Cubed3's Reviews
This DLC might be a bit meagre in terms of what it adds, but Monster Slayers itself has shown a lot of progress since its release. The DLC at this point offers only a little, especially as the base game needs issues worked out. Monster Slayers is a fun romp, but the DLC feels way too early. Even looking at the messages boards, the DLC has not been well received, as there are still issues, suggesting the original game is not yet complete.
River City Melee Battle Royal SP is not tough, but rather a big stinkin' BARF! Hopefully this misfire has not damaged the Kunio legacy and maybe one day it will get another chance at redemption. The presentation here was top notch and one of the best looking entries in the franchise. It is too bad it got wasted on such a boring and uninvolving brawling game.
Gnog is a basic clicking game with a great universe and some simple puzzles on the side. For a kid, this would be immensely rewarding. For puzzle fans, this won't even begin to feel rewarding. Perhaps with deeper puzzles, Gnog would feel a bit more enticing. Currently, though, it's just a lot of bells and whistles with little reward for the player's precious time.
There's something truly special about Slayaway Camp. What could have been a one-note gag instead manages to be a hilarious, charming, and ingenious puzzle game. Actually stopping to write this review was incredibly difficult; the game is just that addicting. There's something new around each corner, with numerous unlockables and dozens of levels. Plus, new content is still being added, with the developers demonstrating some true passion for the project. It may be one-way only, but a trip to Slayaway Camp should not be missed.
What irks about Flinthook is found in every roguelike; the sudden deaths, the lack of tangible progress and the inability to feel safe within your environment. However, some players will delight in this usual pattern and others whom usually fight against such road blocking will find enough within the walls to come back time and time again, gluttons for such delightful and gloriously designed punishment. Flinthook is a ballet upon spikes, far too risky to participate in, but get it right and the rewards are such a beautiful spectacle.
Despite its issues, which should be addressed in short order, Prey is a stunning gem. Not since the venerable System Shock 2 has there been an immersive simulator that succeeds in everything it sets out to do. Talos-1 is masterful in both its construction and design. Players are given limitless freedom to approach every possible situation, lending the game unparalleled levels of replay value. Also, it's rare to see a purely single-player experience retain its freshness in the face of a lengthy play-time. This is just as compelling in the 30th hour as it is in the first.
While the concept of a LEGO based sandbox is irresistibly charming and promising, LEGO Worlds unfortunately misses all the right marks. From a presentation lens, the LEGO premise is used well, but it never feels in tune with the level design, and the multiplayer, one of the biggest draws, is underutilized and underdeveloped. For a younger audience, the single-player might serve as a decent time killer, as the overall presentation is colourful and inviting, and the initial hour of figuring out what and how to build is exciting, but fans of either LEGO or the sandbox genre will be left wanting so much more than what LEGO Worlds can offer.
If the fun factor was high enough, Dragon Quest Heroes II's simplicity could easily be tolerated… but it isn't. This is one of the most repetitive hack 'n' slashers, it barely touches its Musou influences, and its storyline is way too lengthy and unexciting for what's on offer. Other than the cocktail of all things Dragon Quest it provides, this can safely be passed by for something much better.
Chambara is a very strong local multiplayer title that catches some of the appeal of the late 90's deathmatch experiences, added with some stealthy hide-and-seek elements. While it's fun while it lasts, the fact that at least two players are required to play, mixed with the feeling of being one of those "in between" games that are played for like 10 minutes, makes it difficult for it to last as well as some of the older classics, and makes it hard to build up a great gaming night on its own, but the time it gets in the spotlight will be remembered fondly by those present, and will be revisited again and again.
If this really is the end of BOXBOY!, then it's an excellent high to go out on. Qbby's puzzling adventures in BYE-BYE BOXBOY! make for just as much of an addictive, brain-tickling masterpiece as they did in 2015. The amount of new material in the game is laudable, and it's all employed successfully: this is a finale worth checking out, be it by newcomers or veterans, alike.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is an orchestra for the sense, yet a bully to the mind. While it's a delight to look at and listen to, much of the gameplay feels like it should have been left in the path. Fortunately, clever boss fights that manage to fuse simplicity with depth save this from being an otherwise tiresome affair. If difficulty is a turn-off, though, steer clear. Other than that one could do a lot worse than this little game.
Birthdays the Beginning is highly recommendable as both edutainment and a god game. There are little issues that crop up that are annoying, but all in all, it's a great experience. There's a breadth of life to be created here, as long as you're going for what the game wants.
Voodoo Vince Remastered is what some would call a "working man's 3D platformer." It isn't ground-breaking or breath-taking, but it delivers on all of its promises. Each stage offers something new, but it never detracts from the core elements. The amazing soundtrack can't be praised enough. Above all, this game has aged quite gracefully. Even somebody who has never played it before - such as this reviewer - will find it to be thoroughly impressive.
Forts' multiplayer is enjoyable, as trying to scramble to design the best tower and destroy your friends is every gamer's truest of dreams. The single-player is pretty fun, too, if not for the sometimes stupid, sometimes brilliant AI, and the wonky physics. By all means, buy it for the single-player. Just make sure you have friends, because you're going to need them to truly appreciate this game.
In the end, The Caligula Effect has some cool ideas and a cool battle system that is often weighed down by other areas of the game lacking. There is simply far too much fluff that gets in the way of enjoying the good parts, keeping it from being truly great. Gamers with a high tolerance for grind will find this a really enjoyable game, but JRPG fans looking for a smoother ride will be put off by how often the pace slows to a near-glacial crawl.
The plot is not as epic as some other LucasArts adventure games, but it really doesn't need it. At the end of the day, it's a story about a guy who is on the run and wouldn't give up his wheels... Somewhere there is an heir to a major company, too. Full Throttle Remastered gets the highest compliment an adventure game from 1995 could get: it did not need to be remastered. It is a pretty short game, which wraps itself up at breakneck speeds at the climax, but it is definitely a ride worth taking at least once. Best to play it in the classic mode and take in the atmosphere from a bygone era. Some parts are a bit of a pain, but it is all worth it for the ending.
With a high-throttle ending leading to a satisfying conclusion for Thicker Than Water, The Walking Dead: A New Frontier finally heads back on track when it comes to finishing up the job. While another cliff-hanger, it's one that feels like it'll actually lead somewhere instead of predictability lingering at the forefront. Things are set up beautifully for the finale, and players will see if all the risks going into this season end up being worth it.
The shame of it all rests in that Frontier Days: Founding Pioneers isn't broken. It functions perfectly fine. This means that it was developed in such a way that it was left a bland, emotionless husk of what it was trying to imitate. For a game without microtransactions, it manages to feel like a tremendous cash grab. While it's easy to say any game was made with love in it, this feels like it was terribly misplaced.
For $19.99, The Disney Afternoon Collection is a tad steep, but these games tend to fetch much higher prices individually on a NES cart. Capcom did go through the effort of boss rush and time attack modes to make them somewhat more enticing for people who might just emulate these, so there is some effort here. The real draw of this compilation is the nostalgia they exude to transport the user to a simpler time, or for gamer parents to share something from their childhood with their own children. It is very likely that one day when the license expires, Capcom and Disney will have to remove The Disney Afternoon Collection from PSN and Xbox Live, so anyone with even a passing interest with these games really should consider downloading them. With the exception of TailSpin, the games here have aged pretty well and show why Capcom has been around for so long.
Little Nightmares goes for about $19.99 (digital) and for that much the game is pretty much worth it. Once the game begins, it is easy to be hooked and enthralled all the way to its conclusion. From an artistic and design standpoint, it is one of the most creative looking games around, and pulls off the whole demented doll house look perfectly. On Xbox One it may not be the smoothest running game, but it is still perfectly playable. Not a long or challenging game by any means, but Little Nightmares does manage to make a lasting impression.