Cubed3's Reviews
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a real triumph when it comes to kart racing and more than holds its own against the hedgehog’s main rival from Nintendo. The CrossWorlds mechanic introduces a strategic play that keeps things fresh, and the dozens of tracks do a sterling job in really providing a challenge, which also looks and sounds great. While there is maybe a bit too much grinding in order to unlock the many rewards on offer for dedicated players, even those who only want to casually commit to Sonic Racing will still get plenty of fun playing in both single-player and online, especially with a whole roadmap of additional tracks and racers being rolled out in the months ahead. Mario Kart World is an excellent game, but so too is Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.
Gee Bee's austere visuals looked cheap next to emerging colour games in 1970s arcades. With only three-to-five-minute games with no escalation or features, after a few plays, the loop becomes mind numbing. Its core is so basic that not even modern features can do much to elevate its plainness. Most people play video games to beat boredom. Gee Bee is for people who crave monotony.
The Touryst Deluxe is a compact adventure that captures the spirit of a holiday getaway. Shin’en Multimedia has crafted a series of voxel islands that feel like miniature dioramas, each filled with puzzles, playful distractions, and a relaxed atmosphere. The deluxe edition introduces a new island and extra activities, while Switch 2 hardware elevates the experience with crisp 4K visuals, HDR lighting, and fluid performance. It is not a game driven by narrative or combat, but by curiosity and discovery. Players who enjoy atmosphere, variety, and freedom will find it enchanting. The Touryst Deluxe is a reminder that small, carefully made adventures can leave a lasting impression.
Lethal Honor: Order of the Apocalypse stands out in the market in more ways than one. It has a beautiful art style that is not just a pretty artistic choice, but it is breathed throughout the entire game. It dares to be really dark, and most importantly, has some extremely solid hack and slash gameplay to go with the rogue-lite elements. However, "lite" is sadly the best way to describe the rogue elements. This, mixed with the steep difficulty increase after the tutorial, makes this a title that is difficult to recommend to the vast majority of gamers. However, for hardcore fans of the genre, there is probably nothing better to spend the money on this season, despite harsh competition!
Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut on Switch 2 proves that SEGA and RGG Studio deliver more than a simple port. Performance is strong, the content is complete, and the absurd, heartfelt energy of the series translates beautifully to handheld play. Minor compromises in handheld performance, storage demands, and the lack of new gameplay content keep it from perfection, but they don’t diminish what is still one of the finest entries in the series. For newcomers, this is the perfect entry point: a prequel that requires no prior knowledge, yet sets the stage for everything that follows. For veterans, it’s a chance to revisit one of the series’ best entries with added story context and the freedom to play anywhere. This is the definitive way to experience SEGA’s crime epic, as it shines very brightly indeed on Switch 2.
Creativity flows throughout two of gaming’s best adventures, finally available on modern hardware and looking wonderful on Switch systems. There is so much sublime platforming here when considering the amount of inventiveness spread across both Super Mario Galaxy titles, with each offering something for absolutely everyone. There are some niggles here and there, but when the moment-to-moment gameplay is so consistently enjoyable, it is easy to brush over minor grievances. This is a collection every Nintendo fan needs to own.
EA Sports FC 26 makes some big changes to its systems, modes and gameplay. The most obvious of these are quite effective, and even those that aren’t seen are surely felt. The fresh additions to Career Mode are a step in the right direction, while the on-field adjustments and introduction of Authentic and Competitive modes serves to freshen things up just enough for another year. Long-time players will likely still have some recurring gripes, but the best compliment that can be paid to FC 26 is that it’s fun. If this was developer EA Sports’ sole aim, then mission accomplished.
Islanders: Console Edition leans heavily into a relaxing, almost drowsy vibe. While that’s kind of the point, and makes it great for those who just want to unwind before the day ends, it’s probably a bit too simple in its premise. The game is a bit rough around the edges, with the occasional level-ruining bug, as well as the somewhat unfair RNG. Thankfully, this game is often very affordable - especially when on sale. If curious, the price of admission tends to be low.
Meteorfall: Krumit's Tale takes the huge task of evolving a well-established genre and putting its own twist on proceedings, and it does so with flying colours! The game balance is wonderful, the gameplay is stimulating all the way through a run, and most importantly, it's really fun and full of opportunities for player agency throughout. Never has it felt like a loss was inevitable because of "bad luck", but rather because poor choices were made. That is something rare to say about games in this genre, and even rarer for one that took great risks and experimented with the formula. Besides the fact that the Switch has to be taken out of docked mode, there are few negative remarks to be said about Meteorfall: Krumit's Tale. It is simply a great digital deckbuilder that any fan of the genre or puzzle games should give a try!
A rough early game and poor first impression hide a true gem filled with clever level designs. It would be a true pity to judge Candy Rangers by its first hour of gameplay, but due to how brutal the first hour is with required hidden collectibles and a steep learning curve, anyone but a full-blooded masochist would not be blamed for putting it down before getting to the good part. However, if there is one message that should be remembered from this review, it is this: the good part is coming soon, and it is truly worth the rough journey there. Give Candy Rangers a try; it is one of the more innovative games in its genre, and once mastered, the foreign controls will become second nature.
The Falconeer's visuals achieve breathtaking vistas and bird-riding bliss, undercut by rote routines and finicky flight. It's a noble fledgling, not yet a full eagle. With all of the updates and DLC, this is a hefty package that will keep players busy and toiling away for a long time, so long as they have the stomach for the aggravating controls and the patience to endure dull stories.
Past all of the cringe dialogue and turgid gameplay, perhaps Dustborn’s biggest sin is feeling more like vacuous agitprop than an actual story. Whatever fight against fascism Pax – and by extension Red Thread Games – had in mind, it's an unintentionally hilarious one since her words feel as plastic as her bat.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 makes some great improvements to what came before and provides the same great gameplay experience. Where it bails is the nostalgia factor for fans of these in their original format. That nostalgia isn't here personally but it's still hard to ignore. A remaster should maintain all the things that made the original great and for not doing that, should probably have another point taken off. If looked at objectively, however, this is another excellent addition to pick up and play. Maybe just leave the rest before we have to buy another USB board.
Even after several updates, Star Wars: Hunters can’t capture the verve nor engagement of other Hero shooter/brawler hybrids. The end result is a surplus of characters, modes, and cosmetics that’s swamped by lacklustre design, aesthetics, and mechanics. For this sub-genre, calling it mediocre feels too generous. For a new-ish Star Wars game, it ranks among the weakest efforts since Disney took over.
There are so few games for those who love really deep character customisation, and that is for a good reason. They usually tend to lock out less system-oriented players, as it is difficult to create a game with such depth without making the system mandatory or feel truly pointless. However, Cladun X3 manages to do this in a wonderful way, and in the process, creates a JRPG that can be enjoyed by all fans of the genre, regardless of how many systems they want to delve into. In the niche Cladun X3 occupies, it is among the best the industry has to offer and does not force its systems upon players until they are ready for them. This is a title that developers of non-linear RPGs should take a look at when designing their games, as Nippon Ichi Software really is onto something here!
Folly of the Wizards looks like a beautiful and competent roguelike at first glance. The first couple of playthroughs promise a fun title that will offer hours of entertainment and surprises to come. However, after a few hours, none of those promises feel fulfilled; rather, it gives the feeling that players have spent hours with a demo or early access for an okay roguelike instead of a full game. Bugs, poor descriptions of items, and menus that feel unfinished are all that are to be found under the pretty cover, and it feels like folly to have ever expected anything else. Even for fans of the genre, this is an easy pass.
It's not perfect, but what Cronos: The New Dawn does right is done so incredibly well. Across the runtime of the game, the battle arenas can be a little tiring, but the bread and butter of the exploration and moment-to-moment combat carry it through easily. This is a very competent, scary and exciting horror title with some amazing, unique visuals. Get on it, horror fans!
The variety of gameplay in Shinobi: Art of Vengeance makes for a top adventure. This is an excellent side-scrolling return for the series, with a little bit of everything for anyone seeking satisfying combat, plenty of collectibles, and challenging optional platforming segments. The thrill of battle never gets old, although some stages can get a little drawn out by the non-linear moments that could have been trimmed.
Those eager for another compelling, robust and utterly pleasant farming sim will find a wealth of fun to be had in Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar. This remake of the title that started it all is impressively complete and has a few new surprises in store, making it essential for genre fans. The bazaar mechanic further ups the ante and ensures every in-game week culminates in something exciting, making this one of the freshest and most enjoyable expressions of the classic farming sim experience.
By speedrunners, for speedrunners, Bloodthief is a mostly fun, adrenaline-pumping game tailored almost exclusively to those who take pleasure in trying a level a hundred times just so they can decrease their time by about five seconds. It offers a punishing, high-speed experience that demands precision and quick reflexes, packaged in a nice and simple, retro-looking, dark medieval fantasy wrapping. The lack of accessibility for non-speedrunners, combined with the slightly inconsistent mechanics and a somewhat tedious level design, makes it a tough sell to a broader audience.