The Cub Reviews
The Cub is a solid cinematic action platformer that could have had tighter controls. Its audio and visuals are its biggest draw and while the story sticks to landing, the core themes of the narrative are utterly insulting. The misanthropic ideals it spews are shallow and the game would have been better off without it.
The rich took off to Mars quite some time ago and now the toxic Earth is ruled by the orphans of the apocalypse. But one of these cubs is extra curious in the ways of humans compared to the others. Raised by the wolves, equipped with a dead astronaut's helmet with Nostalgia radio and well skilled for parkour traversal of this dead man's land. Are you brave enough to embark with him on this short yet dark adventure across the dangerous surfaces of our planet, overtaken by the forces of sci-fi nature and ready to face-off any unwanted intruders?
Review in Slovak | Read full review
It’s too bad that the platforming can’t also be described as near-perfect, since that would’ve made The Cub a must-play. As it stands, it’s a surprisingly appropriate sequel to a game that wouldn’t have seemed like it needed one, and if you want more of that apocalyptic Earth, you won’t regret revisiting it here.
The Cub is a step sideways for Demagog Studio, with middling platforming stages, forgettable collectibles and underwhelming set pieces lifted up only by the signature Radio Nostalgia.
Gorgeous from start to finish, The Cub is a short but hugely entertaining 2D platformer that has been crafted with love to be not only a fun game to play, but a fantastic piece of satirical art that does not pull its punches in its critiques of contemporary reality.
The Cub fits in well with the rest of the games developed by Demagog to showcase the Great Climate Catastrophe story arc. Once again it is a game that carries a deep message, while not failing to entertain as a videogame.
The Cub is an eye candy. But it looks better than it tastes.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Despite The Cub's basic platforming, with clunky trial and error, its slightly bizarre world, cool and varied music, and great visual design make it worth playing.
While THE CUB isn’t the next game of the year, it is an absolutely wonderful time, but it won’t likely get the attention it truly deserves simply because of how modern gaming works in terms of the mass public. Smaller games deserve to be shown off just as much as those massive triple-A titles. Everything here is of complete quality and is really fun; it's something that just deserves a spot in the light for a little while. Here’s hoping that THE CUB gets what it deserves and its praise.
The Cub is a very exciting platforming romp that never slows down thanks to its rich variety of gameplay and manic set pieces. It looks gorgeous too, whilst the radio station that plays throughout your journey adds a dash of realism to the catastrophic plight that Earth faced prior to your adventure. It isn’t perfect, with a few little issues with the controls early on and the occasional frustration here and there, but I found myself completely hooked in from start to end. You’ll probably beat it in one sitting, but those few hours playing will be a hell of a lot of fun.
Despite the good story, The Cub is just an average platform with movements and jumps that can feel stiff at times.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Though failing to break new ground in platforming adventure, the scenery and general feel work while it lasts
It is a discreet, humble game that takes another step in the direction Demagog took with Golf Club Nostalgia; another step for a very interesting studio that with The Cub continues to put before us the uncomfortable mirror of climate apathy, of the disconnection with the consequences of letting power accumulate until it is too late, of the danger of wallowing in "apocalypse porn" while we watch the world collapse around us.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
For those open to thoughtful interactive fiction within virtual worlds, The Cub proves a memorable trek worth embarking on.
The Cub is releasing early in 2024, but it's starting the year with a masterpiece and playing this has made me want to explore more games from this developer, Demagog Studio.
Taking the world established within Gold Club: Nostalgia and pivoting to the platforming genre, The Cub is a continuation of a stunning visual style and a contemplative narrative that feels more topical than ever.
The Cub is a short but sweet little tribute to licensed Mega Drive platformers that revisits the fantastic world set up in Demagog's previous game, Golf Club Wasteland, and comes out just as striking and memorable. Crucially, the warm tones and cool tunes of Radio Nostalgia from Mars are back to have you vibing in your seat for a handful of hours as you throw a small, mutant child into mortal danger over and over again.
Short but entertaining, there’s a lot to like with The Cub. Its post-apocalyptic world is fascinating, and getting to collect numerous artefacts gives good reason to poke around off the beaten path when you’re given the opportunity. The platforming here is fun and varied, mixing up fast-paced running-and-jumping with more measured stealth sections. Sure, there’s the odd frustration – but that comes with the territory of 2D platforming. This is a fun way to spend a few hours – particularly if you enjoyed the atmosphere of Golf Club Nostalgia.
The Cub is a brief, energetic and beautiful thrill ride that already has me jumping back in for a second run. Expanding on the world introduced to us in the indie darling Golfclub: Nostalgia, there is so much to love about this charming, apocalyptic storybook platformer.
It’s a short experience and while the content is satisfying, a longer gameplay experience could have allowed for a more in-depth exploration of the narrative and character development. That said, the game’s positive aspects contribute to a satisfying and thoughtful gaming experience and I look forward to seeing what the developer does next.