Cubed3's Reviews
Frozenheim doesn't do enough to stand out; furthermore, it suffers from some severe problems. The camera controls, unit controls, and just its overall feel makes it seem far more like an alpha build than something ready for release. While there are some small interesting things like finding free resources on the map, the game is not one to recommend.
An experimental experience that feels like it tries too hard with its surrealism and strangeness, to the point it actually negatively affects what it was trying to do. There are some wonderful experiences in both the 2D and 3D worlds, and there's something of a coherent story lurking in the forced quirkiness, but the pacing, combined with the nonsensical aspects hold this back from being something a little more.
Elden Ring is an experience that will not be forgotten in a hurry. It's a tremendous, hulking, massive achievement but because it is tremendous, hulking and massive, it is one that comes with many caveats. The shelves in CeX and conversations with people who stopped playing at Stormveil castle can certainly attest to some of those caveats. Much like any FromSoftware title, it's not going to be for everybody, but paradoxically it is one of their hardest and one of their most accessible to date. It offers huge value in one package, and perhaps is a little too much value, only becoming clearer when nearing the endgame. Don't be mistaken by the criticism, though. This is a phenomenal achievement with a moment-to-moment that is incredibly engaging and immersive. No doubt it will be deserving of the end-of-year accolades it will inevitably receive. One pushes through Elden Ring as one pushes through life, with all the highs and the lows that it brings.
The bittersweet themes of Voice of Cards: The Forsaken Maiden, with brilliantly worked plot twists, a flawless battle system, and a captivating story all make it a near-perfect game. Perhaps the only downside is that it is not an overly long one, but the hope is there will be more instalments to what is proving to be a thrilling RPG series.
The definition of mediocre, Armored Lab Force VULVEHICLES is fun… but for only a bunch of minutes - which is actually the amount it takes for 10 or so levels to be completed. The saving grace of the game is the variety in the flying tanks called Velvuhicles, but even them (or the anime cuties that drive them) aren't enough to turn this into a big recommendation.
Even before discovering the option to play the game in English, Touhou Hyouibana ～ Antinomy of Common Flowers was one of the most interesting versus fighting games that has been played for a while. Not being familiar with the Touhou cast (and not discovering the language options) certainly hampered the overall enjoyment for the game, but the mechanics are so solid that those aspects can be for the most part ignored. It is a great fighting game and one all fans of the genre should try out in order to experience something fresh and exciting.
While Dusk Diver 2 mostly feels geared towards existing fans of the series, those looking to step into this franchise for the first time will still find it rewarding - provided they are down with the beat-em-up combat and anime tropes. The story is more compelling and the gameplay improvements are most welcome, resulting in an across-the-board upgrade to a well-liked hidden gem. The great thing about Dusk Diver 2 is that if it looks like your kind of game, then it probably is. Just bear in mind that the Switch version has some technical issues, at least of this writing.
So. Pretty Girls Four Kings Solitaire. Another casual game with sexy anime women serving as the extra tasty appetiser. The good? It is fun, works like a charm, and the cutties are well endowed. The bad? Unless here for the leaderboards, this won't last for long. But the cutties are still well endowed…
The acrobatic shoot-fest known as Severed Steel is, without any exaggeration, tons of fun. Sadly, while it could be one of the genre's classics, it is barebones in terms of content. There simply aren't many things to do here, and there's almost no incentive to go back to it. It needs a better campaign, more varied weaponry, enemies, as well as some extra stuff, be it power-ups, or alternative game modes. Or at least a better price-tag…
HyperBrawl Tournament plays like a big-studio freemium title, but without any of the big studio polish… and it isn't free. It might work well enough within its own context, but the player base is non-existent, plus the AI is too frustrating to make bot matches fun. There seems to be plenty of content to unlock through ranking up, but frustrating matches offer little incentive to do it. If the developer can build up a player base, this might offer a bit of fun, but as-is there's just not much to keep people coming back to this Switch version.
The open-world aspect of Biomutant did more harm than good, with the gargantuan, post-apocalyptic realm this heroic, mutated rodent will explore being mostly an empty one, and with the rest of the experience being repetitive and unpolished. More of a disappointment rather than a bad game, try it out only if willing to spend around many fun, but not that fun hours.
All told, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is more of the same core experience, complete with the best gameplay the series has ever seen. While it cuts out one of the base game's unique modes and features, follower quests are a fantastic addition for offline play. The story could use some better pacing, but the mission structure continues to be spread out very well with new and returning monsters becoming available at a relatively decent pace - aside from the post-game grind to the final monster. Regardless, Sunbreak is an astounding expansion and a must-have for any hunter for both Offline and Online play.
JRPGs do not get better than this. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is Nintendo's finest to date and a must-play for fans of the genre. The moving story, delightful characters and deep, thrilling gameplay loop set this apart as a title that transcends the sum of its parts. There's so much to see and do and such a powerful story to be told, and it's all perfectly pieced together to result in a title that impresses on every level.
This homage to classic survival horror manages to become boring long before the three hours that are required to reach the end. SENSEs: Midnight is a painfully slow, generic adventure game, that's a step back from Sense: A Cyberpunk Ghost Story, which played better, looked better, and had a far stronger and creepier atmosphere. Oh, and be aware of the bugs - the bite more than supernatural apparitions.
As a brand-new mainline entry that follows the previous iteration after over five years, The King of Fighters XV feels a little "by the numbers" in a similar way to how Dead or Alive 6 didn't push on from DOA5. Everything is too familiar, too safe, and lacking those key elements that truly give the impression of the next proper game in the series. The 3D character models still look a bit out of place, the story mode is awful, and there isn't enough done to ease newcomers in. Solid online modes and a large roster, with the addition of cross-play to look forward to, mean there is plenty to like for series fans, though.
A conflicting compilation of Sonic games that does plenty right in remastering some of the blue hedgehog's classic Mega Drive hits, but lets everyone down with unnecessary money-grabbing DLC, while not offering anywhere near the amount of content that really should be here in terms of the Sonic series' vast history. Still with bugs to fix, time will tell if Sonic Origins becomes a respectable overall package, but it will suffice for the more casual fan after a bigger price drop.
Short, sweet, and essentially a Sega Mega Drive shoot 'em up developed for modern audiences, Sky Racket is a fantastic throwback to 16-bit gaming. Emphasising mechanical mastery and pattern memorisation, the core design is philosophically in-line with the era it's throwing back to - a sight for sore eyes, considering so many indies never take their inspiration beyond the surface level. The main campaign admittedly could have benefited from more stages, but optional challenges and multiplayer do add replay value. With a title as strong as Sky Racket opening its gameography, Double Dash Studios has a bright future ahead of it.
Perhaps not as strong of a track selection as Wave 1, Wave 2 of the Booster Course Pass is still very good, headlined by a completely brand-new track in Sky High Sundae and complemented well by Sydney Sprint and New York Minute. It is a bit of a wonder why the retro tracks haven't been given the anti-gravity love, especially as the retro tracks in the base game have it. Waluigi Pinball and Mushroom Gorge are all certainly fan favourites, but it is a shame that they weren't given a bit of reimagining in the same vein that Kalimari Desert received. Nonetheless, Mario Kart fans are grateful that new tracks are coming out for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and it is doubtful that many will have a bad thing to say about getting these courses added in.
A very good bundle of some very good games, Shadowrun Trilogy packages together some of the best cyberpunk-meets-fantasy stories. While far from what can be considered classics, all three of the titles on offer are lots of fun nonetheless, as long as one can stomach the somewhat simplistic combat, and the tiny text that almost renders the Switch's portability useless.
While perhaps not deserving of the "Definitive Edition" moniker, the long overdue Steam edition of Warriors Orochi 3 has got everything a franchise fan needs. Characters, missions, modes, weapons, levels, costumes, crossovers, meaty story - it's all here, minus online play and a few pieces of minor DLC. Ignore its aged looks and this is some of the best hacking and slashing in the franchise, the likes of which only the licensed Legend of Zelda entries come close to.