Cubed3's Reviews
The Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit is just what it says on the tin - one that serves up a variety of unique and interactive toys to build. Through a brilliant interface and robust card shapes, the kit offers hours of DIY building fun - with an interactive pay-off. The mini-games are somewhat short, leaning more towards concept pieces, but with the Labo Garage included, it creates limitless possibilities to explore and invoke a little mischief, too!
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a real delight to play, holding its appeal even several years after its original Wii U release.
God of War is an exceptionally solid action game that delivers the epic scope the series is known for, but in a new way. While many of the plot elements are a bit forced at times, the characters themselves are well written and performed very naturally. Don't expect to feel for Kratos much, no matter how hard the game tries, because he is just too much a monster. The real star is the fluid combat, realistic visuals, and the rousing set-pieces. It is unclear how far the PlayStation 4's architecture is being pushed, but it wouldn't be surprising if God of War is pushing it to its absolute limit because there is never a moment when it does not look stunning. There is a so much to like that the weaker aspects get drowned out and easily ignored and pulling that off is no easy feat.
From the gorgeous settings, to the wonderful narrative development, and the smart implementation of sharp puzzle elements, Nihiliumbra is an absolute joy to play.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole is an excellent RPG that adds a hefty amount of mechanical depth to improve upon The Stick of Truth. Admittedly, some of the gaming commentary is less effective if the player has experience with the previous instalment. However, there are still plenty of surprises and enough side-splitting moments to make it a must-buy for any fans of South Park, especially if seasoned gamers, too. While the storyline itself isn't quite as clever as something from the show, the jokes and dialogue meet the same standards. The kid's move from fantasy to super heroes pays off, although if there's a third adventure, it would need to deviate more substantially from its predecessor. It's a shame the existing DLC couldn't have been included as standard, but at least the Switch version runs without issue for the most part, and wasn't delayed for too long. Overall, this is an excellent port.
Late Shift is a great attempt at reviving FMV-led gaming, avoiding the pitfalls of The Bunker by choosing to opt for a purer movie direction rather than including unnecessary forced interactions, making it almost visual novel-esque with its decision-making route and multiple endings inclusion to encourage repeated play-throughs.
Without Escape is the perfect dish for those hungry for classic 1990s puzzle adventures like Zork, Myst, et al.
Raiders of the Broken Planet is slowly moving into actual 'good game' territory, but it sadly might be too late by now. Wardog Fury is a nice expansion and the asking price seems well within reason. Unfortunately, the way the game is set up, and the paltry playerbase, makes this hard for someone to jump into. This is a bit of a strange game to review because most of the major issues here are infrastructure-based and the action itself is actually fun. It is a release that a lot of people will want to like, but it doesn't always seem like it wants people to like it. It is hard to say for sure if the entire experience is worth it without playing the other campaigns, but Wardog Fury by itself is enough fun to warrant a look. If you can find someone to play it with, that is.
Even though it's been over a decade, Bullet Witch hasn't aged as badly as might be expected. There is some creativity in Alicia's skill-set. Summoning ravens and rose spikes lends a pleasing dynamic to combat. Also, reducing an entire city block to rubble just to kill a few demons never gets old. A typical play-through will only take about two-and-a-half hours, but the extra missions and harder difficulties are sufficient reasons to keep playing. Keep in mind, however, that this game is a product of its time, and its most appealing aspects run counter to what gamers take for granted today. Some simply aren't going to enjoy goofing around with physics or explosions, and that's fine.
Adventure gaming may have seen a decline, but with gems such as Dreamfall: Chapters and King's Quest, the genre seems to be on the mend.
Ginger: Beyond the Crystal is a prime example of underestimating a genre and throwing in a half-baked port to gain some extra money. It is a near broken title with zero flow between balanced gameplay and out of the factory polishing.
Despite its overall lack of polish, Aqua Moto Racing Utopia is a pleasant enough watercraft racer with a large number of tracks available (even if a lot of content is reused and modified) and decent mechanics. It's a shame that as a whole it's ultimately forgettable and its many small issues pile up, as this could have been something greater. Still, if you're looking for a type of racing game that you rarely see and have already played the Wave Race and its sequel to death, this might be worth checking out.
Emotional, alluring, and compelling from start to finish, A Normal Lost Phone is a phenomenal visual novel that takes full advantage of Nintendo Switch in a creative way, while telling a story with a genuinely powerful message. The investigative elements are gripping and require a sincere attention to detail, and the soundtrack is appropriately atmospheric for mobile phone sleuthing. The short length might be off-putting for some, but it does lend itself to a well-paced experience and the title is cheap enough to justify the time spent playing. A Normal Lost Phone is a wonderful story with heart, and an excellent example of interactivity within the medium.
A Robot Named Fight! is a "great game, BUT…" kind of deal, that won't appeal to just anyone. It's actually highly recommended, but only as long as you can deal with a metroidvania with a perma-death mechanic - and one that won't exactly win any awards for its variety and replay value.
Although not as narratively ambitious as A Normal Lost Phone, Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story nonetheless tells a compelling a tale with a great set of twists that recontextualise the entire experience with a grander scope than its predecessor. The deliberate lack of a traditional control is a bit of an odd one, but the Joy-Con's gyroscopic pointing is serviceable and using the undocked Switch to emulate a proper mobile phone remains the best way to play the game. The interactivity present isn't as extensive as in A Normal Lost Phone, but the puzzles themselves are far more engaging and require deeper levels of analysation to solve. Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story is a strong and consistent sequel that plays to the strengths of its medium, creating an original experience with an important message.
While the story in BattleTech takes some interesting turns, and the combat is slow if serviceable, the game chugs along as playable with occasional moments of greatness. The major issues come from how combat is both too slow at times and too random, plus there are too many numbers to sort through for anyone short of the very dedicated. The structural problems are too ingrained in the game to easily fix, which is unfortunate as there is actually a solid package underneath the problems.
Frostpunk isn't perfect, but it doesn't really matter, as this is playing a different kind of ball game that has a unique charm of its own. It engrosses players into its frozen, post-apocalyptic world, and lets them do more than just design a city; it lets them really fear about failing, and it lets them feel immense joy for every small victory. It's a survival strategy game at its best.
To judge a game such as Elliot Quest is more convoluted than might be expected. On the one hand, there's a compound of flavoursome ingredients, while on the other one lays a final course that tastes just like a million others. It doesn't do anything bad, but just does not reach notable heights or excel anywhere.
When it comes to action RPGs, Ys Origin ranks among the elite.
The 25th Ward: The Silver Case, while not for everyone, is still a unique visual novel experience that oozes creativity. Its gameplay elements do slightly bog it down, but the stylised writing, entertaining characters, and one of a kind story more than make up for it. It's a truly memorable adventure accompanied by wonderful music and artwork, all coming together to make something that visual novel fans should definitely look into. If okay with checking out something a bit different from what you are probably used to, then you are likely to have a great time going through the weird world of Ward 25 that nobody will be able to forget anytime soon.