Cubed3's Reviews
Lines is an enjoyable, if not an inconsistent, puzzle game. It's a great time killer, but thanks to the random placement of opposing nodes, levels often feel like winning is more luck and less skill. Still, it does have its merits, and is a good way to pass the time.
Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 is a shining example of iteration done right. Instead of just slapping a new story onto the previous season's set of mechanics and calling it a day, it seems to be trying to deliver a far superior experience. It does suffer mildly from "setup tedium" when it comes to getting the plot going, but once it does, it becomes clear that there's a lot more going on here than in the first season. Assuming that the ride stays smooth throughout, this is shaping up to be one hell of a sophomore season for Minecraft: Story Mode.
Shantae: Pirate Queen's Quest is a fine add-on for fans of the series. Although an entirely new adventure would have been preferred, WayForward implemented a number of clever ideas to keep this one interesting. Exploring the levels in any order is a neat design decision, and it's nice to revisit Risky Boots' impressive skillset. This DLC also spares its players the meaningless questing, so they can focus squarely on the journey. Altogether, it's a fine way to spend a couple of hours.
The Escapists 2 is not going to appeal to a large audience, but for those that fit the niche, they will most definitely enjoy this. Simulator fans and anyone that favours heavy puzzle elements in their games will be more than happy with what it has to offer. It can be hard to figure out what needs to be done, or how next to proceed, but it will definitely scratch the itch for puzzle aficionados.
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School is a concept that has a breadth of brilliance to it that it just cannot reach due to budgetary limitations. It looks like a game from the early 2000s that was thrown in an HD up-rezzing machine, and plays like one, too - for better and for worse. The fact that this was actually a remake of a game from that period probably explains why it feels this way. The thing is, Resident Evil HD Remaster was also a port of a remake from the same era, and while it is understandable that they may not have had the budget that Capcom had to expand on this old game, that ultimately is not the case for Frictional Games' Amnesia. Maybe White Day's concept is just too ambitious for the team to fully really realise, and the best that anyone can tell them is a hearty "better luck next time." This K-horror game is only recommended to the most hardcore horror enthusiasts who might be curious to see another culture's take on the genre.
Sonic Mania doesn't just stand shoulder to shoulder with the classics of yesteryear; it surpasses them. The level design is absolutely incredible. Each zone features a wealth of obstacles and secrets, and they're all superbly implemented. Players are given ample opportunity to explore, though there's also incentive in speeding to the end.
F1 2017 feels like the final realisation of several years of work, but it also ushers in another phase for the annual series. In terms of core gameplay, the handling models, the force feedback, and the physics engine have all been drastically improved, resulting in a greater sense of control and a much better chance of interpreting the car when its forces are out of balance. Improving this core gameplay aspect alone, whilst addressing the major bugs of last year (like the dodgy AI), leads to a much more immersive and authentic driving experience. Overall, considering the impressive amount of additional content - especially new short course variations, the introduction of classic cars, the new championship mode, the redesign work on many existing tracks, and the improvements to presentation and cut-scenes - F1 2017 certainly is an impressive package, which hardcore fans will find difficult to resist.
An absurdly good game. The story, the world, the characters, and the distractions all add up to one thing: immersion. This is the type of game to invest tons of time in, and for those new to the franchise, it's all the better because there are so many other Yakuza titles waiting to be played! For returning fans, Yakuza: Kiwami gives the inaugural game new life. It's been long enough removed from the original release to feel special again, and, even better, it is released at a budget price. In fact, it's a shame that only the first title has received this remaster, but with some "big announcements" coming this month, hopefully, the others in the series will see similar rereleases on PlayStation 4. Until then, dig out those PlayStation 2s and 3s and get cracking on the rest of Kiryu's story. There may just be time to catch up before Yakuza 6 - billed the finale of Kiryu's story - arrives next March in the West.
Very few stones have been left unturned to create what is a contender for the best Sonic title ever made. More than just an anniversary celebration, Sonic Mania is full of fresh ideas, balancing its source material and addition of all-new elements to elevate it beyond many other platformers that rely heavily on the same old formulas. It is a great pity that Sonic 4 exists, because no game deserves that name more than Sonic Mania; this is the Sonic 4 you have all been waiting for. The hope now is that it does not prove to be a one-off; a sequel with even more original zones and ideas needs to happen down the line. For now, though, it is a time to appreciate Sonic Mania and the incredible work Christian Whitehead and his fellow developers have done.
Episode 1: The Enigma is not what the first chapter of Batman: The Enemy Within should be. Similar to season one, the gameplay segments are subpar, and the small power that choices have over the course of the storyline ruin the replay value of it all. Sure, the story offers some interesting twists and turns that Bat-fans will definitely enjoy, but the World's Greatest Detective can certainly do better than this.
Vostok Inc. is a commendable effort that just feels like a grind with frustratingly simple gameplay. For fans of either of these genres, it might be just the ticket you need to enjoy both of them. The truth is that these genres complement one another perfectly fine, but there's little to make the experience feel like it's more than just a typical foray into both.
Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth is a tremendously good story bogged down by minor technical issues and some occasionally obnoxious design choices. With two more books, though, this is one fans of historical fiction or adventure games simply cannot pass up. Even with the minor issues, it's one of the best point and click adventures to come out in quite some time.
As an update of the original (which players get for free if they already own Starbase Commander, which is a great bonus), Halcyon 6: Lightspeed Edition adds some cool new systems, but fails to fix the problem of a grind in combat. Adding timers to moves slowed a system that was always very slow even further. Given how prevalent combat is, it is unfortunate this was not more heavily addressed, as the rest of the game shows tremendous improvement. It is simply is not as "lightspeed" as it should be.
NightCry is an incredible experience that's only held back by its extremely poor polish. The controls need a lot of work, especially when trying to escape, and overall, the presentation needed more work in some areas, like the character animations and environment. If willing to look past the cosmetic aspects, though, NightCry is a nightmare that won't be forgotten.
It's going to be an exciting season if The Enigma is anything to go off of. While some of the characters aren't as interesting, the story is going in a really exciting direction. Thanks to the reworked technical side, this is one of the most fluid and enticing Telltale titles to date. Hopefully, the rest of the season measures up as well as this episode has.
Retro to its heart, Cursed Castilla EX incorporates suggestions from medieval paintings, locations and chivalry novels - The Amadis of Gaul above all - on top of a plethora of arcade evergreens, such as Black Tiger, Rygar and Rastan. It's a compendium of arcade perfection, and, as such, it comes exceptionally recommended. Now, if only the good people at Abylight would consider porting over The Curse of Issyos, Hydorah and Gaurodan, too…
Capcom is definitely onto a winner with Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers. Taking a Super Nintendo classic and sprucing it up just a touch retains enough nostalgia-factor so as to appeal to older gamers, yet has enough re-balancing, shiny new paint, and extras to ensure newcomers can enjoy the ride, as well. Hardcore or not, there is something for every level here in The Final Challengers. It may suffer when using Joy-Con, but crack out the Pro Controller and this feels as good as the series did in the past.
This was by far the most enjoyable LEGO adventure so far when originally released back on Wii U, and now it still holds up just as well on other formats, despite some lengthy load times between certain scenes. There is such a wide variety of tasks included in LEGO City Undercover that it challenges Grand Theft Auto, the series it clearly takes inspiration from, bringing the LEGO universe to the masses, delivering a slew of smart missions, so many extras to keep players going outside of the core story, along with the trademark LEGO humour.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a powerful and significant piece of interactive media that, yes, is far from perfect, but successfully puts mental illness at the forefront of the concept, causing its players to come away from the experience contemplating exactly what they have borne witness to, and allows them to better understand the very serious realities that others go through on a daily basis. Ninja Theory earns a great deal of respect for what the team has managed to achieve, but also for respecting those affected by psychosis.
Chicken Wiggle is a charming platformer that blends simplicity with sophistication into a cohesive whole.