Cubed3's Reviews
Oh...Sir!! The Insult Simulator is a great little party game that also manages to hold the attention of players who may be by themselves. Unfortunately, as one of the game's trophies puts it very plainly, there's not enough to justify playing the game for extended periods of time. This is definitely best enjoyed in short bursts, otherwise it runs stale alarmingly quick.
Like Bayonetta before it, Vanquish for the PC is, hands down, the best version yet, and maybe even better than Bayonetta in that regard, as the keyboard and mouse control support fits like a glove. As for its gameplay, it's definitely a title that will offer lots of fun to third-person shooter aficionados, as long as its short length and lack of replayability isn't much of an issue.
NEKOPARA Vol.3 is a perfect example of what's wrong with the modern anime and visual novel industry. Instead of offering fanservice as an extra bonus, it uses it as the main dish, and, as a result, will only appease those who are here just for that. Of course, like all fetish objects, reviews and scores don't really matter, so the rule is simply this: In love with nekos? Pay up and have fun. The rest of you can just forget it even exists.
A player would have to really love something rather ambiguous about BitMaster to actually persevere to its centre. It's nice that some sense of depth can be perceived in that regard, but the game could do a lot more in terms of incentivising this pursuit, since many of these additions seem arbitrary rather than purposeful. Instead it seems like the kind of title that will be consumed rather quickly, then put down just as quickly - and permanently.
Dynasty Feud has everything it needs to be one of the most original takes on the arena fighter genre yet, which makes it all the more disappointing when it somehow manages to drop the ball in nearly every regard. The roster is whimsical and each team of five is fleshed out with their own quirks, but the combat itself feels wholly unbalanced. A slight delay to characters' actions and a lack of fluid mobility makes battles stiff and unnatural, combined with too many stage hazards to count. Deciding exactly where the next combatant in the roster spawns after a death is simply too easy to take advantage of and too difficult to counter. There's a fantastic game hiding inside of Dynasty Feud, but it's going to take a lot of digging before it fully comes out.
If it weren't for some technical inconsistencies, such as the frame rate and the overly braindead platforming, Rime could be a perfect adventure game. There is so much love and care poured into it that can be seen and heard just by playing it, which makes it an extremely cathartic experience. It is not often that there is a video game that can result in such a positive emotional response and succeed as a legitimate fun video game, and for that, Tequila Works must be commended. Rime is every bit as good as the games that it was inspired by, and in some cases, it supersedes them.
Super Dungeon Bros functions, but gives way to repetitive dungeon layouts, poor enemy balancing, and less than interesting gameplay. Even with friends, it feels a bit watered down, like it wanted to meet the basic requirements of a dungeon crawler without upsetting any fans with risks. It's just too plain to be forgiven. In other words, sorry, bro, but this dungeon is a bit weak.
This is a slick package with excellent production values. The levels are enjoyable and highly replayable. It is unlikely that In Extremis will win over gamers who don't play this type of game, but fans are urged to give this one a try, which proves an excellent palette cleanser to those who have perhaps become a bit jaded with the genre.
Embers of Mirrim came out of nowhere to be one of the best platformers in any console generation. It will give the player the sense they can do things they never thought possible, and the feeling of self-satisfaction upon beating that boss, finally crossing that tricky section, or reaching a new area is so profound here, it's stunning. Even if you aren't a fan of platformers, this one is a must-try.
The Fledgling Warriors Pack, however, while not bad in any way, is perhaps a bit harder to recommend than the next one, but it is, of course, too early to say before said other pack is made available to the public. For players who wish for the easiest time to grind for items, money and experience very early on, then this is a good option, albeit a pricey one.
This verdict is highly caveated. Short of the balance issues, and, of course, these massive game-breaking bugs, Endless Space 2 is actually really great. It hits many right notes of the 4X genre. It is fun and hours slip away. However, seeing games that are clearly not ready to be released getting shipped off, only to have massive fan complaints and hotfix after hotfix is a very bad trend in the industry. It is hard to recommend a game, no matter how fun it may be, when it can't be finished.
There's nothing truly bad about Bokida: Heartfelt Reunion, and it certainly has its looks going for it. Unfortunately, when it comes to design, gameplay, and story, everything either feels underdeveloped or inferior to similar titles. For a couple of hours of peaceful exploration, it may be worth looking into, but after putting it down, it's unlikely that you'll ever have a heartfelt reunion with it.
In most senses, then, Everspace is quite an audio-visual treat, as well just as an excellent arcade 3D space shooter. While it's not perfect, suffering from a lack of design variance in some ways, it should be admired for committing to a fragmented sector structure, which does ensure every play session is fluid and action-packed.
The only thing that makes Summer Lesson worthwhile is that first-time playthrough. The gorgeous setting and the fact that Hikari herself is just so cute and likeable is what holds this illusion together - definitely not the gameplay… if it can even be called that. This a game that is not recommended for importing, even despite the fact all menus are in English and all dialogue is subtitled, unless there is an interest in VR experiences, not games or life-sims. As a VR experience, it is okay; it does a fine job of creating the illusion of playing a life-sim, even if that illusion only lasts for an hour.
To put it bluntly, there's never been a better time to jump into this fantastic fighting game. Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 is the total package. The new story content is nice, but the changes and additions to the roster really bring everything together. All of the characters are deep, complex, and rewarding to learn. The competition tends to be fierce, if not entirely on another level, but there's never any reason to feel put off. This title provides all of the necessary resources to help newcomers make meaningful progress. In short, you don't want to miss out on one of the best fighting games of the year.
Ditching the series' ensemble cast in favour of a more personal family drama is one of the best decisions Koei Tecmo has made, and the key feature that elevates Spirit of Sanada to more than just a new entry in the Warriors franchise. The roster is still massive and everyone is playable during free mode, but the story locks down characters by the mission, personalizing the Sanada family over the course of roughly fifty years of Sengoku period history. Multi-stage battles emphasize just how war-torn the Sengoku era was, while offering a breath a fresh air to the traditional series stage format. The combat is as refined as ever and the focus on Masayuki and Yukimura makes for an incredibly intimate story. Spirit of Sanada is, plain and simple, one of best precedents Koei Tecmo has set.
Besides Some technical limitations, Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition offers the same experience as other modern home console versions do, with the added benefit of being both playable anywhere, anytime. This is the key deciding factor that should determine whether one should pick this version or not over others, as this lets you play and build the same world, both at home and on the go, without any major compromises. The Wii U offered that comfort already with off-TV mode whenever someone else would want to use the TV for something else, but the Switch does way with the limitations of being away from the system hooked to the TV since the system here is completely portable, and this the best version possible outside of the realm of PC.
As ecchi visual novels go, LoveKami: Divinity Stage doesn't really do anything that could help it stand out. It is good looking, but also unremarkable; it's light-heartedly sexy and titillating, but doesn't really cater to any particular fetish; and although well-written, it won't really win any awards. In other words: enter only if a big fan of the genre… or if the price drops.
While it's nice to see how far Suda 51 has come, only diehard adventure and Suda 51 fans will be able to appreciate this. The Silver Case hasn't aged well, and feels both clunky and underwhelming. This feels like a first attempt, and compared to many others, it's a novel one. Still, it's hard to appreciate the beauty of a mirror under all the dust, and The Silver Case is definitely a dusty one.
Has-Been Heroes delivers an excellent challenge for the player and provides the perfect blend of tension and enjoyment. The combat mechanic definitely manages to be both welcoming for newer players, while still providing scope for tactical and strategic decisions through the use of spells, combined with good lane placement. There is not a lot of focus given to creating an epic memorable quest, and sometimes luck plays too big a part in victory - but this is a minor quibble when the main entertainment comes from the gameplay, which is challenging, but rewarding, both in personal rewards and tangible unlockable rewards. For a fairly modest price there is an abundance of content on offer, and with the potential for portable play it is unsurprising a Nintendo Switch port was developed alongside the Steam release.