can’t connect to multiplayer services but then freezes the game for you so you can proceed.Wish they would fix that.
man what is this multiplayer experience. i'm struggling to join my friends' lobby and game sometimes freezes on loading screen. other than that, i kind of enjoyed whatever i managed to play.
I kind of like this game more than Hades 1 and 2. The ninja turtles lore is cooler. Hades is more polished in terms of picking out your build and is faster, but this one has 6 characters... It's a toss up which one is better truly.
Fun gameplay! The replayability of each run is great! Gotta rescue Master Splinter. Four turtles, Casey Jones and Metalhead! What more could you ask for?
I love the game its fun, but on my 9070XT it makes it run like crazy and crashes the game after about an hour or so of straight gameplay. I've had to repair my drivers x2 since buying the game which is frustrating and I don't know if its a game issue or driver issue. I do know it's overheating my card because my PC is like a furnace running it and another monitor at the same time after about an hour. I'll probably just play it on my handheld from now on but the game is incredibly fun.
The first thing you need to overcome is that you will die while going through this game. It took me a bit to get used to it's play style. The more you keep trying the stronger you get, the further you get in the game. Its impossible to turn it on and just play straight through. With that said, I think is a fun game, easy to enjoy. Great for local couch co-op!
If you don't have friends to play with, it's not worth it. Just play Hades instead.
Several minor flaws that can add up in frustration when you're solo for too long.
[h1]I'm playing and rating all "[u]Hades-like[/u]" games; simple list to help you, from 1. best to N. good[/h1]
[olist]
[*]Hades II
[*]Realm of Ink
[*]Hades
[*]Splintered Fate
[*]BeatSlayer
[*]Reignbreaker
[*]The Eternal Die
[*]SWORN
[*]Curse of The Dead Gods
[*]FELLCHASER
[/olist]
[list]Will update above list when played:
[*]Cinderia
[*]Life Core
[*]Grim Trials
[*]Aksun
[*]Rise Again
[*]Lone Soul
[*]Lethal Honor
[*]Heretical
[*]Shape of Dreams
[*]Warm Snow
[/list]
[i] If I'm missing any, please tell me! And sorry for the claim "Hades-like", but we need something for a mutual understanding. [/i]
a pretty great fun rogue-like. basically, as im sure 90 of the other reviews will say, its hades with TNMT. and this is true, albeit there are a few key differences. firstly and mostly, its the TURTLES! if you love TNMT as i do, that is really all you need to know, and frankly im surprised youre even bothering too read reviews as it is. just buy it already. the writing is wonderful, and you can pick between all 4 brothers, as well as casey jones and metal-head (with the DLCs), and each has its own loadout (kinda like the different weapons in hades). another difference is the game is coop, either local or online. it is perfectly playable sp tho, and this aspect can dramatically change the feel and difficulty of the game (its easier with 2p+ because as long as one player completes a room you win that room and any downed players are revived. there are obviously other differences, but most of these are cosmetics and most the rest of the game is almost a 1:1 comparison. hades does have more "base" customization, and muuuuuuuch better music and better overall writing, but i enjoy this game basically as much as i do hades.tldr: basically hades but with TMNT, plus coop. a must play for fans of the turtles!
It feels generally clunky and unfinished. I get that its probably for kids, but that's not an excuse to have missing sound effects and unbalanced gameplay. Its just kind of 'meh'.
This game is a goated rouguelike like a ungodly love child between tmnt nexus (graphically imo and that's a really good thing), and Hades. Anything a TMNT is a great time I'll give it a 9/10 so far.
Not the biggest fan of the genre but this game turns it around for me. Really scratches my itch for a fantastic TMNT game. The characters are all there. The ability to play with friends is so great. Playing this with my son and he's become more of a TMNT fan because of it. Cannot recommend this game enough.
It plays through way too fast is my gripe. The combat system is very much the best of all the turtle games. im glad for the purchase and hope they expand on it. Great Job Turtle Devs.
Played with a friend after finishing ravens watch and sworn we thought we would looks for somthing else sadly this was not it. The combat felt super gank to us in online co op and I am not sure if its bad net code or just always feels that way. We got to the 4th level or somting like that on are first run and we were both not happy looking for a return after.Love the IP this just wasnt for me. After ravens watch sworn and hades this felt like a lesser on so many levels
Game is pretty fun for a Turtles themed Hades. Unfortunately the online co-op is currently broken, at least in my experience. Even after circumventing the common issues that other players are experiencing, my friend and I both had our movement freeze every single time we defeated Karai on the Docks (aka the first major boss).Hopefully this gets fixed, but for now, I cannot recommend this game for anyone looking for a multiplayer Hades-style action rogue-lite.
Another Hades-like that doesn't understand why people like Hades.
The basic gameplay is OK, but everything else they just get wrong.Although it does get better once you've beaten the final boss once (surprisingly hard, by the way, I had way more fun on Story Mode) and the game opens up, the game forces you to beat him multiple times for the "true ending", like Hades, but it just lacks the variety to make this fun.
All runs are extremely similar, and there's not enough of a difference between the Turtles to make consecutive playthroughs interesting.And once you do meet the requirements for the true ending, it's completely underwhelming and unrewarding because there are no credits and no real end sequence to speak of.
They tease more content, but it's NOT THERE. The villain's identity or motives are never revealed (although I have a pretty good idea who it is), and all of the talk about Baxter Stockman doesn't go anywhere either.Pair that with the extremely repetitive quips that are very hit or miss to begin with, and just a lack in environmental variety in general, and you have a very repetitive game that overstays its welcome long before it's "over".Shellshock indeed.
