Cubed3's Reviews
Elliot Quest takes heavy inspiration from the first three Zelda games in general and from Zelda II: Adventure of Link in particular, while improving on some of the more tedious aspects of it. However, it does not quite go all the way to leaving behind or improving the elements that haven't aged well at all in Nintendo's classic, making for an experience that at times can be a bit more confusing than it really needs to be.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and more ready for a hidden blade right through the centre. Assassin's Creed: Origins is an absolutely stellar return to form and even those who have previously not enjoyed the series would be wise to give it a second shot here. The new combat design is a big improvement, the world is rich, the story compelling; there is a lot to like here and it also massively returns on its investment thanks to the amount of content. There are easily over 30 hours here just in taking on the regular story and way over double that to complete the whole map. Buy this game.
Just Dance 2018 does not offer much new, but it truly does not have to at this point. The things it does offer adds to the already great experience in unexpected ways. The mojo gashapon adds yet another addictive component to the mixture of feel-good-hormones the game has offered for ages in a way that is obviously clever once explained. What players are here for, though, is the fun and addictive dance gameplay, which is as strong as ever with the ever growing Unlimited library. This makes Just Dance 2018 well worth a go for fans and newcomers alike.
Yomawari: Midnight Shadows manages to be pretty scary and goes to show how restraint can be effective in crafting horror. It is too bad that the formula from the first game is so strictly adhered to and really does feel like more of the same. "If it isn't broke, why fix it?" is a very understandable philosophy but when working with such a simplistic formula like Yomawari, one can't help but wonder the potential that lies in what is essentially a horror scenario of being a night watchman. A more detailed story and much bigger world to explore is what to expect from Midnight Shadows. The first Yomawari on PlayStation Vita was released bundled with a second game when it came out, probably because of its simplistic nature. Midnight Shadows still is a simple title that relies on its scary art, but does not come with a second game and has to stand completely on its own. Thankfully, this does an amazing job of being a satisfying and fulfilling horror experience. Bring a change of trousers.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus takes The New Order and multiplies everything tenfold (especially the silliness and the amount of cut-scenes) when it should just take the original and carefully build upon its foundation, smoothing its rough edges and offering the very best Wolfenstein game ever. The result is a FPS that's fun, but also one that doesn't really know what it wants to be.
This is a game for enthusiasts and the complexity and scope of tinkering, combined with the need for a racing wheel, only emphasises this point. Project CARS 2 does a lot of things right, and it's easy to fall for the stunning visuals and customisation, but there are some very serious problems to address.
Take one carefully selected restaurant management sim and age for 60 hours of gameplay. Rub a spoonful of local co-op (difficult to get a hold of these days) and spread across hundreds of levels. Fry until it brings a golden smile to your face, and garnish with a dash of stress frenetic frying fossicking and serve with colourful visuals and a flavourful 1080p/60fps jus. Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2!! serves up another slice of excellent fun that, although not especially deep, will certainly keep you coming back for more. Please pass these compliments to the chef.
The Count Lucanor is as average as it gets.
A handful of issues, some much more annoying than others, do not negate how solid of an action RPG Middle-earth: Shadow of War is. A tremendous achievement for the team at Monolith Productions, this is an exciting, if not sometimes slow, and too often unfair, title that manages to be as impressively fun as it is big. While those issues will definitely find their way into your grinding teeth and clenching hands at least a few times throughout the experience, Middle-earth: Shadow of War has more than enough merit to keep drawing you back in.
Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack contains the high points of Inti Creates' oeuvre. The sequel included is easily the headliner of the two, bursting with content and generally being the much better designed title. The action is really addictive with playability being very tight and responsive. It's hard to let go of the game because it feels so good to play it. To find any big flaws in these would entail mostly petty nitpicks as they stand to be exemplary entries in the run and gun genre. Them being on Nintendo Switch only means that the action does not have to stay at home.
WRC 7 is, much like its predecessor, a step in the right direction but is still just falling short of the mark when compared to others in its class, such as DIRT 4 and Project CARS 2.
The wait is over; the pinnacle of 3D adventures has arrived in the form of Super Mario Odyssey. It beggars belief just how much Nintendo has packed into this latest outing, without compromising the core Mario goodness of the past. Just as with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Mario series has now reached a special new level of greatness that will be hard to surpass in the future. The Nintendo Switch is fast becoming the hottest platform, crammed full of sublime quality gaming experiences like this fantastic new escapade.
What we are looking here is one hell of a hardcore, post-apocalyptic, larger-than-life, sandbox RPG gem - a gem that's very rough around the edges, but a gem nonetheless. Unfortunately, it's currently inside the bowels of a large, sluggish, and sickeningly smelly beast: its battle system. Therefore, unless ELEX gets an extremely strong patch treatment, think a lot before a purchase.
It's not going to hold the attention for the average gamer for longer than an evening or a weekend, but considering its budget price, it's a compelling creation. Players with a more specialist interest in speedrunning, and those interested in intense and quite hardcore arcade experiences, will certainly appreciate it. Its rapid pace and intense gameplay gets the adrenaline going, though enemies aren't all that smart, and in terms of level design and objective variance, there's not too much to marvel at. While its aesthetic and style feels distinct and is helped by the pleasingly crunchy blend of music, which further ups the intensity factor, the gameplay itself is a little needlessly repetitive; for example, it's a shame that the end of a level is only ever triggered by killing every enemy. In addition, considering the titles that the developers have made prior to this one, it would be fair to say that High Hell is somewhat disappointingly bare.
Of all of Cities: Skylines' DLC, Concerts adds the least to the experience. Perhaps the price tag went into audio licensing, but Colossal Order and Paradox should have come up with more content to package with these songs to justify making this a paid DLC. As it stands, barring a huge price cut or sale, or just requiring the full Cities experience, there's no reason to pick up this DLC.
Danger Zone is a deeply shallow game that feels cheaply made. It doesn't even run smoothly, which is really unfortunate since the visuals look very simplistic and stock and shouldn't tax the Xbox One at all. Load times that last as long as a play cycle, and the sensory deprivation from the complete lack of music, give the impression that this is a work-in-progress - a very poor presentation for a very poor game.
The real issue with The Evil Within 2 is that it has tried to marry too many foreign gameplay elements to the genre, whilst not addressing a lot of technical annoyances that, if remedied, would have provided enough refreshment to the third-person horror experience alone. Whereas Resident Evil 7 shifted the perspective into first-person, and re-discovered its core emphasis - much to its advantage - The Evil Within 2 has expanded mechanically without really acting on the criticism of the first game. The controls are sluggish, the camera doesn't react fast enough, and it has the habit of limiting player perspective in an obnoxious way. Even though this experience is quite different to the original, and far more compelling and successful, it's disappointing that the abstract mind games it pulls couldn't be left to speak for themselves. All the same, this is a solid survival horror title, although in the end it borrows just a bit too much from Resident Evil 4.
There are few worlds more exciting to explore than the one in ELEX. Each location is intelligently crafted and filled with valuables items. The factions are clever and have their own nuances, and working for them is beneficial in a number of ways. Growing from a chump that gets knocked down by a slight breeze to the mightiest warrior takes quite a long time, but it's very fulfilling. However, while players can get accustomed to the combat, it never becomes enjoyable. The glitches, minor as they are, still detract from the experience. That being said, it is impossible to imagine an impeccably polished open world RPG. For this game, Piranha Bytes focused entirely on its strengths, and the results are very impressive.
As a shooter JYDGE isn't something special, yet strengthening your own Judge Dredd/RoboCop hybrid by doing side-quests and unlocking additional toys to play with can be quite the addicting experience for the few hours that this will last.
Let Them Come is an amusing distraction that is not terribly deep or even all that interesting; at best it is inoffensive. What saves this for complete disaster is the very meticulous sprite art, design, and the overall aesthetics. A very special mention must be given to the music, which is an unbelievably tense and brooding synth score that really puts the user in the deranged mind set of the blood lusting soldier. The gameplay is that of a shallow mobile affair, complete with a long list of upgrades and supplies that are balanced to encourage the grind. This sort of title is great for on-the-go casual play, but on the big screen it's just not going to hold interest for long.