Cubed3's Reviews
Conga Master Party! hasn't evolved much from the days of Conga Master, and, as a result, feels twice as disappointing to see it remain an extremely simplistic and… stale party game. Trying to form the longest conga line in here can certainly be fun, but only for a dull evening or two.
Pankapu is a series of lessons on what to not do when creating a platformer, wrapped up in a greedy episodic format that should not exist at all. Amongst its many issues, the sluggish controls stand out as the main big flaw of this piece of indie-developed frustration.
For players wanting to act as machines, it is going to be a fun expansion, but the amount of content is very thin. The lack of cities and ships for the machine empire comes off as cheap, and the entire race feels like a re-kin of hive mind mechanics. Those looking for something new or substantial will not find it here. Sure, those who love Stellaris to death will surely find something in Synthetic Dawn, but wayward fans will not find redemption in this expansion.
Pankapu leaves much to be desired in nearly every aspect, with the sole exception being its artwork. The story hints at something greater to never deliver, the music is impossibly repetitive and grating, and by far its biggest sin is that the platforming is atrocious. The difficulty and frustration is so ever-present that it annihilates any chance of it being any fun, and the slow controls only serve to put the final mark on a disastrous title.
While there's nothing fundamentally wrong with Psychic Specters - it is, after all, the most compre-hensive entry in the series, and Level-5's signature polish emanates throughout - yet it is also more than a little disappointing to see a fully-priced release add so little to the base game. Hardcore fans intent on purchasing should be aware that the new content is a little on the thin side, although it does make for a decent place for newbies to start their YO-KAI collection.
Arriving nearly a year later, but losing none of the charm and gaining some new tricks, Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 is ultimately a very solid version of the game on Switch, performance downgrades aside. An enjoyable and versatile battle system, coupled with a plethora of content that fans will appreciate, and an engaging story both new and old makes for a viable purchase option for both arena fighter and franchise devotees alike.
Ultra violent and very entertaining, Ruiner is quite an achievement. Not only does the game offer a meaty challenge, it doesn't bore and frustrate players with wave after wave of minions; each level is filled with just enough action to keep them invested. Some aspects aren't quite as polished as they could be but, again, a great soundtrack makes everything better. The effects could have also been dialled back a tad, but otherwise its inspired art direction is really impressive. On the merits of its presentation alone, this cyberpunk thriller deserves a look. Of course, it certainly helps that the rest of the game is solid, as well.
Blue Reflection is a solid, if somewhat fanservice-y, JRPG that suffers from some poor pacing issues. The characters themselves are decently fleshed out, and it's worth sticking with them to see how their arcs develop, even if there is a lot to keep track of. The skill customisation is a lot of fun to mess around with, but combat is the weakest part. Despite the excellent combat tracks, most battles feel like a drawn-out exhibition more than anything else. As one of Gust's best titles in years, however, it's definitely worth checking out.
Even though Pokkén Tournament DX might not offer much in the way of new content, the added longevity it'll gain by simply being on the Switch more than justifies the port.
Elliot Quest sticks to its old-school roots, but as to whether that's a good decision is hard to tell. It feels good, but hampers itself with old ideas that, simply put, are more obnoxious than fun. Still, even the game's worst moments could be forgiven if it would just explain things a bit more, instead of throwing you in and hoping you figure out how to swim.
Obduction is a niche title, and not everyone will enjoy it. It's beautiful, the story is engaging, and the voice-acting is absolutely top notch, but the puzzles are often pedantic and may push some players, and even adventure fans, away. However, if you can enjoy the puzzle structure, and get past the annoying load times that sometimes crop up, this is tremendously fun and well worth the price of admission.
WRC 7 is a commendable rally game that does little to advance the sport on the video game platform. However, that's not to say that it has to be revolutionary to be good. It does provide plenty of adrenaline, filled tracks that span all the real world major events, with plenty of differing conditions and surfaces that are sure to be challenging to master.
Janky, ugly and unpolished is the best way to describe The Solus Project. It had a noble idea of combining the walking sim narrative game with survival simulation stats, and on paper this is a concept that definitely has appeal. It is too bad that this was executed so badly, and it can all be attributed to failing to get the fundamentals of control and playability just right. The simple act of moving in standard mode is an agonizing slog, and god help the poor soul who tries to contend with incomprehensible VR controls. This is great for anyone who loves to torture themselves.
Maize is a pretty rare kind of game. It is very unlikely it will reach cult status the way Deadly Premonition has, but this really is every bit as good and original.
Players going in to enjoy Senran Kagura: Peach Beach Splash for the fan service will find plenty awaiting them. However, the game itself is not worth the investment for that fan service alone. The core gameplay is fun for a quick blast, and the splash moments are just what fans will want, but the battles are far too easy and get horrendously repetitive very quickly. Peach Beach Splash would have been better served from some extra gameplay modes, or maps, or more weapon styles, or anything to give it a little more life. It's also a terribly greedy game. The amount of time investment required to actually level up the cards and characters collected is far too high - although, of course, there's always the option to buy the cards for real money...
Absolver is an experience shrouded in patience and unerring attention to detail. It ultimately rewards players who are happy to spend the time picking apart tiny parts of the title's deceptively simple combat and world building. It is atrociously difficult at times, but such is the framing of the game, Absolver's difficulty curve is designed to teach and inspire, rather than frustrate. Although rather short at around five to six hours, Absolver is still a delicate examination of martial arts and how game design can drastically impact the lessons the player should draw from the world.
Necrosphere is as brutally hard as it is satisfying. From its design to its pacing, there's little not to be appreciated. Platforming requires an equal amount of skill and thought, but never to the point where frustration becomes the norm. Overcoming an obstacle is genuinely rewarding because it requires mastery of the mechanics. With light Metroidvania elements at play, there are also secret screens that can be found, which serve as additional challenges. Necrosphere may not be the longest title out there, but this is one platformer that should not go unnoticed.
As far as Gone Home style first-person narrative-driven games go, Don't Knock Twice is decent. It has two endings, which is welcomed, and a couple of interesting puzzles to mix things up a bit, even if the solution is way too obviously spelled out. The story is told in a hazy way to keep a semblance of mystery about it, and the restraint with how the Baba Yaga is depicted keeps her scary. What is not scary is how the Baba Yaga is never a threat, and if it weren't for a few jump scares, she may as well not have existed at all. The deterioration of the house as it descends into a semi-nightmarish version of itself is quite effective, and the brevity of the overall experience (about two to three hours) ensures that Don't Knock Twice does not overstay its welcome.
Those who yearn for more of that type of interactive fun, this will likely be a blast.
Anyone looking for a weekend well spent can't go wrong with SteamWorld Dig 2; it is the very definition of a great sequel. Alongside the larger world and new features is a terrific amount of refinement, with each and every aspect given a little bit of extra attention. However, the basic formula remains unchanged. The bulk will be spent mining ore and selling it to buy upgrades, and although performing these tasks isn't required to progress, it's really not something that can be ignored entirely. For what it's worth, this entry does everything possible to make the process addictive and fun.