TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge: Dimension Shellshock DLC Review: Two-Dimensional

Dumping more cash into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time within the arcades gave gamers one other likelihood to take down Shredder. Dumping more cash into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge provides gamers a brand new growth referred to as Dimension Shellshock. It’s a dramatically extra interesting deal, and whereas it’s a wonderful reminder of Shredder’s Revenge’s gorgeous artwork and soundtrack, it’s additionally a bit shallow.

Dimension Shellshock is underwhelming as a result of it’s not that deep of a roguelite. Being dropped right into a bunch of fight challenges isn’t a lot completely different from the combat-heavy marketing campaign, however the greater subject is that it lacks the hooks {that a} first rate roguelite wants. 

Characters might be leveled up for higher stats and every has a number of palette swaps that unlock after sure circumstances are met. Increased stats make the runs progressively simpler, however the tame skins aren’t that nice of an incentive, particularly as a result of most can take a number of hours to unlock for every character. And for the reason that skins are underwhelming, the loop principally turns into about enjoying extra to get higher at enjoying extra. There aren’t even achievements or trophies to chase.

Though this mode factors out its control-related inconsistencies — it nonetheless wants an aerial evade and restoration transfer, in addition to a dodge that shifts gamers vertically — there’s an intrinsic reward to enjoying Shredder’s Revenge and hacking away on the Foot Clan’s most interesting. However the stunted nature of its underwhelming extrinsic rewards is what makes it lose worth as a roguelite and wave-based survival mode. Ranges cycle in in numerous orders and the annoyingly obscure perks change from wave to wave, however the runs themselves don’t evolve a lot. Brawlers are vulnerable to feeling repetitive and higher roguelite mechanics would maintain that repetition from sinking in. 

It’s ironic that it doesn’t dangle higher carrots in entrance of gamers for the reason that rabbit samurai Miyamoto Usagi is likely one of the new playable characters alongside the Foot Clan’s personal ninja Karai. Karai is fast together with her elementally charged assaults and performs principally like the opposite characters, albeit with wildly completely different results that give her her personal id. Usagi, alternatively, is rather more distinctive. His potential to double leap and proceed his combos within the air provides him extra utility and demonstrates that everybody within the solid ought to have had their very own one-of-a-kind traits. Each can be performed in the principle marketing campaign, which is a becoming bonus.

The degrees in Dimension Shellshock aren’t pulled from the marketing campaign in any respect, however have the identical stellar artwork design that made the bottom expertise such a visible deal with. The apocalyptic, Japan-centric, and futuristic phases are brimming with shade and element and have their very own brand-new enemies, but are outclassed by the 8-bit and comedian phases. These ingenious worlds stand proud of the others and effectively use their easy shade palettes to create backgrounds with extra putting contrasts. Shredder’s Revenge leverages its historical past properly and doesn’t use nostalgia as a crutch, and these backgrounds are a becoming distillation of that since they’re impressed by the previous, however wonderful in their very own proper.

TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge: Dimension Shellshock DLC Evaluation: The ultimate verdict

Dimension Shellshock has many of the identical strengths as the bottom sport, however a number of extra shortcomings, as properly. The brand new mode’s roguelite components lack selection, and its loops aren’t deep or rewarding sufficient to warrant a number of runs. The beautiful pixel artwork and expressive animation don’t get previous, however its survival mode is nearly as two-dimensional as its sprites.

Disclaimer: This TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge: Dimension Shellshock DLC evaluation is predicated on a PS5 copy offered by the writer. Performed on model 1.008.000.