Cubed3's Reviews
Sariento VR is one of the most impressive VR titles in many ways. From the technical standpoint, with the graphics and engine stability, to the movement system (which is a pure thrill) right through to the sounds of the weaponry, which really make everything come to life. There are a few titles that mix some of the acrobatic movement and bullet-time mechanics separately but none have combined them so well and in such a complete package. This is one of the first VR titles on the market that could be reasonably described as a true AAA VR experience, with an addictive gameplay loop of missions offering plenty of rewards and a voiced campaign. Best of all, it might be a first class title but developer Mixed Realms has delivered on a budget price of £22.99. For VR owners, this is a must buy.
Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology is one of the finest games on the 3DS, one of the finest RPGs in its genre, and one of the finest remakes of all time. The lack of modification done to the sprites will surely sour some, but it's arguably for the best, as it preserves the aesthetic identity of an already great looking adventure. The amazing combat system is thankfully left untouched, the new scenario offers more than its weight in gameplay, and the optional nature of most of the new content means anyone uninterested in the changes can simply find comfort in an amazing base experience. Radiant Historia was good enough where it didn't need a remake, but it's wonderful it got anyway.
For a budget title, Headmaster is definitely worth a buy and is great at demonstrating some of the best aspects of VR. Certainly this is not the most epic of the medium, but what it does provide is an addictive pick-up-and-play style of game that is always welcome on any gaming apparel or add-on like VR. Very solid graphically, as well as being humorous, and underpinned with a realistic physics engine, Headmaster is a good introduction into VR for developer Frame Interactive. Hopefully, it now follows this up with some more great ideas using this as a base.
While Destiny 2 has a solid foundation and a robust story campaign, its endgame content feels a little lacklustre. [OpenCritic note: Brandon Howard separately reviewed the PC and PS4 versions. Their scores have been averaged.]
When it comes to Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package, the same question comes up over and over again: Who is this for? Here's a title that not only fails to win over fans of Dead Rising, but it also fails to win over fans of videogames. Slaying hundreds of thousands of zombies is not compelling entertainment, especially when the combat mechanics are so unsatisfying. The entire adventure just feels tired and cynical, sapping players of the necessary energy to carry on with their day. This critic racked up well over 25 hours of play and didn't laugh, not even once. What else needs to be said? Maybe this game is for people who no longer wish to experience joy.
The downsides aren't enough to outright ruin the experience, and instead make this a bad port of a wonderful adventure.
Call of Duty: WWII - The Resistance: DLC Pack 1 should appeal to the dedicated troops that have already spent serious time in the trenches and are maybe growing slightly weary of circling around the Flak Tower and the U.S.S. Texas. Sure, three fairly decent(ish) maps do feel like short change but the particularly strong Operation Intercept does at least go some way to redressing that balance. Putrefaction fans are also well catered for and should enjoy bloodying their swimming trunks on the Darkest Shore. Something for everybody, then... Viva la Resistance!
SteamWorld Dig holds up tremendously well considering it originated on 3DS back in 2013. All these years later, despite its sequel surpassing it, this original has so much to offer that it should not be overlooked. If having never tried it before, Nintendo Switch fans owe it themselves to dig deep, unearth their hard-earned coin, explore Image & Form's treasure, and definitely make this gem of a game their own.
Anyone who enjoyed Super Meat Boy is likely to have a good time with The End is Nigh.
What Ails You gives more action, and more important plot progression, but also seems to want to fill in the gaps with plotlines it just hasn't given the proper time to.
Piczle Lines DX isn't a bad game. In fact, it does what it wants to do almost perfectly. There are a ton of puzzles here to solve, from the small bite-sized ones that can be solved in minutes to big, sprawling challenges that can take hours. Unfortunately, it is simply that the underlying concept here simply is not that interesting. This is a boring kind of puzzler, and feels a bit like putting together an actual puzzle over and over… and over again. There is probably a niche for this, a certain kind of puzzle enthusiast that likes these slower, more plodding experiences. A vast majority of gamers, however, are going to lose interest fast because it only really has one trick that it does repeatedly. Piczle Lines DX is a perfectly adequate experience.
For the price tag attached to it, Sky Force Reloaded is the perfect antidote for Nintendo Switch fans that love this genre. As long as you came here in order to experience a pretty basic, and grind-heavy (but immensely addictive) vertical shoot 'em up, where the only modern thing about it is its graphical update, then you simply cannot go wrong!
Teslagrad is a fun puzzling experience from Rain Games and one that seems perfect for on-the-go play thanks to the numerous puzzles and the regular auto-saving checkpoints, meaning it's perfect for pick up and put down style play. The graphical style has transitioned fantastically to Switch, too, looking absolutely stunning in portable mode. This is definitely a pleasing addition to the Switch's extensive port library.
River City: Rival Showdown's best qualities are its unique method of progression and well-executed storyline. Admittedly, this critic was not expecting this to be the case. The appeal of this franchise has always been its simplistic but satisfying fighting; not to mention the depth and creativity that comes from having so many fun abilities to play around with. While these hallmarks are present in this 3DS brawler, they are buried under the relentless quest for higher numbers. The final result is a game that just isn't as accessible and endearing as it could be, but there's still entertainment to be had.
An interesting premise, a striking visual style, and a mysterious game world that's bound to keep the gaming community pondering on what's going on in here, Hello Neighbor had the potential to be an iconic classic. Instead, the final release is nothing more than an overpriced, clunky, and incomplete mess of an experience. It's a shame, really.
Picross S is a fully recommended title for anyone who doesn't own a Nintendo 3DS after some puzzling action to play on the go, which is the preferred way to play this type of game. Whilst lacking the superior touch controls of the 3DS versions, this one does add an array of great assist options and throws a multiplayer twist into the format. Compared to what the long-running Picross e games provide, though, offering just two modes and Mega Picross being slightly adjusted Picross puzzles is unfortunate. For the budget price, 300 puzzles is excellent value, especially if this is one of your first dabbles into the series, but there is no question that more could have been added here. If you have a 3DS, it would be better to stick to the Picross fun on that system.
There is nothing appealing about Out of Ammo. It has no character to it at all and even less polish to its name. This is a huge shame since the idea of an RTS that has a gameplay shift to first-person action does have potential. This is not how it should have been, though. This current build of Out of Ammo is not an Early Access version or an alpha or beta, (even though it plays like it); this is version 1.0. This is a monumentally rough and broken product that had several instances of controls failing to respond and even a crash in the span of only 90 minutes. Out of Ammo is an unplayable disaster.
Unepic is deliciously old-school and thoroughly addictive, but it feels like a snapshot of an earlier time and, as such, those who have never experienced the games that this is a love-letter to may find it hard to get on with. The writing is very hit and miss - mostly miss - but it tells a decent enough story, until its final act and the horrible endings… Ultimately, a fun but flawed experience.
Unfortunately, this whole dynamic is a great risk for Bruce to take; he could potentially lose more than just his company should his evil endeavours and the company he keeps come to the public light.
There is a lot to juggle with two episodes to go, and there promises to be plenty of heartbreak along the way.