Cubed3's Reviews
While Khaos Reigns extends the experience of the enjoyable Mortal Kombat 1, the story expansion itself is nothing to write home about. The six new fighters are the meat of the experience, with some fun returning characters from past games and three well-realised guest characters, some of which have shaken up the meta in a positive way. Regardless, this bundle is difficult to recommend as a package, so fans who are only interested in a select few Kombat Pack 2 fighters would be better off purchasing them individually.
As always, the audience that will get the most enjoyment out of Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is the one that hasn’t yet experienced the greatness of the original. Even then, though, this edition doesn’t offer enough new material to justify its increased price tag from the already-definitive GOTY edition. This frustrating pattern of near pointless re-releases from Bethesda is getting tiresome, and regrettably souring the aftertaste of an otherwise very good video game.
For an indie game, the boss fights are really, really good. It's fun having the boss go "movie mode" on the player when they catch them in an attack, and the parrying feels really enjoyable. The fighting to get there, though, is average at best, and the platforming borders on horrendous for how often buttons don't prompt on a teleport-jump, or the dash falls slightly short, leading to unnecessary frustration. At the current price point, Homura Hime is a bit tough to recommend, but will be worth it on a sale.
Pokémon Pokopia could well be the Animal Crossing of Nintendo Switch 2. A familiar world that needs rejuvenation, brimming with potential and a cast of colourful favourites to join the ride. Pokopia has a surprising amount of depth, encouraging both exploration and more structured missions to keep the fun flowing. With almost boundless craft and customisation, the game highlights the strength of the hardware - a technical showcase of a world that rarely stutters, if at all. As a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, Pokémon Pokopia has the potential to become a system seller; a cosy essential with a sprinkling of Pokémon nostalgia.
Japanese Drift Master is an enjoyable single‑player experience with a few rough edges. Fans of Japanese car culture and drifting‑focused gameplay will find plenty to enjoy. It may not reach the heights of Need for Speed or Midnight Club, but JDM delivers a stylish and entertaining ride nonetheless.
Super Bomberman Collection is the most complete and confident celebration of Bomberman’s early years to date. It blends preservation with modern polish, offers a wealth of content across seven games, and captures the joyful chaos that made the series iconic. Minor technical quirks and limited online features hold it back slightly, but they do little to diminish the overall achievement. This is Bomberman at its most generous, its most accessible, and its most enduring.
God of War: Sons of Sparta is a tedious and garden-variety metroidvania that brings nothing interesting to show to the class. This prequel stretches over 20 hours, filled with unnecessary padding and the least interesting iteration of Kratos yet, relying on trite game design and utterly soulless execution. Young Kratos, stripped of his signature rage, is an utter dullard preaching honour amidst joyless obedience. There’s no fury, no peril, just persistent boredom, proving that some origins are best left as a mystery.
It is easy to see what Fortuna Magus was aiming to do. It tried to be a short and sweet JRPG, something that is always appreciated, since the biggest flaw in the genre is that games sometimes feel padded. However, it maintains the same ratio between padding and the actual story as in longer games in the genre. Worst of all, it does not give important plot points and characterisation the space they need. Combined with a poorly implemented currency that makes characters way more powerful than they should be, it removes the spotlight from the wonderful combat system. Fortuna Magus is sadly a hard pass, except for those who feel the need to play any retro JRPGs on the market. Although there are many great ones published by Kemco alone, one should never have to dive this deep into the barrel for something new to play.
An excellent platformer that was one of the most important titles in the early days of PlayStation, beautifully presented here. With tons of interesting additional content, this is an essential purchase for fans of the original. Hopefully in the future, whatever is holding back the faithfully recreated soundtrack will be resolved.
The Legacy of Kain series has sadly been one whose gameplay shortcomings have always kept it down, never truly escaping the confines of the world of cult classics. The same happened with the culmination of the franchise, which once again offered a story worth paying attention to…while everything else occasionally felt like an afterthought. Bad? Not even close. It was a thoroughly enjoyable action-adventure - just one that never quite reached its towering potential. That said, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered does a fine job at giving it a striking visual upgrade, as well as some much-needed tweaks and refinements, making it the best way to experience the finale(?) of Kain and Raziel’s dark saga.
Madison is a great VR horror game. With a constant biting tension and excellent puzzle design, utilising the camera mechanic throughout, players should be thrilled. It is highly recommended for the install base of PS VR2 owners who are into horror content. Bring a spare pair of underwear and strap in for some very cool spooks.
“A cold-case detective thriller without genuine detecting” sounds more like a strange joke than proper description for this game. Combine that alongside poor storytelling and shoddy presentation, and it’s sad to say John Morley’s final case ends with a pitiful whimper rather than a bang.
If you can get over the fact that Video Hustler isn’t a traditional pool game, there is brief appeal to its unique score-based stylings. Unfortunately, the wonky control method and air hockey-like physics make it difficult to play for even short sessions.
Bethesda may have dropped the ball when it comes to taking full advantage of the finer aspects of the Nintendo Switch 2 controller, but what's on offer is a substantial package that will deliver nigh endless gameplay. Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition is an awesome port that looks and runs about as well as fans could hope for. The Commonwealth is a fascinating setting packed with detail and interesting factions. Not everything works as intended, like the weak story and motivations for the protagonist, but the magic happens when gamers are left to their own devices and express themselves, either through extreme violence or by building and defending a town.
Resident Evil Requiem easily establishes itself as one of the best in the series. The bombastic action and terrifyingly intimate horror are at a fever pitch throughout, with a masterful switching between the two without ever feeling disjointed. This sort of experience can only be achieved through decades of trial, error and triumph, and Requiem shows a keen understanding of what has made the series great over the years - and what can take it to the next level. Polished, enjoyable and sure to put a cheesy grin on every face and shiver up every spine, this is a must-play survival horror title that never misses a step.
Kotodama: The 7 Mysteries of Fujisawa is marketed as a slice-of-life/mystery visual novel with match-3 puzzle gameplay (where people slowly lose their clothes). While it offers all that, it suffers from a plot that’s predictable, characters who are forgettable, and puzzle segments that soon become a tedious chore. Who knew that undressing characters could be so boring…
Some games never lose their magic, and Pokémon FireRed is one of those gems. It is still as compelling capturing Pokémon now as it was back then, and this GBA remake of the original title enhances the experience in many ways. The Nintendo Switch version’s lack of display options or other features that could have helped bring the game up to scratch diminish the value, but it looks the part on the Switch 2’s screen, and the endgame inclusions make up for many of the shortcomings. A perfect portable companion ideal for short and lengthy play alike.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is an epic, maximalist hack-and-slash that creeps into full-blown JRPG territory in terms of scale and scope. It's the kind of experience that is more than just an average video game and can become a hobby in itself due to the wealth of content and depth of the gameplay. While it is disappointing that Origins does not give players the full Three Kingdoms story, it's hard to complain when the core package can easily breach the 100-hour range for completionists. While some may miss the multiplayer modes, it was time for a Dynasty Warriors focused on the single-player, story-driven experience for fans.
Scion is an example of the early ages of arcade space shooters that’s been lost within the genre. The Arcade Archives 2 release of the game is a pixel perfect recreation, bringing an authentic arcade feel to the home. Quality of life changes make the brutal campaign that bit more achievable and less of a slog!
Cool Boarders is a finnicky racer that limits its own appeal by lacking in multiplayer options. A large degree of skill is required to get the most out of it, but the small selection of stages with just the challenge of beating your own top records means there is only so much satisfaction that can be extracted before it is quickly moved on with. Nostalgia will play a big part in whether Cool Boarders sticks the landing.