Cubed3's Reviews
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.
The Wii version of Rogue Trooper had much better controls, the graphics fit the animations and is still the best way to play out the Quartz Zone Massacre. Rogue Trooper Redux on Switch is an unpolished mess with technical issues and looks horrible docked and in portable mode. The new model's rigs cause extensive clipping and makes character anatomy do all sorts bizarre contortions and twists that are just painful to look at. The limits of old hardware made the developers be creative with their modelling and consider more carefully how they would be rigged. All of that is thrown out the window in favour of technical advancements... not artistic advancements. While it is playable, expect a very sloppy version of what was already a run of the mill third-person shooter.
Garden Tale could have been an enjoyable, if not wholly unremarkable, title, but with its poor writing, its terrible combat, and worst of all, its mostly pointless gimmick, this results in a bad game. Perhaps you'll be able to find a reason to soldier to the end, but in all honesty, it's probably easier to find something else to play. In a genre filled with so many lovely titles, Garden Tale just feels like it's trying too hard and falling every couple of feet.
The sum of these additions helps Everspace to feel more complete, but ultimately only offers more padding. That's okay, though, since this is such an affordable piece of DLC.
The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game is a by the numbers release that feels like it may have been rushed to completion as a side project of Tt while it worked on the upcoming LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 (which can't come soon enough!) and is certainly a little smaller in comparison to its other recent games - with a small story and even the 100% completion clocking in at under 10 hours for most players. That being said, it's still well worth the price tag. The story is funny, the levels well designed and the extra features enough to keep players coming back to get to that 100% without getting burnt out. Best of all, it exhibits some improvements and innovations to the Tt formula that will hopefully be seen in future titles.
Like the original title, Nights of Azure 2 never shines in any particular segment, but remains an okay game on many levels. Some elements, such as combat fluidity, are noticeable improved, whereas changes to the Servan system and repetitive level design hurt. The darker story is interesting, but the heavily sexualized elements play a very strange role of being omnipresent, but never actually delved into. It is a game that is fun to play through, but is not going to be memorable in the future.
Sky Force Anniversary is a good game marred by some ridiculous grinding and unrealistic expectations.
Story and the characters are right there, and there are some adorable yuri moments that will make fans blush, but that is all the quality that there's to be found in Touhou Kobuto V: Burst Battle, as the gameplay is sluggish and too simple for a modern 3D fighter. It is easy to take such gameplay for granted, but Burst Battle shows the danger of doing that. It could have done decent as a shorter visual novel, but sadly the action part cannot be saved by a couple of adorable moments and pretty art.
Overgrowth is a difficult title to recommend. Though there's entertainment value in whooping some cottontails, the included story mode doesn't offer nearly enough content, nor does it excel at showcasing all of the game's capabilities. However, there are plenty of fun mods to play around with. The various battle arenas and parkour stages are pretty decent as well, and there's even a downloadable grenade, because blowing up a crowd of rapier-wielding cats never gets old. In any case, if players are willing to test ideas and experiment, then their time is likely to be well-spent here.
AER: Memories of Old completely fails as a traditional adventure game. The thing is, though, that it never wanted to be one, as it mainly throws its weight in atmosphere and storytelling - in other words, it wants to be a captivatingly emotive journey. Sadly, it fails at that, too.
There are only a handful of reasons to try Kritika Online out: it's fast, it's easy to learn, and it's free. Note, however, that it's also one of the most simplistic, repetitive, and unoriginal online hack 'n' slashers out there.
Alteric fails to tick any of the boxes that make such a platformer fun.
Embodying a modern take on the shoot 'em-up formula, Sine Mora EX sits comfortably alongside the retro offerings of the genre already on Nintendo Switch, and blazes its own path forward with impressive visuals and strong world building lore. Said lore is a little convoluted at times, and the game can be too difficult for its own good, but those seeking a strong challenge will find plenty to enjoy.
Wulverblade is a welcomed addition to an already impressively broad catalogue of titles on Nintendo Switch. It's exactly these types of games that make the Switch so appealing, giving it a varied selection of superb smaller titles on top of the big blockbusters. Challenging, nostalgia-filled, brutal, and fun - it is an arcade classic in a brand new form for all the '80s and '90s gamers out there.
Those who loved Don't Starve will find their new obsession here. The Flame in the Flood is a highly enjoyable rogue-lite survival title that makes a fantastic game to play on the go. Headphones on, volume on full and enjoy the ride with this addictive new release. Get ready to welcome yet another distinct and individual game into the fold, fattening up the Switch's already bulging catalogue.
In bringing the latest Rayman adventure to Switch, Ubisoft has given the machine easily one of its most visually stunning and enjoyable releases to date. Not quite living up to the moniker of Definitive Edition with increased loading times and performance hiccups, as well as a missing feature, Rayman Legends is still well worth the lower asking price to those yet to jump into Rayman's world, yet outside of the portability aspect it offers little to entice series veterans.