Smashbox Arena

Smashbox Arena is a fun PSVR title that has some great gameplay but can be short-lived.

Smashbox Arena proves that not all game genres can weather the transition from a console game to immersive virtual reality. This is something you could easily play without the headset, though it wouldn't do the game any significant favors. With or without VR, it doesn’t change the central concern that this game just isn’t fun to play. The shooting part is pretty okay and almost fun for the first few rounds. What kills the game is the lack of meaningful challenges by way of playing against other humans. There is a single player campaign but it's not enough to justify the time you'd put into it. I could never find people to play with and the resulting skirmishes with AI bots made the whole thing regretfully unenjoyable.

In practice, Smashbox Arena ends up being a lot of fun, with precise tracking and fast paced competitive gameplay that hides a lot of depth and strategy, but it’s ultimately held back my a number of technical issues and the lack of a strong online community.

Smashbox Arena’s knockout gameplay is entertaining online – assuming you can find a match. While there is a small community on the servers right now, it’s difficult to predict how long that will persist, and thus purchasing is a bit of a risk. Unless you can convince friends to pick up the package, then be warned that the single player content is thin, even if the core gameplay loop is undeniably fun. More work in the art department could have elevated the release enormously, so ultimately you’re left with an ugly but enjoyable multiplayer game that will be defined by the number of people who stick with it beyond launch.

Smashbox Arena is a fun experiment, but it is nothing more than that. The concept is fun and it works, but it does not offer enough content or quality to really speak to a bigger audience.

Smashbox Arena could have been a great competitive game to play on PS VR, instead it’s just another generic VR shooter with an underpopulated online community.

Smashbox Arena hinges on a neat idea. Unfortunately, a neat idea isn't enough and especially can't make us forget about the deserted servers, all too superior enemy AI and awkward controls. Shame.

Smashbox Arena is one of those games that wouldn't really be acceptable outside of the VR market and the PSVR headset doesn't really add enough to make it worthwhile but it also has moments where the battles are exciting enough to keep you interested.

Smashbox Arena was blatantly built to be a multiplayer title, but the lack of cross-platform play and sparsely populated servers for the PlayStation VR hurts it a lot. The single-player mode is barely worth the time, and it lacks any sort of depth. If you have lots of friends to play with online, it might be worth a look, but otherwise, there are better titles available.