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.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features fun and chaotic gameplay, especially when played with friends.
- The pixel art style and character designs are charming and well-executed.
- The story mode is enjoyable, with good voice acting and character interactions.
- The game lacks content, offering only four main minigames and a hidden bonus game, which feels insufficient for the price.
- Online multiplayer is plagued with connection issues, making it difficult to find matches.
- The high price tag does not reflect the limited content and replayability, leading many to recommend waiting for a sale.
- story49 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered short and lacking depth, with players noting that each of the four teams has a limited narrative consisting of only seven chapters. While the voice acting and character interactions are praised, many reviewers express disappointment over the absence of new story content in DLCs and the overall brevity of the story mode, which can be completed in just a few hours. Despite these criticisms, fans of the series find the existing story enjoyable and cute, though they hope for future updates to expand the content.
“Where the game shines the most is the voice acting and story modes.”
“The story mode is fun; I like seeing the interactions between the characters.”
“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.”
“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.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a variety of mini-games that are enjoyable but can become repetitive over time, lacking depth and strategic elements. While the mechanics are solid, the limited online matchmaking options and the overall shallowness of the mini-games detract from the experience, making it less engaging for extended play.
“Very fun gameplay with four distinct mini-games to play.”
“The gameplay is really fun but it's impossible to find an online match outside Japan.”
“Although the game is good mechanically, it's too boring to play consistently.”
“The gameplay can get very stale after some time.”
“The main attraction minigames are shallow and empty, lacking strategy or the opportunity for emergent gameplay tactics.”
“The delay is killing the gameplay.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their beautiful pixel art style and lively animations, contributing to a charming visual experience. While the art is well-received, some users noted minor graphical glitches and expressed concerns about the overall value of the game, suggesting it may be better to wait for a sale. Overall, the graphics are a highlight, but they are accompanied by mixed feelings about the game's content.
“The pixel art style is actually really good and the animations in the game are fantastic.”
“I'm a big fan of the art style!”
“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.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of unlocking characters in *Umamusume* to be tedious and time-consuming, often feeling like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game. The lack of custom team options and limited content exacerbates the grind, leading to frustration as players feel compelled to invest excessive time to achieve their goals. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the enjoyment of the game's minigames.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding to unlock all the Umamusume characters is a chore, as grinding for the tickets can be time-consuming.”
“There's no custom team options 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.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding the animal characters and their interactions hilariously entertaining. The voice acting adds to the comedic experience, particularly in the story mode, while the minigames provide additional fun, albeit with limited variety. Overall, the game's humor is a standout feature that enhances the overall enjoyment.
“Haha, funny horse game (my wallet is dying)”
“An epic, funny Umamusume title party game.”
“The story mode is nice; hearing the voice actors say the funny lines and talk to each other adds a lot of charm.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers some fun and replayable elements, particularly when played with friends, but overall suffers from a lack of diverse content and static mini-games, which limits its long-term replayability. While certain aspects may keep players engaged temporarily, the experience may quickly lose its appeal.
“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.”
“It lacks diverse content and replayability (outside of Gold Ship's Grand Adventure 2, but even that will lose its shine). The launch was horrible, and I'm lucky I have three other friends obsessed with this franchise enough to play it with me every now and then despite the high price.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with particular praise for the main menu theme of Golshi's Grand Adventure 2. Players appreciate the enjoyable soundtrack that complements the fun mini-games and visually appealing sprites.
“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 doesn't match the intensity of the gameplay, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is closely tied to character stats, which enhance performance in specific minigames, suggesting a well-balanced design. However, the overall graphics and performance aspects remain unspecified, indicating a potential area for improvement or further evaluation.
“Each character has unique stats that enhance their performance in specific minigames, making some characters the optimal choice for certain challenges.”
“The game's graphics and performance are finely tuned, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for players.”
“The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“Despite the interesting mechanics, the overall performance is hampered by poor optimization, making it frustrating to play.”
“I encountered numerous bugs and glitches that indicate a lack of proper optimization, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the game's pricing, set at $45 for the standard edition and $60 for the special edition, suggests a cash grab, especially with additional DLCs already announced. They recommend waiting for significant discounts 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, especially regarding graphical glitches. Nothing major, but I'm unsure if $45 is worth it. I highly 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. It's frustrating when a game has potential but is held back by technical issues.”
