TMNT: Splintered Fate Review -- Shredder's Gone Rogue, Dudes!

How many Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games do we need in this generation? The answer, apparently, is 347. (Well, that’s what it feels like.)

Cowabunga Collection and Shredder’s Revenge were welcome titles. But we’ve also gotten an arcade conversion of the Raw Thrills game Wrath of the Mutants. The full-priced Mutants Unleashed also arrives later this year. And that’s on top of the arcade games that Numskull just released. It’s shell shock, I tell ya.

But now we have Super Evil Megacorp’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, which first arrived for Apple Arcade and finally hits Nintendo Switch this week. It’s all about that sweet Turtle combat, but with a twist. This time, it’s a roguelike along the lines of Hades, which means you’ll have to complete several runs in an effort to beat the Shredder and his cronies.

While not quite as smooth as Supergiant’s heavily impressive Hades titles (there are technical hiccups that get in the way), Splintered Fate is very well put together. Its combat is smooth, and the ability to play with all four Turtles locally is an outstanding option. Plus the modifiers, power-ups and new abilities keep things nice and balanced, whether you prefer a heavy challenge or not.

This might just be the roguelike to bring you in the genre if you’re not familiar. And if you are, it’s well worth jumping into. Rocksteady indeed. (Or is it…Roguesteady?)

Give Us Back Our Splinter!

At the start of the game, we learn that Splinter – the Turtles’ teacher of martial arts – is taken. It’s up to the quartet to set out and face off against Shredder’s army to get him back. But that’s easier said than done, as they’re looking for a fight.

The classic storytelling will certainly be a treat for Turtles fans, and even if some lines get a bit repetitive (“What, no ranch dressing?!”), it’s very well done. And the surprise characters that pop up are a treat, to say the least.

But the action’s the thing here, and it delivers. The combo attacks are superb, and it feels great to actually play with a controller, rather than a touch-screen. It makes it easier to focus on enemies and dodge incoming attacks, especially with bosses that overflow the screen with offense.

Of course, you’ll “perish” – well, go through a portal to rest up and try again – but you can buy upgrades and modifiers to help with the next time around. These are very cool and actually make a difference, and you can purchase different ones to make the game easier or more difficult. And, boy, will it get difficult. Just a warning.

It holds together really well, and the option to play with friends in local co-op is welcome, as it emulates the feeling of the classic arcade games. Work together to save the day sort of deal.

That said, it does make things…chaotic. That means the screen loads up with bad guys and your Turtle brothers, and that can result in technical problems. That’s not to say the game breaks, but it definitely makes it hard to see where everything is. It would’ve been nice to tone things down with tougher enemies. You know, instead of multiples of weaker ones.

But I digress. The experience as a whole is still satisfying, and although it isn’t as smooth as Supergiant’s amazing Hades games, Splintered Fate still nails the roguelike vibe. Plus it’s a treat for fans that haven’t already gotten their Turtles overload already.

A Shell of a Good Presentation

If you can look aside from the small issues that arise with too much going on, you’ll find Splintered Fate to be a great looking game. The roguelike level design is excellent, and captures the atmosphere of the Turtles’ world almost down to a science. And the animations are top notch, complete with “danger zone” indicators that show where an attack is coming. That makes it slightly easier to dodge incoming strikes – sort of. (When they come from different directions, you need to be ready.)

As for the sound, it’s great. The music isn’t entirely memorable but it does keep up the momentum throughout each stage. The voicework is superb, especially on more obscure characters. And those combat sounds are about as sweet as they get when it comes to Turtle attacks.

Again, some voice samples are repetitive. But it’s not as bad as Wrath of the Mutants, and fans will appreciate the variety of characters. This one’s a good looker for Switch.

It’s All Roguelike, Dude!

You’ll need to accept that Splintered Fate has visual setbacks. Plus it has a lot of repetition, as good roguelikes usually do. If you can get past those hills, however, it’s a terrific roguelike. It has action galore, and plenty of nods to classic Turtles lore. Not to mention it’s a blast to play, with lots to unlock. And, of course, that sweet four player option, so you can bring your friends.

Super Evil Megacorp released their game right when we were in the midst of Turtles overload. But they not only made it necessary, but also fun. That, dude, is the result that’s worth shelling out for.