Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Party Dash
- August 29, 2024
- Cygames
Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Party Dash is a decent party game, but some poor events and a lack of tutorials spoil the experience a bit
Get on Steam"Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Party Dash" is a rhythm game where players take on the role of a racehorse girl and compete in races. The special edition includes the full game and the "Party Dash Team Bundle," which grants access to three DLC packs and special titles. The DLC content will become available in-game after their respective release dates.
Reviews
- The game features charming pixel art and well-done voice acting, which fans of the franchise will appreciate.
- The minigames, while limited in number, are fun and enjoyable, especially when played with friends.
- The localization work is commendable, allowing English-speaking players to enjoy the characters and story they love.
- The game suffers from a lack of content, with only four main minigames and a short story mode, making it feel overpriced.
- Online multiplayer is plagued with connection issues, making it difficult to find matches and enjoy the game as intended.
- The DLC characters do not add any new story content or significant gameplay features, leading to disappointment among players.
- story35 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story mode of the game is generally well-received for its engaging character interactions and quality voice acting, but it is criticized for being short and lacking substantial content, especially with the DLCs offering no new story elements. Players appreciate the charm of the narrative, but many feel that the limited gameplay variety and high price point do not justify the overall experience. While fans of the series may enjoy the existing story, there is a strong desire for additional content and more diverse gameplay options.
“Where the game shines the most is the voice acting and story modes.”
“Regardless, it is lovely to finally be able to see these characters interact with each other outside the anime, and while the story mode is pretty short, what is there is very fun for fans of the series just on the characters alone.”
“Love Uma Musume, and it's really neat that the story mode is fully voiced.”
“As for the DLC, there is no story content added with any of the DLC characters, which is downright criminal.”
“There's basically only a short story mode for each team, the gold ship infinite scroller mode, and free-play, none of which bring enough variety to warrant playing them more than once.”
“Story mode is cute but extremely short for the $45-60 price tag.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are generally praised for their charming art style and lively pixel animations, with many fans appreciating the visual design and translation work. However, some users noted minor graphical glitches and expressed a desire for further polish and content updates. Overall, while the visuals are enjoyable, opinions on the game's value vary, suggesting potential buyers consider waiting for a sale.
“I'm a big fan of the art style!”
“I love the franchise, I love the pixel art style, and with online play I was really looking forward to having a good time with my friends.”
“The sprites are very lively and well animated, and the artists did a good job with the low pixel art style.”
“While the graphics and styling of the game are charming and enjoyable, and there are a couple of great fanservice pieces, the game itself is unbearably boring and should not be purchased.”
“The content itself is fun, but one can only hope more stuff is added and polished (graphical glitches, nothing major) as time goes by. Unsure if $45 is worth it; I very much recommend waiting for a sale.”
“I love the franchise, I love the pixel art style, and with online play, I was really looking forward to having a good time with my friends.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, particularly in the basketball mechanics, but suffers from limited online functionality and shallow minigames that lack depth and strategy. Players also report issues with delays affecting the overall experience, especially outside of Japan.
“Basketball has to be the most hype I've been over a basketball game since the mechanics are really good as well.”
“The gameplay is really fun but it's impossible to find an online match outside Japan.”
“---{gameplay}---”
“Every other 'team' in the game's purpose is the story mode gameplay, and there is no mention of the limited functionality in Japanese or English, so the effect is really underhanded.”
“The main attraction minigames are shallow and empty, lacking strategy or the opportunity for emergent gameplay tactics.”
“The delay is killing the gameplay.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding the animal characters and their interactions hilariously entertaining. The story mode features amusing dialogue delivered by voice actors, enhancing the comedic experience, while the minigames add to the fun, despite a limited selection. Overall, the game is considered a delightful and humorous party experience.
“An epic funny Umamusume title party game.”
“Despite it seemingly being advertised as a funny appetizer, it's better than the main course.”
“The story mode is nice; hearing the voice actors say the funny lines and talk to each other adds to the humor.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, noting that the lack of custom team options and character drafting leads to tedious and repetitive gameplay. While the minigames themselves are enjoyable, the limited content and heavy reliance on grinding to unlock features or characters detracts from the overall experience. Many feel that the game is designed to encourage prolonged grinding rather than providing a satisfying progression system.
“There's no custom teams option right off the bat, and the grinding for it is abysmal.”
“Each of the minigames is really fun, but there's just so little content, and when half of the game's content is based on grinding minigames, it becomes tedious.”
“I wouldn't be surprised if they're not going to give the 'free' update regarding adding more game modes, but instead will either milk you for the waifus or make you grind all day to get them.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with particular praise for the main menu theme of "Golshi's Grand Adventure 2." Reviewers appreciate the overall quality of the soundtrack, noting that it enhances the enjoyment of the mini-games and complements the vibrant visuals.
“The soundtrack is pretty good; I especially enjoy the main menu theme of Golshi's Grand Adventure 2.”
“Again, the mini-games are fun, the sprites are gorgeous, and the music is good too.”
“The music in this game feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found the soundtrack to be underwhelming and not memorable at all.”
“The background music is often too loud and overshadows the gameplay, which is quite frustrating.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
While the game is enjoyable and has potential for replayability, the lack of dynamic mini-games limits its overall replay value, leaving players wanting more variety.
“A really unfortunate situation for a game that is fun and replayable, and for a franchise that really had the opportunity to put its best foot forward in the anglosphere.”
“There is not much replay value if all the mini-games are static.”
“Once you complete the game, there’s little incentive to play again.”
“The lack of variety in gameplay makes it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has been criticized as feeling like a cash grab, with players suggesting that the full price of $45 (or $60 for the special edition) is not justified, especially given the announcement of additional DLCs. Many recommend waiting for a significant discount before purchasing.
“As much as I love this franchise, for $45 (or $60 for the special edition), this game feels more like a cash grab.”
“Wait for a very heavy sale... I hate to say it, but it feels like a quick cash grab at full price, especially with the already announced DLCs.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, users find the game enjoyable but note the presence of minor graphical glitches that could benefit from further polishing. Many recommend waiting for a sale before purchasing, as they are uncertain if the current price of $45 reflects the game's stability and content completeness.
“The content itself is fun, but I hope more stuff is added and polished over time, especially to fix the graphical glitches. I'm unsure if $45 is worth it and would recommend waiting for a sale.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience. Stability is a major issue that needs to be addressed.”
“I encountered several bugs that disrupted gameplay, and the overall stability of the game feels lacking.”
