--Cthulhu, Smite
Smite, a "freemium" online multiplayer game, is one of the only games to allow players to control deities from numerous pantheons and ideologies, its roster of gods and goddesses pulled from places other than Greek mythology. Egyptian and Norse mythology, for example, are heavily emphasized. Even Cthulhu of Lovecraftian lore is a playable character, albeit if one spends in-game currency, spends actual money, or uses a free character chest to unlock him (Cthulhu's inclusion is actually what made me interested in playing the game in the first place). This vast set of characters is the game's greatest strength.
Production Values
Smite's mostly smooth animations and clear textures--however, videos saved from the game to one's Switch might appear more pixelated than the actual in-game engine does--hold up consistently across hours of gameplay. If anything, internet connection issues are tied to the worst performance offenses, as the game otherwise runs well. Dialogue may not be a major part of the game, but each god, goddess, or pseudo-historical figure has numerous voice tracks that will play during certain events, like that respective character's death. This more limited form of voice acting is still competent and fits into the world of the game easily.
Gameplay
The various player-versus-player modes of Smite all involve teams of deities that must fulfill a set of objectives. In one mode, teams escort non-player units across the battlefield; in one of the others, the two teams attempt to destroy each other's titans. Upon starting a game, players level up from level three as they gain XP that only pertains to that match. Leveling up increases one's HP and unlocks additional special attacks or abilities--again, these are only unlocked for one round, as they must be earned again each subsequent time one plays.
In all modes, non-player units spawn in and can be used to distract or overpower enemy units, such as when trying to attack an enemy tower. Towers target opposing units, and allowing CPUs to walk into their range before entering means the CPUs will serve as temporary bait. Killing enemy CPUs helps take away reserve troops from the other side in Arena Mode, but in other modes, like Conquest, killing them is only useful for clearing the battleground so that one's own allied CPUs can advance. A team's non-player units can even be used as a shield during escapes.
Story
There is no unified storyline, at least not one that is directly told, but the setting is plainly one in which a diverse set of deities, pseudo-deities, and legendary warriors are thrust into combat with each other. Beyond this, there is no overarching story at all.
Intellectual Content
Despite the sheer lack of philosophical depth in the way the game itself is structured--after all, there is no grand story--the casual way that so many deities and other powerful figures of history and myth are included acknowledges the influence that these various theologies have had on human civilization. Of course, not all of these beings are even deities in their own respective historical religions or frameworks! Unless a being has always existed without a beginning and is responsible for starting the chain of causality, it is not truly a deity.
Conclusion
Smite blatantly lacks thematic and narrative depth, as is so often the case with free-to-play online multiplayer games. At the same time, it is not a game without depth of progression, although players willing to spend actual money will be able to use unlockable skins and deities faster. At the very least, anyone who has wanted to play as Cthulhu, Freya, the World Serpent, or Ares can do so for free on the Switch platform (and on others). That is something that few games, if any at all for some of these figures, can offer. If a deeper gaming experience is desired, games like God of War and Call of Cthulhu are much better choices that deal with some of the same characters.
Content:
1. Violence: Mild, bloodless violence is a fundamental part of the gameplay. There is nothing graphic about it whatsoever.
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