The Smash Jump Podcast

Scott, Dylan, and Adrian kick things off with a breakdown of the new Resident Evil film from horror darling Zach Cregger. Then, the guys discuss Bungie’s “New Chapter” and what it means for Destiny and Marathon; more Xbox layoffs at Halo Studios, and new updates to Marvel’s Wolverine. Later, Stuart joins Adrian to review time-hopping JRPG Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave. Finally, Scott and Dylan chat Remedy Entertainment’s next mind-bending adventure Control Resonant.Date recorded: September 30 2026Timestamps0:00 Intro0:32 Most of us have been watching Zach Cregger's Resident Evil10:56 Bungie's New Chapter22:28 More Layoffs at Xbox and Halo Studios34:10 Marvel's Wolverine's receives new patches43:46 Grasshopper Manufacture sold by NetEase47:48 Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Review1:02:54 Dylan’s Review Corner: Fate/Grand Order, Normal Golf Game, SPRAWL zero1:14:57 Control Resonant Review1:30:02 Outro

Full Written Review of Control Resonant

Coming Soon…

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Scott, Joseph, and Stuart join to break down another week of controversy for Sony and PlayStation: from the lacklustre September State of Play to that Wolverine review discourse and the baffling decision to cancel Kojima Production’s stealth-action project PHYSINT. Later, Dylan joins to share his impressions of Onimusha: Way of the Sword ahead of and Scott reviews The Blood of the Dawnwalker.

Date Recorded: September 18 2026

Timestamps

0:00 Intro0:45 Stuart’s been playing Ghost Recon: Breakpoint2:55 Joseph’s been trying out Xbox Game Pass 7:46 Scott’s been playing The Sinking City 2: Holloway Manor DLC 9:36 The Eternal Life of Goldman Demo Preview12:13 PlayStation State of Play September 202617:19 Marvel's Wolverine Reviews29:44 Sony cancels Kojima Production's PHYSINT43:32 Rockstar North enter Glasgow employment tribunal53:25 Onimusha: Way of the Sword Review1:12:52 The Blood of the Dawnwalker Review1:25:01 Outro

Full Written Review of Onimusha: Way of the Sword

https://www.smashjump.com/reviews/onimusha-way-of-the-sword-review-ps5/

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This week, Scott and Dylan discuss the worldwide gameplay reveal of Grand Theft Auto VI, EA Motive’s Iron Man trailer leak, and the death of League of Legends fighter 2XKO. Later, Adrian joins to talk about his time with the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 open beta. Finally, Dylan provides his first impressions of Metal Gear Solid Master Collection, Vol. 2 and 1666: Amsterdam’s early access demo; and reviews arcade FPS Cicadamata.

Date Recorded: September 2 2026

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

0:35 Introducing The Smash Jump Podcast: Extra Edition

3:56 Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 Highlights

08:14 Dylan’s been playing the extended Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo

15:07 Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look Reaction

32:41 EA Motive's Iron Man trailer leak

39:51 Sony pays out in PlayStation Store class-action lawsuit

45:03 2XKO Shutdown

58:16 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Preview

1:12:53 Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection, Vol. 2 Review

1:24:51 1666 Amsterdam Early Access Impressions

1:37:16 Cicadamata Review

1:44:35 Outro

Full Written Review of Cicadamata

https://www.smashjump.com/reviews/cicadamata-pc-review/

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Frogwares made this game in a war zone. Members of staff were drafted into the Ukrainian military, lost their homes, and experienced upheaval in their families. Without reliable access to power, development was completed remotely using mobile internet and by exchanging ideas via text or video call. And, after decades of detective-adventure titles, this also marked the developer’s first foray into survival horror as part of a strategy to reach a wider audience and prevent downsizing. I mention all of this only to drive home how deeply impressive I find The Sinking City 2: a genuinely unsettling eldritch adventure that capably deploys time-tested survival-horror conventions whilst carving out its own distinctive identity. It may run into difficulties in the third act and feature some stiff gunplay but never to a degree that diminishes the outstanding level design, exploration, and puzzles.

The Other Gods

You play as Calvin Rafferty, an occult investigator searching for a ritual to reawaken his comatose wife, Faye, amidst a disastrous flood in the fictional city of Arkham. There’s a pleasing variety to the environments throughout the adventure from flooded streets and abandoned cabarets to derelict hospitals and damp fish markets. The clear visual upgrade helps to engender a deliciously atmospheric experience, playing with light and shadow to unnerving effect and plastering walls with a convincing layer of rot and decay. Character models receive similar treatment: bloated and waterlogged corpses (piloted by the parasitic Slither) roam the halls while facial animations, particularly on protagonists Calvin and Faye, have also improved. However, the game never entirely escapes its AA trappings; an ambitious story and prolonged action set-pieces write checks that the faintly stilted performances and limited production value simply cannot cash.

The Sinking City 2 is almost entirely indebted to Resident Evil in design and structure right down to the inclusion of safe rooms and lockpicks. Levels gradually unfold in that same tradition as well, interconnected maps blossoming as more and more pathways become available alongside uniquely eldritch “keys” such as amputated faces and glowing jars. Discovering these paths forward and mastering the environment is as satisfying as its been for the last thirty years. Of course, it’s unsurprising the same philosophy that has sustained one of the most popular game franchises of the modern era works here too, but the team have crafted exploration that truly satisfied whilst seamlessly nudging me towards the more involved side investigations without constant backtracking. It’s all done with such consistency, too; only during the final stage does the game run out of steam and narrow in scope.

Calvin will often be provided a device near the beginning of an area and be required to deduce its power source or mechanical workings which forced me to pay more attention to the environment. One such instance involved figuring out how to activate and operate a lightning conductor and recharge a fuse. It’s more complicated than it sounds. If I wanted to progress, I couldn’t just pass through the world, I had to engage with it, read it, listen to it. Scanning notes and other evidence for clues was just inherently more satisfying than the typical scavenger hunt fare. And that’s without even taking into account the honest-to-goodness brain teasers that those aforementioned keys hide behind. Moving through the world became a puzzle in and of itself. It’s no surprise that prior to the development of this game, the team released a number of detective titles under the Sherlock Holmes license.

Ex Oblivione

They might have made the move towards survival horror but Frogwares’ detective bonafides remain central to The Sinking City 2’s success. Investigations form the backbone of exploration beyond the critical path. You might have to determine a safe code based on different species of fish or perhaps settle a debate between the disembodied brains of three scientists to tune a radio to the correct frequency. The activities themselves reward you with meaningful additions like weapons, attachments, and ammunition but actually engaging with the investigation screen and linking evidence into relevant groups is the most efficient way to gather upgrade resources. It’s an elegant system that motivated me to solve these cases but one that would have worked better if those upgrades, or “talents”, made more of a direct impact on combat or were themselves a reward for exploration.

Combat, though undoubtedly a huge improvement over the first game, remains mostly frustrating and stiff. It’s a valiant effort: everything from dodges and weak points to a robust ammo economy and crafting system have been included. That combat never prevented me from enjoying the rest of the game, and at points supplied some much-needed tension, is enough of a win given Frogwares’ relative inexperience here.

The Rats in the Walls

However, it’s in the final hour or so that The Sinking City 2 begins to come apart at the seams. The final chapter transports Calvin to an arctic wasteland that features none of the intricacy, intelligence, or scope that made earlier levels so appealing. It’s frankly suffocating in its linearity relative to the rest of the game, point blank refusing to test the skills I had spent over ten hours developing. Throw in a clunky pre-boss ammo dump and “Cold Comfort” makes for a poor climax.

I also found the story didn’t land in its entirety: emotionally thoughtful yet mechanically nonsensical. The tale of a long-term couple struggling to piece their lives together, and ultimately choosing to do so anyway, is a worthy one but without a clear understanding of the threat or the stakes that story loses some, not all, of its meaning. There’s a conversation to be had about the balance between the accessibility and authenticity of these dense, lore-based narratives but the fact I would have been completely lost without some post-game research probably means that balance wasn’t struck.

Verdict

It might not stick the landing but The Sinking City 2 delivers classic survival horror in spades. Intelligent level design, thoughtful puzzles, and a creepy atmosphere make Frogwares’ latest a worthwhile venture into Lovecraftian horror.

8.0

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Scott and Joseph join for a two-player co-op pod to discuss Take-Two and Rockstar finally premiering Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay…on Netflix? Next, the pair dig into Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund buying out one of the industry’s biggest players in Electronic Arts. Finally, Joseph and Scott share their first impressions of indie life-sim Starsand Island and eldritch horror The Sinking City 2 before Dylan pops by to give his take on Beast of Reincarnation.

Date Recorded: August 11 2026

This episode was recorded before the premiere of Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

0:20 What We Playin’

0:32 Joseph’s been playing Mario Tennis inbetween his Big Walks

1:34 Scott’s seen Spider-Man Brand New Day

6:08 Scott’s been playing Hades

7:43 Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay will premiere on Netflix

16:28 Saudi Arabia wealth fund purchases EA

29:09 Starsand Island Review with Joseph

40:22 The Sinking City 2 Review with Scott

53:01 Beast of Reincarnation Review with Dylan

1:12:49 Outro

Full Written Review of The Sinking City 2

https://www.smashjump.com/reviews/the-sinking-city-2-review-ps5/

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Scott, Dylan, and Joseph break down the future of Bethesda Game Studio, more layoffs at Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM, and Bungie’s latest attempt to revitalise Marathon. They also give their take on the Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls open beta weekend. Finally, Dylan reviews Halo: Campaign Evolved before Joseph shares his first impressions of co-operative social puzzler Big Walk.

Date Recorded: July 29 2026

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

01:10 What We Playin’

01:19 Joseph’s been playing Silent Hill 2 Remake, Honkai Star Rail, and BLEACH: Soul Resonance

04:34 Dylan’s been playing Fate/Grand Order and Zenless Zone Zero

07:02 Scott’s been playing Denshattack! and Cyberpunk 2077

10:50 Bethesda Reshuffle

20:30 ZA/UM Layoffs and Zero Parades thoughts

30:56 Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Open Beta Preview

43:48 Marathon: Vault Breaker PvE Mode

59:45 Halo: Campaign Evolved Review with Dylan

1:16:00 Truck-kun is Supporting Me From Another World?! Review with Dylan

1:27:04 Joseph takes a Big Walk

1:39:44 Outro

Full Written Review of Halo: Campaign Evolvedhttps://www.smashjump.com/reviews/halo-campaign-evolved-review-pc/

Full Written Review of Truck-Kun is Supporting Me From Another World?!https://www.smashjump.com/reviews/truck-kun-is-supporting-me-from-another-world-review-pc/

Full Written Review of Big Walkhttps://www.smashjump.com/reviews/big-walk-review-pc/

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Scott, Joseph, and Dylan return to discuss Sony’s transition to digital-only releases from 2028, more mass layoffs at Xbox studios, the retirement of Dead Space director Glenn Schofield, and Dylan’s review of Doom: The Dark Ages - Revelations. Finally, the guys discuss what they’ve been playing recently from Joseph’s addiction to Star Fox to Dylan’s thoughts on Denshattack! and Scott’s love for LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.

Date Recorded: July 15 2026

This episode was recorded before the announcement of layoffs at Double Fine Productions

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

0:41 Sony announces digital-only releases from January 2028

27:41 Doom: The Dark Ages - Revelations Review with Dylan

35:27 Xbox Layoffs and Studio Buyouts

49:47 Glen Schofield retirement

56:18 What We Playin’

56:30 Joseph’s been playing Star Fox, Pragmata, and Telltale’s The Walking Dead

1:01:17 Dylan’s been playing The Legend of Dragoon and Control

1:08:48 Denshattack! Review with Dylan

1:11:16 Scott’s been playing 007: First Light and the new LEGO Batman

1:19:21 Outro

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Scott, Joseph, and new co-host Francis break down Rockstar’s digital-only release and Ultimate Edition exclusives for Grand Theft Auto VI, the developer strikes at Quantic Dream in Paris, and more Xbox hardware price hikes. Then, the guys discuss their most anticipated indie titles (mostly) from the recent Day of the Devs livestream. Finally, Scott sits down with Joseph to review the new Star Fox remake on Nintendo Switch 2.

Date Recorded: June 30 2026

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

00:40 Grand Theft Auto VI digital-only release

16:52 Quantic Dream strikes + Star Wars Eclipse concerns

27:42 Xbox hardware price hikes

36:08 Most Anticipated Indie Titles

36:38 Lazy River

39:34 Screenbound

43:00 Tenebris Somnia

45:29 Mr. Records

47:41 N Plus Infinity Times Two

48:40 Big Walk

51:12 Grave Seasons

55:11 Super Yooka-Laylee Kart

58:08 Prove You’re Human

1:01:07 Bub

1:05:30 Star Fox (2026) Review with Joseph

1:25:05 Outro

Star Fox (2026) Written Review

https://www.smashjump.com/reviews/star-fox-review-switch-2/

Day of the Devs 2026 Livestream

Bub Premiere Trailer (Paperfrog Games)

Big Walk Release Date Announcement

Grave Seasons Official Trailer

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Scott, Joseph, and Dylan debate the so-called ‘reset’ at Xbox under new CEO Asha Sharma before picking out the highlights from the 2026 Showcase. The guys also break down the recent Nintendo Direct, including a rather contentious remake, before Dylan caps things off with a rundown of his favourite Steam Next Fest demos.

Date Recorded: June 23 2026

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

0:28 The Big Xbox Reset under Asha Sharma

22:30 Gears of War: E-Day

23:15 Metro 2039

25:17 Persona 6 + Persona 4: Revival

26:37 Doom: The Dark Ages: Revelations DLC

28:09 Crazy Taxi: World Tour

29:45 Halo: Campaign Evolved

33:33 Magicians: The Devil’s Deal

34:26 Join Us

34:53 Fable

37:53 Nintendo Direct 2026

38:54 Star Fox

41:56 Orbitals

45:19 DK Challenge

46:35 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake

1:04:00 Kingdom Hearts IV

1:10:03 Steam Next Fest

1:10:30 Silver Pines

1:16:28 Sprawl Zero

1:21:07 Normal Golf Game

1:24:59 Vholume

1:26:28 Truck-kun is Supporting Me From Another World

1:30:03 Outro

Silver Pines Written Previewhttps://www.smashjump.com/reviews/previews/silver-pines-sells-silent-hill-horror-in-a-side-scrolling-package/

Sprawl Zero Written Preview

https://www.smashjump.com/reviews/previews/sprawl-zero-is-the-evolution-of-half-life-i-wanted-but-never-thought-id-have/

Steam Next Fest Written Feature

https://www.smashjump.com/features/the-steam-next-fest-blessed/

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Scott, Dylan, Joseph, and special guest Adrian break down the biggest reveals and trailers from the 2026 Sony State of Play and the impact of Grand Theft Auto VI on the upcoming release schedule for the rest of the year. Then, Scott is joined by Sandy Gordon, pixel artist and animator at Yacht Club Games, to provide some exclusive insight on the development of the acclaimed studio’s recent outing: Mina the Hollower.

Date Recorded: June 16 2026

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

0:43 Marvel’s Wolverine

13:19 Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

17:21 The Lost Wild

22:53 ILL

26:59 Marathon Season 2: Nightfall + Destiny 2 closure

41:47 Until Dawn 2

52:53 God of War: Laufey

1:03:48 The Insane September Release Schedule

1:08:02 Rayman Legends Retold Hands-on Preview

1:11:54 Interview: Sandy Gordon Yacht Club Games about Mina the Hollower

1:27:01 Outro

Mina the Hollower Written Review

https://www.smashjump.com/reviews/mina-the-hollower-review-ps5/

Mina the Hollower Gameplay Footage (Source)

Rayman Legends Retold Preview

https://www.smashjump.com/previews/rayman-legends-retold-is-more-than-a-face-lift/

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