Cubed3's Reviews
Revenant Saga is a good game, but that's about it. It makes such minor changes to the standard turn-based combat that they feel inconsequential. For diehard RPG fans, or even people looking for a game to satiate their love of the genre, this will do the trick just fine. However, they shouldn't expect to see too much they haven't already seen before.
As a game, this is, for the most part, your standard '90s LucasArts adventure: humour, great visuals, wacky solutions to puzzles, and all. It was never a golden classic, but it certainly deserves its place in history, albeit only for the most devoted of genre fans, since it is way too short and easy. As for the remaster at hand, it retains Double Fine's love for its past creations. Long story short: check it out.
Oozing charm, Slime-san manages to capture that retro platformer feel while simultaneously adding its own touches to the genre. The high speed, low risk design allows for Super Meat Boy levels of difficulty, where death is frequent, but seldom frustrating, and the countdown for when the worm's stomach acid will begin to rise adds a level of tension few platformers ever have. With an incredible soundtrack, stellar art design, and plenty of unlockables to wade through, Slime-san is easily one of the strongest platformers to come out this generation.
While Infinite Warfare probably has more than its fair share of detractors, it can't be denied that Infinity Ward has done a bang-up job with the DLC content to date, as well as fixing the majority of the issues that plagued it initially. Anybody still invested in the multiplayer component would be foolish to pass up on Continuum, as it provides an additional four maps to stalk, shoot and explode on, as well as yet another classic 'straight to VHS' Zombie extravaganza stacked with enough funk in its rotting trunk to keep the dead party bumping.
Virtual Rides 3 doesn't do anything majorly wrong, and it strikes the right tone in creating a realistic portrayal of a theme park or fairground. The issue is that sometimes a mere tone isn't enough and there has to be another few layers on top. The VR experience is on point generally, but the optimisation could use work, and there are a good few rough edges visually that could do with extra care. Additionally, there is not a great deal of content, with only the barebones existing; admittedly, though, genre enthusiasts possibly are not too concerned and appreciate the detail in ride operation. Ultimately, this is a perfectly reasonable budget title at a modest price, but doesn't reach beyond that.
As with the DLC before it, Mass Transit brings very little new to the table, feeling less like an expansion and more like a minor content injection. It's a little worse here than before, as this one doesn't even bring the heavy visual overhaul that After Dark or Snowfall had. Still, the buildings and scenarios present are well-made, welcome additions to a game already rich in content and endlessly fun to play, making Mass Transit another solid addition to the already fantastic Cities: Skylines—but one fans will likely find themselves waiting for a sale to pick up.
Seasons After Fall is a beautifully crafted adventure title that changes the gameplay mechanics of a traditional platformer with the use of the four seasons. The story is simple, although the ambiguity of it all works in its favour, as the mysteries slowly come to light. While a few flaws creep into the latter part of the adventure, and there is some repetitive exploration, this is a great title for fans of the puzzle-platforming genre looking for another way to pass a few hours.
Disgaea 5 Complete is a natural fit for the Switch, as the features that make it more accessible than older titles in the series are highlighted through the portability of the platform. While already an excellent SRPG in its own right, the DLC added into the core game both provides a definitive experience for series veterans, while also offering several slight handicaps to newer players. Disgaea 5 Complete's strategic depth and genre-savvy charms feel perfect at home or on the go, making it an excellent addition to any growing Switch library.
A lot of games have great concepts, which are then thoroughly wasted due to bad gameplay or other issues. The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile isn't one of them. This title delivers on the cyborgs, zombies, and decapitations - that much is true. More importantly, it is superbly designed and programmed. It flicks all of those "hell yeah" switches in the gamer's brain. Before long, they're completely enthralled by the bloody spectacle. Altogether, this is a worthy pickup for slash 'em up fans.
Unlike Deck13's predecessor, The Surge has personality of its own and introduces lots of new tricks, even if a couple of them are pointless. At its worst, the environments are samey, and the lack of variety of enemies are real noticeable flaws in what could have been a cult classic. The shockingly few boss fights are also a disappointment; since robots and cyborgs are so limitless in possibility for design, it is almost heart-breaking that The Surge is so restrained with what it does have. In spite of its shortcomings, this does come recommended from a user who has been intimate with these kinds of games since Demon's Souls. It gets a lot of things right, and does stand out, thanks to its atmosphere, lack of hand holding and, of course, the brutal action.
This is decidedly a very classic feeling Fire Emblem, with enough freshness to captivate even veterans of the franchise and comes with a welcome accessibility that makes it the easiest for newcomers to get into. This entry goes to show that there's room within the franchise to make different looking Fire Emblem entries that still feel true to the series but which also dare to not only tread new ground, but to do so in a great way. It's a well rounded package that is well balanced to please the majority of its audience, like the entire trilogy of Fire Emblem Fates before it, but while keeping it all confined to just one game with the complete epic story being accessible just from buying this one piece of software instead of it being spread out, and that's something to be thankful for. Overall, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, while feeling like an older entry, might very well be moving the series forward in certain aspects that could potentially return in future outings.
Akiba's Beat really only works every so often, but fans of the genre will likely appreciate it on some level. While the dialogue is difficult to get engrossed in, and the combat feels unresponsive at times, there's still a cult classic buried in this little title. Not every game can be perfect, and that definitely applies to Akiba's Beat. Still, it's clear it will be perfect for many people out there, and that's what matters.
Pinstripe is genuinely creepy, and takes some chances other games simply won't in terms of its story. Unfortunately, there are minor issues riddling this bizarre take on Hell that anyone venturing in should definitely know about. Definitely pick it up, but remember, you're venturing into Hell. Things are going to be rough, even if they weren't always supposed to be.
Charlie Murder is altogether a very solid beat 'em up. Brawlers with RPG elements very rarely hit the mark, but this one is quite enjoyable. It doesn't sacrifice the essential mechanics that make cracking skulls so satisfying. There's an understated layer of depth that skilful gamers can really appreciate. Admittedly, the punk aesthetic is lost on a prog-rock geek like this reviewer. Still, it's charming all the same. All in all, this is a title that's well worth looking into.
Quiet, Please is a cute, smaller game, that nails the humorous aspects of point and click titles. However, the controls can be a bit too wonky, making actually playing the game harder than it needs to be. For fans of bite sized games, this one is definitely still worth a look.
Candy, Please! might have a lacklustre main mission, but as a whole feels much more guided than its predecessor. While its main objectives tend to feel hopeless at times, it's still nice to explore them. This is clearly the most well rounded part of this series, and it holds up remarkably well for how little there actually is.
Dragon Sinker might be one of KEMCO's best titles to date. With some 50 games already in their catalogue, Dragon Sinker stands out because it doesn't just settle for being like its influences. It finds incredibly clever ways to enhance the experience it has, and while much of what the player is doing is the same old song and dance, those little off beats more than make up for it.
Short, easy, and not as good as it could be, but also engrossing, beautiful, and fun, this creepy, narrative-driven puzzle-platformer known as Little Nightmares might not be perfect, but it's also one of those titles that could very well be so with a little more care.
Syberia 3 had great promise, and still does have plenty to offer - if a lot of the flaws and bugs can be tweaked post-launch by the developer, that is. However, in its current state, the only mildly intriguing story, surprisingly weak puzzles, and the shockingly poor controls, plus the numerous bugs and glitches encountered, make it very difficult for even the biggest Syberia fans to persevere through this third Kate Walker adventure.
Creative and colourful are two words that perfectly sums up both the spirit and gameplay of de Blob. It is refreshing to enter a more open 3D platformer in which there are several ways to proceed through, rather than going on a preset route, or fail doing so. The challenges are neatly balanced with the rewards, and the way it is possible to instantly retry something without any requirements to do so means that even the more difficult challenges feels fair and rewarding rather than punishing. If looking for a game that plays with you rather than against you, this is a warm recommendation.