Cubed3's Reviews
Floor Kids starts as a breath of fresh air for the rhythm genre, and a blessing for those who wanted a break-dancing title on Nintendo Switch, which, for people's information, is not really such an abundant group. It feels and looks quite good… but that's all there is to say about it, as its replay value is so low that it's impossible to recommend it to anyone but unique indie game aficionados.
What more can really be said? Everyone was expecting a nice and self-contained story at best, a bit of a romp, and nothing exceptional. Getting a well-crafted story, developers learning how to up their game to create intense battles from their prior experiences, and so many other improvements, was simply not expected. There is a distinct rift in quality between the base game and this expansion, and considering A Realm Reborn was already very good, this new rift showcases just how great Heavensward is.
Visuals-wise, Slain: Back from Hell for Nintendo Switch is one of the most '80s Metal videogames in existence. Unfortunately, the actual gameplay just doesn't cut it, as the controls often feel unresponsive and the level of challenge unfair. Want to play a Heavy Metal-powered Castlevania? Just play a Castlevania title with Iron Maiden on the headphones.
Stormblood is simply amazing. Not much more can be said about it. With a very well-crafted story, some tense and epic battles, two new classes, and wonderful zones, saying anything else would ruin so much of the expansion and what makes it great.
Star Ocean: The Last Hope is a massive game with plenty to do and see. While the acting might be very poor and the character models weird and unnerving, the rest of the game is littered with things for the player to do, regardless of if they are adventurous or just want to rush to the end. It terms of good RPGs, this isn't the best, or even the best in the series, but it's still an excellent title that only holds itself back enough to notice. Thankfully, it's not back far enough that you won't care.
All in all, anticipation is high for Book Three. Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth: Book Two is a superbly made point-and-click adventure that finds smart ways to advance the story, and makes the player feel good for having spent time with it. While larger maps are irritating to navigate, there's so much to love about this experience that it's hard to really care. Thankfully, with the added replay value, you can start the series and finish it a couple times in anticipation for the final book, and it should hold up just fine.
The coming together of two fantastic platform adventures, and a decent enough puzzle entry, means that Mutant Mudds Collection is well worth checking out for those that are up for a very strict challenge. It has some drawbacks in terms of how smooth the lead character jumps, but the majority of the game is so well constructed that those loving retro style outings will quickly become accustomed to the games' approach and quickly fall for its classic charm.
The portability of the Nintendo Switch makes this undoubtedly the best way to play Stardew Valley. Unless you are really keen on modding the game, the combination of easy portability and excellent controls makes this a staple in any well-rounded Switch library. It's still the same great farm simulator it was on PC - robust, full of secrets, and comes with an inescapable charm that will keep pulling you back in, season after season.
The reasoning for such high praise of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn should be obvious. At the end of the day, the simple fact is that Square Enix actually put in effort and care and managed to craft something that truly is Final Fantasy through and through. It would have been so easy to declare this game a lost cause or just do the minimal amount of work to make it viable, but, instead, the developers dedicated themselves to turning this MMO on its head - and they succeeded.
Xenon Valkyrie+ is playable, but there is just so much left to be desired. Feeling more like an alpha version with tremendous potential, the longer you play, the more you realise everything you want the game to be, it sadly is not, and players will be left with a mediocre platformer/rogue title instead. If this was a demo of what was to come, it would be so easy to sing its praises but, as it is, it only serves as a source of aggravation for what it could have been.
The tables are up to the standards of what one can expect from Zen Studios, which is to say frantic action that takes full advantage of this being a videogame and not an actual physical pinball machine to push the boundaries of what can be expected from a pinball title, and there's certainly an audience for that kind of content on Nintendo Switch.
Battle Chef Brigade is very entertaining and no Nintendo Switch owner should be without. The production quality is a bit on the cheap side when the story is being presented, and some of the background art can be a bit on the amateurish side, but there really is nothing else like this. Mina is a very likeable character and proves to not only be an awesome cook, but a decent fighter, too. This is an unlikely recipe that turned out to be a real hit. Whether it is in the kitchen or the battlefield, nobody can beat Mina.
Both titles come with some drawbacks, but both are extremely important RPGs. Being important isn't always enough to say something is good, though, and, fortunately, both FFX and FFX-2 are superb. For fans new and old, there's likely something you've never gotten see before. Even if you've seen it all, though, why not journey back in. It's just as lovely as you remember it being.
Quite frankly, this practice is unacceptable. This particular expansion shouldn't be punished since the problem is broader and more wide-spread. How making an admittedly large patch then charging full price for it is a bad Paradox! Bad boy! There are people out there making workshop content and mods for free that affect far more and aren't some minor fringe either. Meanwhile, with a full team, Paradox manages to change one, admittedly large, nation? Why not sit down with all the other religions and give them their own little iconographies? Or work in something else? Anything else! This is a mini-expansion and the result of a sad, yet likely unstoppable, practice.
Honestly, this review could go on a lot more, but so much of it is attention to details and improvements on the prior title that it would miss the point. That point being that Total War: Warhammer II is a game where you can have a T-Rex throw down with a Wizard. There are great strategy elements, the new vortex victory is a great refresher from normal conquest types, and the new races are all great; but reading this review means missing out on the dino action. Still reading?
Despite some snarly camera issues, A Hat in Time should not be overlooked. Behind the vivid graphical style lies a charming and cute platformer that provides even the most experienced players a challenge. A hoard of collectables will help extend the life, and an excellent soundtrack befitting of the genre will ensure that ears will also be delighted. Hats off to the developers!
Even with their linear nature, the gameplay of these games is the high point in the series, offering loads of customizability and the ability to plan out the next move. Use your own strengths or reduce weaknesses - anything is possible. Unfortunately, the characters never really bond, at least not in a way that truly binds them together - not even thematically.
Tiny Barbarian DX is a great throwback adventure that tries to blend the best of both worlds, with clever platforming stages and challenging bosses that threaten to destroy many Joy-Cons. Fortunately, the game is very forgiving, by offering unlimited lives and constant checkpoints on nearly every single screen. With shiny diamonds to find, coins to collect, and food to regain health, the campaign is heavily reliant on its point-based system to extend the longevity of this game's playability. If bragging rights for high scores doesn't sound interesting, though, then playing through the campaign once is enough to fill in that longing void for the 8-bit and 16-bit games of old.
Brawlout attempts to fill a niche that is currently not occupied on the Switch. Unfortunately, being plagued by a rushed launch, it is not fully polished and feels lacking in content. Combat, the main focus of this platform fighter, feels clunky and requires a fair amount of tweaking before it's "just right." Paired with a handful of bugs and questionable mechanics, competitive players might not be satisfied with the current status of this title, but more casual players or those who want a party game with friends can find some enjoyment to be had here.
They are both well worth the purchase even now that they are not free anymore.