Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is the crossover game that you never knew you wanted. Ninja Turtles mixed with Hades is a great combination that is fun solo or with friends!

Overall TMNT: Splintered Fate is an enjoyable roguelike that wears its influences unabashedly, even blatantly at times. But if you make a modern Roguelike, it makes sense to crib from one of the best. What is most impressive though is that Splintered Fate manages to save itself from being derivative thanks to some superb coop play and clever use of the TMNT license to create something, that though not wholly original in its mechanics, is still an absolute joy for fans of both roguelikes and the Turtles alike.

All in all, combined with its snazzy visuals that look delightful in handheld mode on the Nintendo Switch and the surprisingly good performances of actors for every character, this game is a treat. While it doesn't do much to evolve the genre, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a blast the moment you fire up the game and you’ll be a lean, mean fighting machine in no time.

I’ve played a lot of Ninja Turtles games recently. Though I’ve got a strong nostalgic connection to the franchise, the games don’t usually hook me. This one was a little different. The mechanics, along with the smooth challenge build-up and robust progression systems, snagged me immediately. I bounced off the story pretty hard, but I kept coming back anyway. You just want one more run, until it’s something like one in the morning. Between that and the multiplayer, TMNT: Splintered Fate is a worthy addition to an exclusive list of roguelike gems.

Whether you're a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or simply enjoy roguelikes, there's a lot to love about Splintered Fate. Aside from being well presented, its core gameplay is ever-so moreish thanks to a wide variety of upgrades being available. And thanks to local and online co-op options, you don't have to play alone.

The developers of the new TMNT games took a lot of ideas from the creators of the indie hit Hades and come up with a really fun game with great co-op, but lacking in original ideas.

It captures the spirit and form of the Ninja Turtles, but introduces a concept and a series of well thought-out mechanics from a less explored genre within this universe.

I really liked Splintered Fate despite these complaints mostly because the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are my favorite superheroes, but also because Hades is the best roguelite developed since The Binding of Isaac. Much like the Darksiders games, Splintered Fate may be borrowing elements from other games, but it has its own identity. It’s absolutely worth a shot, especially if you have the ability to play multiplayer regularly. It’s good to see the Turtles in a game that’s not ostensibly a brawler, and I was surprised by how well they took to the roguelite genre.

It may be easy, at a glance, to look at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate and dismiss it as “we have Hades at home.” There’s a nugget of truth there, as we are looking at an action roguelike clearly inspired by Hades, with a smaller scale in many ways. But does Hades have co-op, or the TMNT? Nah, dudes. Splintered Fate has a specific goal, and it definitely delivers on that goal. It’s a fun time, with a lot of structural solidity and the fun co-op gaming vibes you should expect from a TMNT game. It doesn’t feel cheap or sloppy at all, and even singleplayer can keep your attention for several runs over dozens of hours. I’m still working on it despite winning several loops already, and spinning around like a maniac with my boy Mikey still doesn’t feel old yet.

For fans of this type of game and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves, Splintered Fate does the job admirably and doesn't skimp on development of the characters, providing a faithful love letter to the franchise. Stay calm, take it step by step, and have a quick bash whenever the mood takes you to ensure a fun and long-lasting experience. Bossa Nova!

Despite the overt repetition, both by design and through over-design, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate effectively channels the spirit of the most well-liked games that have come before it in the franchise. Though I sometimes succumbed to frustration after falling short during a promising run, the experience only galvanized me to excitedly take what I learned from my failures into the next run.

Switch is an ideal platform for a concept like this one: simple dynamics and graphics, but a very effective gameplay that will keep you coming back for more.

It’s a little bit tough to discern where Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate lands. It delivers on replicating much of the Hades experience game in the TMNT universe, to the point where it’d be surprising if Marvel? Disney? Star Wars? other huge IPs aren’t looking into producing their own. But it also feels like Splintered Fate falls short, teasing so much that it doesn’t follow through on.

An Hades-style roguelike action game with the immortal Ninja Turtles... what could possibly go wrong? Nothing, in fact Super Evil Megacorp's take on the genre is definitely fun and accessible, with with an unmissable 4-players couch-coop mode. Splinter Fate reiterates (almost) all the right formulas already seen in similar titles, without daring anything new and proposing a tech compartment that could have been decidedly more ‘pushed’.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate brings a new way of playing to fans of the green, teen heroes. The story, visuals, and gameplay are all great, though a few bugs hamper the experience. The simple roguelike elements won’t be too jarring for fans of the typical side-scrolling style of gameplay.

Essentially this is a less-polished Hades but with the Turtles – not a bad thing at all – and certainly a fun and worthwhile use of a tremendous license.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a pretty decent and fun roguelite, but it lacks personality and it's visual presentation is far away from what we were expecting.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is not exactly the most original roguelite that we can find, but it is a very entertaining title that manages to make us have a good time as long as we like the license and the genre, especially if we have friends to enjoy it in company, having here its main attraction, something to which we must add well-executed combats and balanced and thoughtfully designed progression systems. Yes, it is not free from a series of problems that prevent it from achieving greatness, such as the lack of variety of rooms, enemies and events that it boasts or the inexplicable absence of matchmaking for its online mode, but if its defects do not They represent a great nuisance and you are passionate about Ninja Turtles, here you have a purchase option to take into account.

I had an entertaining time with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. If you plan on playing it cooperatively then you'll have a blast but either way, its repetition will sink in eventually so keep that in mind before entering the sewers.

I wouldn’t call Splintered Fate a must-have in general, but TMNT fans will probably enjoy this twist on the usual fare. The multiplayer is well-implemented, and it’s good to see that important TMNT element wasn’t passed over despite this being the kind of game that is usually played solo. Those without an affinity for the Turtles can find better roguelite games to play on the Switch, but with this being such an intensely competitive genre on the platform it’s to the credit of Splintered Fate that it can manage to keep pace at all. Not bad.

Of course no game is meant to last forever, but replay and variety are hallmarks of the roguelike genre and in this way, Splintered Fate comes up a bit short. It’s a good time while it lasts — especially for Turtles fans — but more content, more variety and perhaps a little more narrative would have boosted the experience to the next level.

Despite these technical flaws, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate stands out amongst the sea of TMNT games. Sure, it might at times seem like a Turtles-skinned Hades clone, but the roguelike aspect gels quite well with the franchise. The game doesn’t reinvent things, and its appeal may be limited to fans of the series or roguelikes. Yet for those who are drawn to the gameplay loop, there is an addictive experience here. The turtles might be stuck in a time loop, but Splintered Fate’s smooth combat, availability of multiple playstyles, and snappy presentation make sure it’s an entertaining, if somewhat bumpy, ride.

Surprisingly solid action roguelite with a lot of Turtles atmosphere and co-op mode. Because it lacks variety and scope, it loses its momentum after about 15 hours.

TMNT: Splintered Fate is a great action roguelike with cooperative elements, especially remarkable in terms of gameplay, although its technical aspect is not at the same level.

Splintered Fate is a great Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles roguelike that possibly sticks a little too closely to the template set by one of the genre's finest. And yet, as I played through run after run with a co-op partner, I didn't care one bit.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate incorporates traditional roguelike gameplay in way that should familiar for most roguelike players. It just does so in a convoluted fashion. While I appreciate its attempts to fully immerse players in the world of TMNT, the story beats needed to be more frequent and fully realized to hit the emotional highs and lows associated with the series’ deep universe. Its couch co-op should be praised, however, as this is best played with friends.

TMNT: Splinted Fate is a fun roguelike and utilises the four Turtles well, with each one having unique abilities. The gameplay is fast paced and does introduce some variety early on, such as Gauntlet challenges. However, the story comes across as stretched out to arbitrarily lengthen a game that consists of four stage and four bosses.

It’s easy to reduce Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate down to just a Hades clone with a TMNT skin, as I did previously. And while that description is pretty accurate, the sentiment doesn't convey that a well-done take on a fantastic game can be a lot of fun. While the art and story don’t come near the lofty heights of Hades, it is nevertheless a blast to bash heads as one of the titular turtles, especially when you have friends fighting at your side. Technical issues aside, Splintered Fate is a fun time, and with a good variety to shake things up from run to run.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate might not manage to reach the same heights as the game it so clearly takes inspiration from, but ‘being as good as Hades’ is perhaps an unrealistic goal for any game and it's a wonder that it comes even close. It still provides a satisfying roguelite experience with one of the best interpretations of the TMNT universe I’ve seen in some time. It won’t be replacing Shredder’s Revenge as the franchise’s best modern game, but it’s sitting nicely in second place.

With a gameplay loop that effortlessly integrates the heroes in a half-shell into the world of roguelikes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a fun and approachable 'Hades-like' that's best played with pals. However, despite the power of the IP and a co-op addition, it doesn't pack enough of a punch to avoid unfavourable comparisons to Supergiant's classic and constantly feels like it's on the back foot because of it. There is fun to be had here, but those who have spent time in the Underworld will find it hard to shake the feeling that this central loop has been done much better elsewhere.

TMNT: Splintered Fate looks and feels like a mobile games with lots of structural limitations and a bit of forced tracking during the fights.

Super Evil Mega Corp may have struck gold with their take on the TMNT franchise, but with an empty story, a myriad of audio problems, and the same difficulty as an actual turtle flipped over, a game that wants you to play it over and over makes it impossible to play it over and over. I guess everything that turtles, ain't gold. Splintered fate, indeed.

The game is quite a decent brawler rogue-like experience, but it is heavily brought down by its bugs. You might play the game and not get any in the short-term, but keep playing and your bound to run across one. The worst part about the bugs is how they soft-lock you out of progressing. Without the technical problems, I’d give the game somewhere in the 70% range easily since it’s quite good on its own, but the problems bring it down quite a bit overall.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Splintered Fate is a pleasant surprise on Nintendo Switch. Some might say that it's simply a copy of Hades, only not as good as usual, but Super Evil Corp has done a good job. It's a nice new entry in the ninja turtles universe, but marry by performance issues and graphics that don't do justice to a console.

Ultimately, the best way to play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is in exceedingly short bursts. As a “switch your brain off and button mash” kind of experience it works and in so closely emulating Hades it is inherently entertaining. But it’s also soulless and draining to play for longer than a half hour here or there. It doesn’t even work as TMNT fan service since it behaves more like Hades. It is, simply, a pastiche that is simultaneously a decently made game but also a very bad creative work. If only the games industry were better at using the language to grapple with stuff like this.