Cubed3's Reviews
Saviorless is an enjoyable enough platformer with a premise that sets itself apart from the many other options available in the Switch eShop. There will certainly be a large player base who will miss the idea of combat, but for those looking for a more low-key experience, this will not only pass the time, but also leave them thinking long after completion. The perfect accompaniment as the nights draw in.
It is clear that Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma has been crafted with passion and love of the long-running series. The breathtaking scenery, emotion-filled cutscenes and new elements focusing on being an earth dancer takes the beloved adventure-filled world in an exciting new direction that holds hope for more innovation in future titles.
Old Skies features an imaginative time travelling narrative that becomes more gripping as each chapter is worked through, although the lack of choice and sections that should be playable in latter stages feel like missteps. It is a welcoming game for anyone unfamiliar with the genre, and the New York setting and periods travelled to are appealing and make for fascinating scenarios. Coupled with excellent voice work, Old Skies delivers a satisfying personalised story, albeit in a universe that is difficult to comprehend.
Don’t let the low-budget visuals fool you. It might look like one of the million other similar indies out there, yet Etaine: Magic Survivor is a piece of software crafted with care, and not a low-effort cash grab that uses sexy anime imagery to make some easy money. Slowly turning your heroine into a walking Armageddon that fills the screen with all sorts of things that inflict pain and watching enemies go down by the hundreds is cool, and the game’s excellent pick-up-and-play design makes it perfect for a quick break…that can easily turn into an hour. Sadly, there are plenty of balance issues, making some of the tougher challenges on offer (and they are aplenty) quite annoying.
Drug Dealer Simulator successfully simulates the dealing of drugs and taps into some of the excitement and fun that particular criminal activity can provide, but its flaws dampen the experience considerably enough to hurt it overall. It’s not a bad first shot at making drug dealing compelling and fun, but it feels like a sequel could potentially fix all the issues and make the experience something great… In fact, there is a sequel that's been out a year already on PC. With that in mind, it’s even harder to wholly recommend Drug Dealer Simulator. It doesn’t lose points for already having a better-looking sequel, but it does mean waiting for a console port of the sequel or playing it now on PC might be a better bet.
Qomp 2's premise is novel but it is mercifully short. It becomes too annoying to play and there is no replay value. The puzzles and exploration are only made challenging because of the way the ball does its own thing, and once the correct path or sequences are apparent, there is not much else here - yet it is also the entire backbone that Qomp 2 relies on, ultimately becoming a shallow experience.
Bugginess and strange character design choices keep Oblivion Remastered from being excellent. Tipping the scales from “good” territory into “great” are the levelling and gameplay improvements. It resembles a remake. Even with new memory leak issues, Oblivion remains a timeless masterpiece, and this remaster ensures its legacy will live on. Oblivion was born nineteen years ago, but for all these years, it has ruled our dreams.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered isn’t a reinvention. It’s just a time capsule with a fresh coat of vibrant high-quality paint. Under the hood? It is pretty much the same beloved sandbox RPG of the early 2000s, with few of its issues fixed for this new update. Fans are advised to go straight for the purchase as long as they have a capable system. The rest are advised to wait for a price drop, some bug fixes, or preferably both.
Loretta is certainly an ambitious title that offers a unique narrative experience without a lot of close comparisons on the Switch. The atmospheric presentation is great and the dark, unsettling story provides a compelling reason to check out Loretta even with all the other issues. However, some technical issues, underwhelming gameplay mechanics, and a slightly uneven story prevent this from fully realising its potential. Fans of psychological thrillers and narrative-driven adventures should probably give it a chance. It offers a glimpse into a haunting world worth exploring as long expectations are tampered a bit at the door.
While The Meating clings to its NES roots, those roots ultimately feel more like dead weight than a solid foundation. It succeeds in capturing the look and feel of those classic NES titles, but at the same time it struggles to innovate or offer a compelling reason for players to invest their time. In the crowded landscape of retro-inspired indies, The Meating fails to distinguish itself. The end result is something that feels more antiquated than nostalgic, and like most meat that has been left out too long it is probably best to steer clear and look for something a bit fresher.
Bigger can indeed be better. Planet Coaster 2 successfully iterates on the first instalment by adding interesting new concepts and gameplay systems that enhance the experience. Anyone who enjoys a management sim, tycoon, or just wants a fun park builder will find this to be a perfect match. Highly recommended. Get splashed!
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is clearly inspired by many sources - the character modifications of Final Fantasy VIII’s Junction system, Persona's combat user interface and camera work, and the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice parry and dodge mechanics - but the way Sandfall Interactive uses these inspirations together with the story, the characters, and the music is unique. No microtransactions, no subscription pass, no major features trapped behind future patches; Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a single-player complete experience, with a New Game Plus to keep players coming back. Meanwhile, its exceptional music, writing, voice acting and visuals make it as aesthetically pleasing as it is mechanically satisfying and interesting. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a Game of the Year frontrunner.
The Apollo Justice trilogy is a fantastic set of visual novel games that do a great job at involving you with the narrative and making you feel smart while doing it. The immediate replay value is virtually nonexistent and it’s a shame it doesn’t do more to clean up its more outdated elements, but that’s not the biggest issue when their already high value is accentuated in HD. They’re a great entry point for visual novel or Ace Attorney newbies, and veterans revisiting these games can do so with these undeniably definitive versions.
Not only just a great sequel, Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer is one of the best point-and-click adventures available out there - a classic of the genre without a single shred of doubt. The few flaws at hand, chief among them how this doesn’t spend as much quality time with its secondary characters as it could, aren’t enough to ruin this pleasantly dark (yet also funny) and engrossing whodunit/cosmic horror thriller. It has plenty of great detective-style puzzle solving, lots of entertaining dialogue, and is wrapped in some of the finest pixel art.
A visually impressive port of a previously released action-adventure game. Anyone who is already a fan will enjoy returning to this with its extra polish. While the graphics are often commendable, there are instances where the art appears outdated or inconsistent. Fans of Zelda-style games may find this title appealing, as it offers a grand sense of adventure and exploration. Although it has its flaws, Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition provides a satisfying experience for those seeking a more casual action-adventure game.
It is unfortunate that the last Atelier on Nintendo Switch before Switch 2 launches has so many issues. There is great strength in the Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land character personalities, stories and design, yet the world is either environmentally rich or totally empty with little in it to see and do. By the time the credits roll, Yumia is loved enough to replay for the story's sake, as well as enjoy the New Game Plus extra bosses to fight and clear everything 100% for completionists. Nonetheless, it is not an Atelier game that fully showcases why the series is so beloved. Perhaps if there is a sequel it will solve all the bugs that so heavily affect gameplay.
The Exit 8 is a simple game that manages to capture the feeling of paranoia and the uncanny valley in a way very few titles can. This is a short escape room adventure that will have the player combing every corner looking for anything out of the ordinary, and while it might sound painful, it's a quite incredible experience.
It could be argued that the jittery models of this port suit the silly theme throughout the story. Regardless, Gas Station Simulator can tend to keep your attention for a few hours. Whether it is making sure the shelves are stocked for an approaching party bus or that there is enough fuel for those just passing through, this is property management done comedically well. Definitely give it a go if looking for a humorous simulator.
Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is even less of a visual novel than its predecessors and leans in more heavily with the adventure game mechanics like inventory and key item collecting. It is also more streamlined than before and the story is not as compelling as it was the first time. The lack of urgency diminishes the stakes and the puzzles are far too easy to feel any sense of dread or mystery. At worst, Death Mark II can feel boring. Its best aspects lie in its audio and visual departments, whereas the story and gameplay are merely serviceable.
Rose & Camellia Collection is a game that embraces its absurdity and delivers a unique experience to the Switch. It is definitely charming overall and enjoyable enough while it lasts. However, the creativity in concept doesn’t necessary translate to creativity in gameplay, and too many fights play out in pretty much the same way. Add in some imprecise controls and limited content and it winds up being a less enjoyable experience than it could have been. For players seeking a quirky, short-lived adventure filled with aristocratic slap battles, this collection may provide a few hours of entertainment. The $20 price tag does seem a bit steep for what it is, though, so it might be best to wait for these aristocrats to put on an estate sale.