Cubed3's Reviews
Defenders of Ekron is a Metroidvania-esque mech game, which sounds like a certain recipe for success. While the action is fun when everything is working well, the game-breaking bugs destroy whatever enjoyment this title had going for it, and they are too great to be ignored or overlooked.
Quad Fighter K is a, somewhat simplistic, co-op-focused vertical shooter, with humdrum, NES-like retro visuals (with actual retro visuals being much better). It's one of those typical games whose main selling point seems to be the nostalgia factor, and nothing more than that.
Those looking for a turned-based RPG, inspired by the golden oldies, are advised to look exactly where Earthlock took its inspiration from, as it's not very good at what it does. Some neat ideas have been included, but these can't make amends for a lack of an engaging plot, or fun battles.
At first, KORG Gadget is a lot like diving headfirst into the deep end. However, if someone is willing to dedicate a little time, they will have the opportunity to explore a world they never knew existed. As the hours pile up, the user will gain a new perspective on how music is created. All of their favourite songs and albums will be seen in a different light. They will start to notice every little thing, and in doing so gain a new appreciation for the artists and their talent. Perhaps they themselves will someday create a wonderful piece of music. Also, the time limit mode is, quite simply, awesome. Creating a piece of music in just a few minutes makes for a really fun and unique challenge. The lack of export options is equal parts strange and annoying, but it's not too much trouble to deal with. Those out there with even the slightest interest in music should definitely give this software a try.
Fallen Legion: Rise to Glory is the type of game that requires playing first before purchasing. It looks great, with some gorgeous hand-drawn art, and some cool looking combat. That combat system looks like a fresh take on the classic Valkyrie Profile, but once getting hands-on, it's quickly evident it doesn't live up to its promises. The premise is solid on both the action and the gameplay, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The story is horrendous, hugely convoluted, lacking any sort of pivotal moments, or interesting characters. The combat system is too manic and messy to master, leaving it as a real disappointment, overall.
Humourless, bland, boring, and, when it comes to the extra rogue element, straight up irritating, Unicorn Dungeon is simply not worth anyone's time, genre fan or not - and that's even when taking its tiny price into consideration.
After spending some time with SEGA Mega Drive Classics, the nagging feeling is why these compilations are always riddled with issues. There aren't many complaints to be had when it comes to the library, yet the emulation is never up to snuff. Perhaps dedicating such a large amount of resources to the UI wasn't the right call. A number of features are poorly-realised and implemented. It's hard to enjoy the games when nothing sounds or feels quite right. The stuttering is especially baffling. While its appearance is rare, it should be non-existent. In short, fans of the console deserve better.
Tower defence games may have lost their popularity somewhat in recent years but PixelJunk Monsters 2 shows why it exploded in the first place. It is insanely addictive and just the right level of challenging, although certain folk may find the frustrating elements a little too much to enjoy. Some will find achieving every perfect rating compulsive, while others will find it wholly off-putting. Regardless of the difficulty level, the one thing that really lets it down, though, is the pace during the stages. Occasionally, between waves, it really drags and nothing happens, and there's no way to fast-forward or speed up, leaving huge gaps where it's too tempting to put the game to one side and do something else. If you are making your audience want to do something else, what's keeping them playing?
Hitman: Sniper Assassin is a great little detour around the mainline game, as it does well to still respect many of the principles that the main series is built upon.
There are better JRPGs that could be played portably on the GBA, DS, and Vita, but I Am Setsuna is the best JRPG that can currently be played on Nintendo Switch. The game isn't without its faults, though - namely the repetitive nature of environments, enemies, and bland NPCs. However, it has a powerful narrative that is driven by its backdrop and score; elements that should be greatly appreciated by all fans of the genre.
Steamworld Dig 2 is a wonderful addition to the Nintendo 3DS library, especially as the heavy focus of Nintendo's future focuses on the Switch handheld-console hybrid.
Play through the chapters from the film and re-enact some of the more iconic moments from the movie, although pinball aficionados who don't watch or are not privy to Star Wars may not find much to appreciate in terms of the details.
Omensight looks and feels good… but that soon gives way to repetition, as well as the realisation that nothing in this animal kingdom has what it takes to stand in the way of the main heroine. As for the story, and whole murder mystery aspect, well, it they are not that impressive, in all honesty…
From being a technical disaster and unfunny self-aware piece of software, Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn is an embarrassment to Shaq-Fu's 16-bit legacy. The original may not have been much, but at least it was not made ironically. The original was made by a talented team that did the best it could with what it had. A Legend Reborn is made with current technology and it somehow looks uglier and plays worse than the game that was coded in the '90s with pixels. Shifting the genre to a beat 'em-up was a logical choice, but this execution was a terrible miscalculation. Compounded with the overall poor quality, this is an extremely short game that clocks in at about two and a half hours. Not much value in Shaq-Fu: A Legend Reborn at all. Better stick with the 16-bit original.
Considering this is the fifteenth in the franchise, Koei Tecmo took a big risk by trying to attract an all new audience and it failed spectacularly. Understanding where Nobunaga's Ambition: Taishi came from can help to explain it. It was released not just for PC originally, but for tablet also, hence the big changes and simplified features. In this bold move, Koei Tecmo managed to not only drive away its loyal fan-base but also fail to bring in any new fans to the series. Ultimately, the final product is just dull, too simple to appeal to the hardcore, and too dense to appeal to the casual. It's hard to see who could enjoy this outside of hardcore J-History buffs and, even then, a textbook would be more entertaining.
While this is obviously not Red Dead Redemption or anything of the sort, West of Loathing proves to be truly entertaining for what it is.
There's nothing inherently wrong with Picross e8 itself, but it belongs to a series that is fast beginning to outstay its welcome; unless developer Jupiter can find a way to really shake up the staling formula, it's perhaps only fair to call time on the 3DS leg of the series at this point.
Fans of the original will need to pick this up, because, while it offers more of the same, it actually offers a much more extensive campaign. For those seeking an RPG on a budget, and one that tickles their 8-bit itch, then look no further than Fairune 2.
ICEY has a lot going for it; the combat is fun, the story and writing smart, plus it has some great designs and animations. It's definitely an enjoyable little addition to the libraries of Switch players, but its flaws are evident to see. If only it was a little longer, or had a bit more of a replayability factor, and if only the voice acting was better... Still, more than just a good game, and well worth checking out.
Onrush is the product of some seriously creative lateral thinking. It feels like something Codemasters cooked up whilst down at the pub, that when it put into practice, found worked better than ever imagined. It takes some of the best attributes of Burnout, SSX, and MotorStorm, but turns the experience on its head with fresh ideas, and some gameplay mechanics borrowed from the world of first-person shooters. It's a gorgeous and intense arcade racer, which is both a throwback and something totally original. There are a few kinks. With one misstep, one or two tracks will throw you away from the action all too easily, and side-swipe takedowns aren't as easy as they should be in certain vehicles. The trick system, too, could be more elaborate. However, overall, Onrush is just a fantastic change of pace. It excels in scratching an itch that you never knew existed. Extremely good fun!