Cubed3's Reviews
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga has not lost any of its charm over the past decade and a half, plus looks better than ever now on Nintendo 3DS thanks to its new lick of paint. Humorous, addictive, inventive - everything that made the Game Boy Advance original so addictive returns, with some handy touch screen shortcuts added into the mix, and a pleasant side game in the form of the Bowser's Minions RTS quest. With this, Paper Jam Bros. and Bowser's Inside Story, the Mario & Luigi series shows it is still going from strength to strength thanks to the genius team at AlphaDream.
Frustrating gameplay aside, Telltale games are still primarily about the story, and episode four shows that it is possible to throw some interesting twists and turns into a narrative that seemed dead in the water. Getting to those points can feel a bit tiresome, and many of the connecting elements feel completely superfluous, but at least there's a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Hopefully that light grows even brighter as the series comes to its conclusion.
With a complex design system expertly hidden behind an inviting and easygoing experience, people can find peace within the expansive landscapes and that is a rare thing in what is usually a high stakes and stressful simulated experience.
For fans of the board game, and indeed more slower, seasoned tactical play, Blood Bowl 2: Legendary Edition offers a unique and inviting gaming experience. It's a statistical conundrum wrapped up in the familiar, which makes learning the rules and expansive options much less daunting. It definitely suffers from dips in pace and rhythm, which at times threatens to suck the life from within. However, the turn-based play is consistently engaging and brutal.
Light on story, heavy on gameplay, and more than enough content to wade through, this is one of the finest RPGs available on the 3DS.
Although Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony borrows heavily from the entries that have come before it, feeling like more of the same, it does a great job of staying engaging throughout the majority of the story, thanks to the appealing characters that the series has always been known for, and due to the murder cases that continue to keep players guessing right through each trial. The ending is going to be a talking point for the foreseeable future, but while it is probably time for an evolution of the franchise, devotees to the previous games will find just as much enjoyment here as before.
Darkestville Castle never hides the source of its inspiration, but it matters not as this is no mere cheap imitation, instead proving to be a love letter to the classics in the point-and-click genre. It easily matches some of the best of yesteryear, whilst retaining a fantastic fresh feeling, bringing along very inventive puzzles, plus a humorous and engaging script, all wrapped up in a gorgeously presented package. Hopefully, this is not the last time Cid Threep…sorry, Cid the Demon gets to go on a zany adventure.
BUTCHER is one of the better 2D shooters for the Nintendo Switch, and, undoubtedly, the goriest, despite its super-tiny pixel art style. The problem is that it hasn't really exploited its potential. As a result, while definitely a title worthy of your time, it means very few will continue playing after completion due to the low replayability.
This is an experience that needs to be discovered and savoured by any PC gamer, but especially any role-playing fan.
It is difficult to not get pulled in by the insane humour and fun, solid, gameplay delivered with Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder. It is both a perfect solo player game to play through once or maybe twice, and a great multiplayer game to pick up with friends on social gatherings. The simple, yet fun nature of it is like a good joke everyone gets and rolls along with, even if they have heard it before.
LEGO Worlds is so close to being a fantastic idea that all the little hang-ups feel way more annoying than they should. The creation mode is fantastic, but extremely touchy controls-wise; and it's gated off by necessitating the player to complete the same missions dozens of times each if they want its best tools. The idea of a digital LEGO sandbox is the stuff that dreams are made of and, honestly, it just hasn't been done justice this time around.
Teased as a prime title for the demographic aimed at in the Nintendo Switch reveal trailer, NBA 2K18 achieves that goal of serviceable console play in the portable space, but with notable compromises. Questionable micro-transaction placement and downloadable requirements aside, NBA 2K18 is the truly authentic basketball experience, and a strong sign of things to come.
Philosophical and bittersweet, yet also uplifting and wonderful, Bad Apple Wars is another fine addition to any Otome fan's library. This title's greatest quality is its storyline. While it is a slow burn, it's also well constructed and thought provoking. The protagonist does a great job of figuring out her place in this strange world, and doing whatever she can to help her friends out. The supporting cast is sometimes quirky, sometimes a bit dangerous, but they are all interesting. Aside from a few nit-picks, the aesthetics are pleasing to both the eyes and ears. All in all, it's a solid effort.
Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns could have been a repetitive and tedious experience, and indeed the first few days playing it seems to deliver exactly that, but this breaks expectations in the long run. It manages to keep a steady flow of new gameplay elements and mechanics to continually keep the action interesting. This is the perfect title to chill out with after a long stressful day, and thanks to its addictive gameplay and huge amount of things to do, it's one to keep returning to again and again.
Fans of the previous two entries, though, will be overjoyed to see their favourite characters again in this well presented point-and-click adventure, and the desire to see how it all ends will keep people going, despite the flaws.
There is not a lot that can be said about N++. It has no actual story and has Spartan inoffensive vector graphics by design. All there is to do is to get as much gold as possible and beat the stage. It is great fun in short bursts, but after a hundred or two, it gets pretty old. The original freeware game is still widely available for those who are curious to get a taste of what to expect, which has all of its stages included in N++.
Aesthetics aside, there really aren't any games like Cuphead being made anymore. This kind of running and shooting platforming action game has nigh vanished from the gaming landscape. The closest modern example that casual observers may be aware of is maybe Metal Slug or the Mega Man games, because nobody has seen Contra since 2007. This used to be a popular genre, with such amazing titles as Turrican, Gunstar Heroes and Dynamite Headdy, which used to tap into a very primal part of our brain that is addicted to adrenaline. Thankfully, Cuphead is not style over substance. Controls are tight and responsive, and retries load up nice and fast, so time is never wasted. This is every great boss battle gaming has seen before and more, thanks to Studio MDHR's dazzling creativity and focus on creating a palpable sensation of accomplishment. There may not be many console exclusives on Xbox One these days, but Cuphead is a real standout, and is a must-own for everyone who loves fast action and crushing challenge. Come for the cool art and animation, but stay for the gameplay.
There's always fun in bopping crooks and knocking their soon-to-be-lifeless bodies every which way, and Deadbeat Heroes is a fine example as to why the concept is so appealing. The isometric perspective and emphasis on combos presents a unique vision. There's also a wide variety of baddies to keep encounters interesting. Local co-operative play is also available, so get a friend for additional fun. However, there will be moments where not everything clicks into place. They are not nearly enough to undermine the game, but they could create a tinge of uncertainty. Still, it's a title worth looking into, especially for fans of the atypical.
Deadbeat Heroes is… a brawler. There's really nothing more to say about it as, despite its effort to stand out with the use of its satirical approach to the Golden Age of comics, gameplay-wise it hasn't even tried to provide something more than some fast punching and dodging. Furthermore, it's currently super-buggy, strongly in need of some patching up to offer the option to change the keyboard/gamepad setting, and fix the poor performance and glitches/crashes.
Tour de France 2017 is a competent and exciting cycling game that may not be the most inviting to newcomers. While players more experienced may enjoy this right out of the gate, for those giving it their first try, expect to put some time in before it starts to be really fun. Most of the modes feel like they don't add very much to the basic Team mode, but what they do add manages to justify their existence. All in all, this is a fun title that fails to be inviting, but manages to be engaging once you're in deep enough.