Cubed3's Reviews
Evoking the sense of classic Arcade gaming, Don't Die, Mr. Robot! DX embodies the strengths of pick up and play games to their fullest, providing mere minutes or many hours of satisfaction as needed. Much more of a solo offering than a crowd pleaser, Mr. Robot's ease of play and addictive high score trophy collecting ensure the game's icon will find a recurring place on the Switch's home menu.
A shining example of graphics not making a game, players who look past this issue and some user interface designs will find in Lost Technology a game with multiple, well-written plots, engaging strategy, and an entire system that encourages multiple replays. It is rare to have a story that is actually unique, compounded with a simple, yet deep strategy layer that combines into an overall package highly recommend for strategy fans that can handle a little anime flair.
Super Dungeon Bros. is one of those games that is best described as inoffensive. It doesn't do anything wrong, but at the same time it doesn't do anything right, either.
As bizarre as the idea of Grim Reapers, turn-based battles and Scrabble-like wordplay all together sounds, Letter Quest Remastered really makes it work, and enjoyably so.
A Way Out is a phenomenal co-operational interactive movie that can be enjoyed both on the couch with a friend or spouse, or online. What makes the online aspect even better is that the partner doesn't even need a copy of the game, as they can join in easily. Vince and Leo have two contrasting personalities that see the calm meet the storm, as they both must put their differences aside to escape the prison they are confined to. With attention to detail within every nook and cranny, watching how their two stories diverge and converge at integral moments of the game is a fascinating experience that needs to be played through twice. Playing as both Leo and Vince will offer two unique story paths, as they both have different roles in solving puzzles, while narrative-forks provide a "Choose-Your-Own-Adventure" element to the story.
Break Arts II is a deceptively complex racing game that is sure to create a dedicated and hardcore fan-base. Complex construction mechanics allow for the creation of machines that can be wholly unique to their builder. A high skill ceiling serves as a fine complement for the construction, as all the time spent in the garage will pay off as that machine navigates the small sampling of challenging tracks. While the combat interactions can feel unsatisfying at times, mastering those elements with the others provides players with a worthy challenge.
For just under a tenner, Octahedron is a mightily impressive package. Its '80s-derived neon-aesthetic is a very cool backdrop for one of the most impressive 2D platforming experiences on offer so far this year. The sense of challenge is very finely-tuned and progressive, being unforgiving while still managing to keep the player coming back for yet another round. While there's a very detached introductory cut-scene, which is weird and ultimately is context that nobody needs, the gameplay itself is addictive, inventive, and something all indie platforming fans will want to try out. It looks amazing and runs at a smooth 60fps, which really helps the sense of fluidity. In addition, the chiptune and electronic soundtrack is so good that Cubed3 just had to bust out the studio monitors. The only disappointment relating to the music soundtrack is that it couldn't interact with the gameplay further than platforms moving to the BPM.
Arcadey, exciting, and responsive, Rogue Aces is an incredibly smooth take on dogfighting, with plenty of charm to spare. While the procedurally-generated campaign does leave much to be desired in the way of level and mission design, the core gameplay loop is solid and the missions themselves emphasise the action more than anything else, keeping consecutive playthroughs engaging. Controlling the plane is easy to pick up and hard to master, but it all pays off due to just how satisfying the gameplay is. Rogue Aces is a by-the-books arcade experience that offers a fresh take on dogfighting.
The most impressive thing about this is its pleasantly corny, '80s-esque name, because, besides the fact that Raging Justice is a brawler of below average quality, it makes the mistake of being way too much in love with its source material, and doesn't stray one bit from it
From beginning to end, Dark Rose Valkyrie feels as if it has every flaw of the JRPG genre combined into one package. The characters are stereotypical instead of memorable, the story sort of… sits there, and the battles are slow, and depend more on grinding than tactical thinking. Apart from all this, Compile Heart's creation is audio-visually unimpressive, a technical mess, and feels as if it hasn't spent the right amount of time in the oven.
Earth Wars is not particularly creative or brilliant, but it works entirely within its limited means to deliver a comfortable, enjoyable experience.
The Destiny 2 experience might still be a little off, but this is a pretty good place to jump back into the action.
Although the gameplay starts out far stiffer than it should and the upgrade system feels more like a grind than anything else, FOX n FORESTS manages to carry itself with particularly strong level design and a unique season shifting mechanic. Being able to switch the season of each stage on the fly leads to dynamic platforming scenarios and Rick's move-set later on turns him into a fluid and enjoyable character to play as. With several secrets to uncover in each stage and a risk versus reward checkpoint system, FOX n FORESTS comes off a creative action platformer with a strong identity of its own.
Despite some hiccups in performance that are perfectly understandable given the scope, limited budget, and the engine used, Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles in its Nintendo Switch incarnation retains all of its charm. It is not a Triple-A product, and yet what it manages to achieve is a wonder to behold.
It might have taken a couple tries to get the formula right, but Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition is exemplary. Much can be said about the absurd amount of content, but what really takes this game to the next level are the various refinements. The item card shop alone makes a world of difference for dedicated adventurers. There's also the enhanced frame-rate, which lends a better sense of control and situational awareness to the player. They are better equipped to notice those subtle changes in enemy behaviour, or realise when a massive attack is coming. Aside from a few nit-picks, there's hardly a reason to pass on this fantastic title.
Already a phenomenal game in its own right, Redux makes Strange Journey all the better with gameplay and narrative additions that only serve to enhance what was already present. Alex's presence in the plot adds an extra layer of tragedy to what was already one of the darkest stories in the franchise, and the Womb of Grief is one of the best dungeons in the series, offering a variety of fantastic new bosses, demons, and side-quests to play around with. The lack of Kaneko's original art is certainly a detriment to the overall aesthetic, but the base gameplay and dungeons have been left untouched, ensuring the core experience doesn't stray from the original's vision. Along with being the definitive way to play Strange Journey, Redux stands out as one of the best games in the Shin Megami Tensei franchise all around.
Not only will Episode 2: Hide and Seek not turn the heads of those who didn't like the first part of The Council, but it will probably disappoint the ones that did, as it takes a couple of steps backward. The journey through the realm of mystery thrillers it offers remains a somewhat engrossing one, but it surely needs to think a lot about its next step if it is to succeed.
Although Saturday Morning RPG certainly captures the feelings of playing a Saturday morning cartoon, that quality may very well be its downfall. The episodic format, coupled with the fairly involved battle system, make for a breath of fresh air in the early game, but they quickly become repetitive and rather dull, much like a typical '80s cartoon. The aesthetic is plenty pleasant and the writing has its moments of charm, but Saturday Morning RPG is ultimately a JRPG not meant to be played powered through. In small bursts, its combat and episodic story structure might shine, but they fall apart quite hastily when played all at once. It's best to take each episode a week at a time, like a proper Saturday morning cartoon.
It turns out that the least interesting aspect of Omensight is the by-the-number's action game mechanics. In a title that centres on a super being that looks like Anubis with a lightsabre, it is inevitable that there would have to be some sword-play in it. The qualities that will draw people into this plot are the mystery solving, how the Groundhog Day cycle works, and how users can change fates. RPG fans may not appreciate the brevity of the Harbinger's journey, and action game fans will likely fall asleep from the low difficulty of everything. This one seems ideal for fans of adventures, since at a certain point, most combat can be skipped entirely in lieu of plot progression with no consequence. Omensight is a unique release, nonetheless, and comes recommended for those seeking something different.
Hopefully, the next game shakes up the formula even more but, until then, this one is a very fun and rewarding ride.