Cubed3's Reviews
It may not be the ultimate version of the game, but a smaller screen doesn't obscure the genius behind Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker's meticulously-designed, charm-packed puzzles.
All of Milestone's racers impress and disappoint in the same ways, and that hasn't changed here. MXGP succeeds in catering for both a casual audience and the hardcore fans, but neither will feel particularly satisfied with their serving. That's especially true in the case of MXGP Pro, because the 'Pro' subtitle was bound to raise expectation levels. While minor enhancements are always welcome, it's far too much of an incremental process across iterations here, making it difficult to recommend to anyone who bought MXGP3. The assumed time constraints and the developer's 'one size fits all' approach to generating improvements (where only additions that can be diffused across all its franchises seem to be encouraged) is now a significant source of frustration. While MXGP Pro is mostly an attractive, enjoyable experience, that represents the sport quite well, even avid fans should ponder long and hard over its longstanding flaws before indulging.
The experience that can be found in Mooncrash is just as exciting as what is in Prey. At times it feels as though it could be even better due to the lack of an official story; it feels as though the trials and tribulations that come with each attempt make for amazing stories themselves. The best part is that even though there are five characters and five escapes, the variations of how to guide each of them to successful escapes are seemingly unlimited. The only downsides are the excessive loading times and a fairly lengthy commitment to get all the character progressions rolling. Story expansions are fun for most titles but this completely separate rogue-like experience is a refreshing way to revisit the Prey universe and is a justifiable purchase for all survival simulation fans.
MUSYNX is an excellent entry point for anyone looking to get into rhythm games, but the difficulty can ramp up early on, despite the fine-tuning and customisable controls that are available. With over 90 tracks here, it certainly isn't light on content, but there really needs to be improvements made to the presentation to make it a little bit more accessible.
Shining Resonance Refrain has its small irritating bits here and there and turns out to not be a very large scale JRPG, but that doesn't mean that it should be shunned for it. Its smaller scale and relatively simpler structure makes it easier to sink some time into than an even more massive JRPG like the Xenoblade titles, which may be more intimidating as a result of their scope. As for its minor setbacks, they are easily offset by its other intrinsic qualities, chiefly the loveable cast of main characters. Fans of the JRPG genre in its more classical form, but also of manga/anime style adventure stories, should find plenty to enjoy here.
Worth the price of admission the Cities: Skylines - Natural Disasters DLC offers extra depth to a game that was already quite engulfing. It enhances the experience by upping the excitement factor and by offering players the ability to play God. This is easily recommended to those who already own the original base on Xbox One.
Wreckfest's traditional structure helps its destruction-centric emphasis feel uniquely mischievous, whilst also highlighting its impressive simulative physics and challenging AI drivers. This choice of framework also draws more direct connections with Destruction Derby, the classic title it successfully channels. With that said, given how explosive Bugbear Entertainment's creative spark was within its series FlatOut, it could be argued that it is a tad too pre-occupied with being a spiritual successor. It might have benefited from a more expansive, outlandish DNA and structure. However, despite these minor reservations, plus the title's drawn-out development, Wreckfest is undeniably brilliant and refreshing. It features addictive, quick-burst gameplay, particularly gorgeous visuals and sound, not to mention surprisingly detailed car physics and handling models, especially when using a wheel. Moreover, its damage model is truly something to behold. Wreckfest establishes an intriguing niche, combing sim-based physics with arcade-spirited destruction and chaos. It's a real gem.
Damascus Gear Operation Tokyo might be the most boring mech game of all time. It is definitely the dullest action RPG on Switch... if it can be called that. It is one of those kinds of titles that fade from memory because it has nothing really going for it. The visuals are understandably low-fi since it was originally designed for mobile devices like the PS Vita and phones, but that is no excuse for the gameplay to be soul-crushingly monotonous. There are more enjoyable mech games made on much older hardware that still hold up, like Gun Hazard or Metal Warriors, which were made with Super Nintendo specs. It does not take much to realise an enjoyable mecha game, just some imagination. Damascus Gear Operation Tokyo, sadly, copies the most trite aspects of Diablo without understanding what the appeal was.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar on Nintendo Switch is a highly engrossing experience, which JRPG fans, raised on the likes of Final Fantasy and Suikoden, will savour every minute of.
Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Trilogy is a mixed bag; on the one hand, it is ideal for Naruto fans on the move who want to reconnect with three-quarters of the story on offer. However, on ther other, time has indeed taken its toll on the original two games so much so that it is hard to recommend them
FOX n FORESTS has plenty of creative platforming and interesting mechanics.
There is no arcade mode here, which only means that this will likely get an improved version later down the road with it included.
The technical issues may not be as noticeable in some titles, but they utterly break the likes of Alien Soldier.
Despite the additions of the other systems, Warstone TD at its root is a tower defence. The systems are actually a great addition to the usual formula, but it is not deep enough to entertain players of other genres. The levels eventually become so long that unless someone is a die-hard TD fan, they will start to lose interest, which is one of the only major complaints.
It always feels like Playdead could have done a bit more with the gameplay by making it longer and having more complexity to some of the puzzles. Most people will feel completely bewildered when it is all over.
It looked promising, but The Crew 2 falls wide of the mark, in infuriating fashion. It tries to grab people's attention with its technically impressive map, its instant vehicle-switching, and with even flashier motors, yet all of this is just a deluded sales pitch for a seriously lacking package. It doesn't address any of the fundamental flaws of the original, such as repetitive races and too many bland open spaces. The motors from within each vehicle type aren't distinguishable in handling at all, the physics are poor, and the voice acting and music are irritating. There's no sense of achievement from anything, thanks to a poor XP and unlock system. Worse yet, there's no real multiplayer to speak of - posing the question, why on Earth does it require an Internet connection to play? The Crew 2 might seem enjoyable for a couple of hours, but it quickly starts to feel empty. Stick with Forza Horizon.
LEGO The Incredibles does exactly what fans of Tt's games will expect at this point. It delivers a fun distraction that is great to play through in couch co-op, with plenty of extras to keep the game enjoyable for a long time to come. However, like Telltale, it has done little to expand or innovate here and the source material feels a little thin for this type of affair. LEGO Pixar or LEGO Disney could have been amazing and, maybe, this is the first step towards that. However, on its own, it can't stand up to its predecessors.
The Octo Expansion for Splatoon 2 is a unique DLC package. Nintendo could easily have extended its existing single-player experience by tacking on a few new worlds and adding an extra narrative strand there. Instead, it has produced something quite a bit more hardcore. Mileage will vary from player to player, since certain challenges can be unbelievably frustrating and the difficulty never really relents; however, this is tempered by the ability to skip scenarios after registering enough attempts. While that might seem like cheating to some, it is the correct decision. There are so many thoughtful stages, highlighting Splatoon's unique make-up of shooting and platforming mechanics that it is well-worth seeing them all rather than being halted by one specific task. While the fact that it's a modular design could be equated with laziness for some, Nintendo deserves credit for producing something robust and unforgiving that will test even the most dedicated of fans.
It's clear why Flashback: The Quest for Identity was only popular in its day. Some aspects of it make it inaccessible to the regular Joe, like the unusual control scheme and sometimes cryptic gameplay that rarely explains itself. This 25th Anniversary makes efforts to try to make it more palatable to modern gamers but it did not really try where it was suppose to - like making an alternate control scheme. This is going to be the biggest barrier for most and only those who are willing to take the time to adjust are going to get the most out of Flashback. This is a very rare approach to what has become a saturated sub-genre of platformer thanks to how it is uncompromising with how it dumps people into a futuristic setting and explains nothing, while expecting people to figure it out by themselves. It is a very refreshing adventure game that is dense with content and things to do. The world feels so alive with an almost fetishistic attention to detail. It is clear why it fell into obscurity, but it is very obvious why it was so amazing when it came out. Anyone willing to give Flashback: 25th Anniversary the time will not be disappointed.
The crashing challenge of the first three Crash Bandicoot instalments gets an impressively solid, as well as stunning upgrade, making the original PlayStation series feel obsolete. The collision detection could use a nice little patch, and the omission of a higher frame-rate feels almost silly, but other than that, fans of tough retro platformers are advised to try this out. NOW!