Cubed3's Reviews
Metal Slug's speed, challenge, and overall fun, as well as the marvellously crafted cartoony visuals that come along with it, have not lost their charm after all these years. Sure, this is not as "complex" as the next in line, but it's still enjoyable and highly recommended for all retro-loving Switch owners.
Has-Been Heroes could be better if it had more depth, far more addictive if it wasn't as repetitive, and, most of all, an unquestionably worthy purchase if the gameplay didn't rely on randomness as much as it currently does so. Long story short: very one-more-try-ish, but also in definite need of some tweaking.
It's natural and rewarding in itself, so the collectibles are merely the icing on the cake. Anyone seeking a different take on the platforming genre would do very well to check this game out.
Bullet Soul is quite the oddity. Rarely has an STG emphasised bullet cancelling so much. On one hand, this unique quality certainly helps the game stand out, but on the other hand, it makes the difficulty feel a little uneven. The player will sometimes feel like they're just waiting for something to happen, but when it does, they might panic and lose their ship. Over time, they'll grasp an understanding of which enemies to focus on and how long it takes to destroy them. Once that groove is established, they can turn their attention towards the deep and rewarding scoring system. All in all, this is a strange yet very enjoyable shooter. Give it a go sometime.
Thimbleweed Park had so much going for it, and still delivers in many ways, with a delightful retro appearance, some really impressive puzzles throughout, and great voice acting. However, it also drags itself down with filler content, extra characters that do not really serve much purpose, a rather average story that tries to be a bit too clever for its own good, forced humour that more often than not misses the mark, and that old verb gameplay mechanic that should have been left in its grave. Give it a go, but head in with realistic expectations rather than expecting the classic some were banking on.
Much like Vermintide's main campaign, Karak Azgaraz sports a fairly thin narrative with a structure focussed on encouraging repeat visits, which makes it perfect for those wanting to farm for new gear courtesy of the recent Quest and Contracts update. Fat Shark has provided a solid excuse for lapsed rat catchers to jump back into the Warhammer universe and release that residual pent-up rodent rage. There's a flagon of Dwarven grog in it for you.
Demetrios: The Big Cynical Adventure disappoints on almost all fronts. It doesn't look or sound good (not even for its über-indie production values), its tiny content is stretched over too many hours, the "puzzles" are either easy, boring, or both, and the core of it all, the toilet humour, just doesn't have what it takes to keep things interesting.
Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits is, at its stronger parts, a fantastic game about being young, curious, and free - a pleasant feeling most either feel or miss from their childhood days. Mixed with this is a huge feeling of impatience, fed by terrible gameplay choices to extend playtime during some of the worst sections of the game, which makes this sometimes feel like it is overstaying its welcome. Overall, it is a good catch 'em all game, but it is rough around the edges.
Telltale doesn't try to do anything out of its element with the return of The Walking Dead - it still plays the same and has that trademark look - but its switch away from Clementine as a main character is a confident and respectable move. It shows trust in the season from the very beginning, and while the game engine could still use some work, the narrative throughout is a fine distraction. Ties That Bind Part I opens the door for what could be one of the best pieces of material in the entire Walking Dead universe, so here's hoping that the remaining episodes can expand on what it already does so well.
With the end of episode two, it marks the finale of not only the second episode, but Ties That Bind as a whole. Really, it didn't feel entirely necessary to split it into separate parts - both felt drastically different and stood perfectly fine on their own. It could mean that the rest of the season is going to take an even bigger turn or shift in tone, however, and given how things leave off, it wouldn't be a surprise. Ultimately, the excellent pacing and satisfying climax here makes it a great follow-up piece that continues this harrowing story.
Waking the Glares: Chapters I and II is a perfect example of how some use the term "indie" to excuse everything. It looks amateurish, it doesn't work as well as it should, its "gameplay" is heavily unpolished, and its story is "symbolic and means stuff," despite it leaving you with a big, irritating question mark above your head, but it's okay, because it's "indie." The truth? It's a bad, bad, bad video game.
The lack of stages isn't as big a deal as it sounds, as there is a lot of challenge to be had when it comes to picking up every collectible and mastering Noodle's snakey abilities. Expect a slow-paced puzzle-platformer, but one with a carefully crafted control scheme with levels that take full advantage of this unique set of skills. It won't appeal to everyone, and there will be a lot of frustration involved, but anyone with a penchant for Rare's old N64 hits would do well to check this out.
Another top quality retro game for Switch, NAM-1975 provides top tier multiplayer blasting action, a large range of customisation that the future Virtual Console would do well to copy, and classic pixel art. A short life span encourages quick bursts of play, but compliments its host hardware perfectly.
At the heart, the best thing about a co-op experience is just being able to sit down with a bunch of people and have fun fighting off a massive horde of monsters, and Warhammer: The End Times -Vermintide scratches that itch beautifully. It's just that going beyond that is a pain. Other than recombining and upgrading gear, here's little reason to play solo, between a relatively unimportant story and the random gear drops. Vermintide shines with friends; it's a bit too dangerous to go alone, so take three!
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was a good fighter, and the updated Ultimate game is, undoubtedly… it's, well, the ultimate version… but other than that, it's not something that adds enough things to justify a purchase, especially if already having owned the console original. Capcom and Marvel fans will surely have fun with this somewhat lazy port. The rest can safely pass it by.
Honestly, the biggest draw for people in Crusader Kings II: Monks & Mystics will be the addition of secret societies and cults. They're a great addition and can certainly be worth it, but the feature can certainly not be worth it to someone uninterested with the features it brings. It will make every-day life more enjoyable and interesting, but it won't be some massive shake-up for those who aren't interested in what the cults and societies have to offer.
You'd think a game set around playing as a snake wouldn't have a leg to stand on, and yet this simple puzzler about a snake on a plane has no ereptile dysfunctions. Sorry, sorry… Snake Pass is a truly enjoyable, addictive and original platforming puzzler gem that really stands out. The only real issue is how short it feels. There are four worlds to complete, with fifteen stages in all, and an unlockable time-trial mode, but even with all that, there is a desire for more.
Overall, Revenant Saga is decent for what it is: a low budget RPG to help pass the time. It's not wholly unremarkable, thanks to its charming cast and solid battle system. The storyline also has a couple of interesting moments. Is that worth the ten or so hours it takes to see the main quest to its conclusion? That depends on if the player has the patience for dealing with stress free and mundane trips through towns and dungeons. All in all, this game is inoffensive, but not terribly compelling.
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ is the most updated console version and features two-player co-op. With both Joy-Con, there is a lot of game here to play with someone friendly. With over 10 endings and a seemingly endless amount of unlockable content/features, expect to get far beyond 100 hours logged in. For its price, The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ pretty much has it all and more thanks to the Switch hardware. For some it may become a grind, and others may never be able to get past Edmund McMillen's wonderful sense of humour. Those who get beyond those quibbles will have one of the most addictive and creative indie games in their pockets and on their TV.
With games like Sakura Nova, it's obvious that Winged Cloud knows where their bread is buttered. Still, it's hard to ignore the lack of a compelling story and interesting characters. Mikage is nothing more than an everyday harem dullard, and his relationship with Arisa and Kaguya progresses far too rapidly. They go from awkward meetings in the changing room to best friends to living together in just a few short days. There's nothing to keep the player engaged, unless, of course, they're sticking around just to see the naughty pictures.