Cubed3's Reviews
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is not only a fully functional party game, but one of the best anyone could pick up. Its rules are very confusing at first, and since new modules get introduced fairly frequently, it can be a bit daunting to try and keep up. Don't be deterred, though, because this is a tense, exciting party title that should never be overlooked, and has plenty of content to fall in love with.
With something for everyone, The Voice is the must-buy karaoke game on Xbox One. The karaoke is well programmed and the gamification of it using points, among other incentives, will keep players coming back time and time again. The full asking price may strike non-music fans as a bit steep, yet for those who relish the genre, there is no question that it's worth it. It's a fleshed-out package that provides for multiple generations of music fans with a solid and recommendable experience.
MagicalxSpiral is a short game that still manages to be very monotonous. The level of difficulty never reaches a point that can be considered "sufficient." The presentation is decent enough, thanks in part to every character being nicely drawn and voiced. Still, that provides little incentive to see the story all the way to its conclusion. If this platformer was more polished and challenging, it might have been a weekend well spent.
Unbearable technical problems, awful gameplay direction, complete lack of challenge, besides many others flaws, are more than enough to overcome the momentary good platforming sections that Spheroids can offer, leaving nothing but a frown expression on the players who tolerate the game until its boring end.
The Rogue One edition of Zen Pinball 2 may not contain multiple tables, but the one that it does contain is a fun little excursion into an alternate Star Wars table. The open table leaves little room for forced errors, allowing for easy point multipliers and mission completion. Falling on the spectrum of one of the easier tables, this is a great way for newcomers to the pinball series to begin, while fans of Star Wars will find plenty of missions and mini-games here to let them relive the key moments from the Rogue One film. This great addition continues the trend of excellent tables that the developer has been creating.
Samurai Sword VR's arcade-style katana swinging and shuriken/kunai throwing is a bit too clumsy and chaotic, requiring less skill and more frantic flailing to succeed. Sure, this can be fun, but ultimately only for a short time. There's simply not enough variety, or accuracy to the hit detection, to make this a title that demands replayability, despite the pull of online leaderboards and the otherwise highly accessible VR, on-rails action.
Puzzle Puppers has some issues, but it isn't a bad game by any means. It's just not a particularly good one. Instead, it sits in the middle, seeming like a lot of game design choices that feel safe stacked on top of each other. It's hard to say what could make it stand out, because it's enjoyable for what it is. What it is, unfortunately, is a game that falters for one of the most bizarre reasons out there: it's just too safe.
Admittedly, the multiplayer aspect of Infinite Warfare is actually starting to grow a bit more appealing after a fairly shaky start, thanks to a combination of Infinity Ward's continuous behind-the-scenes tweaking and interesting playlist variations. It can still be one of the most infuriating online experiences out there, and Sabotage does little to alleviate those particular frustrations, but when all's said and done, this is a strong opening statement of intent, showcasing four solid maps and one of the more enjoyable zombie episodes in recent times. Rave on!
140 is a charming, difficult, and incredibly short experience that manages to be both sadistic and inviting the entire time it's on. While it may not last too long, it's still a game any platformer or music fan should invest their time into. While a true platforming juggernaut could finish everything in the game in a few hours, it's the only experience like it, and it's one of the best rhythm platformers ever made.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 - Road to Boruto is a must-buy for fans of Naruto and the Ultimate Ninja Storm series, but it ultimately brings nothing new to the table. It's well worth the cost of the DLC, and those who have yet to pick up Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 now have a further reason to do so with the complete edition. That being said, with the recent serialisation of the Boruto manga and an incoming anime, it would have been preferable to see an "Ultimate Boruto Storm," not to mention it would have been nice to see more playable characters from the Boruto series and perhaps a covering of "The Scarlet Spring" or "Naruto the Last" added to this, too.
Legna Tactica's biggest flaw is that it simply cannot compare to the 3DS' already strong strategy library. The combat lacks the depth of Fire Emblem, the story doesn't hold a candle to Devil Survivor, and the price is much higher than either Mercenaries Saga title, despite being similarly generic. The actual campaign is tedious and the maps are reminiscent of Final Fantasy Tactics in the worst ways possible. There's no thought behind any mechanic, leading to a distinct lack of identity, where every possible positive quality can be attributed to a far better game. Legna Tactica may work on a technical level, but that's hardly a reason to justify a full playthrough, let alone a purchase.
The Legend of Kusakari is flawed from the outset. While the idea of a grass-cutting simulator makes for a funny one-liner, it's near impossible to create an engaging experience from such a simplistic concept, and it quickly falls into the trap of mundanity. It may ooze charm, and the love poured into it is apparent, but it's much more difficult to enjoy in practice than in theory.
Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is an addictive throwback to the original classic; however, there is a lot of new game mechanics that work well to modernise the formula, without taking away any of the nostalgia. Those looking for a new Pac-Man game will find plenty to love here, including the pellet eating and the ghost trains, combined with the fruits meter, the bomb jump, the jump pads and the ability to bump into the ghosts. Each stage features a sequence of mazes in Adventure mode, while Score Attack tests even the toughest of Pac-Man players who are looking at posting up some high scores. This is a fun adventure that can be enjoyed by fans of the old, as well as younger fans being introduced to the franchise for the first time.
Every now and again, it's nice to have the option to play something that doesn't crave a great deal of emotional investment and can be enjoyed with the barest minimum of cerebral input. Killing Floor 2 confidently ticks both boxes and thrusts itself forward as the perfect vehicle for the mindless slaughter of the digitally infected and does so in a true gore-heavy fashion. There's maybe a slight concern about its longevity when taking its repetitive, shallow(ish) gameplay and lack of modes/bosses into consideration, although regular free DLC updates should be more than enough to guarantee frequent returns for Zed duty when the mood suits.
Unlucky Mage is a game that people looking for a specific itch will find attractive. There is nothing here that is going to grab players who aren't already into the JRPG genre, but those that don't mind the bad graphics and simple battle system will like the throwback. The writing is much more mature than what the visuals may imply, and the story is the main draw of the game. Going in with moderate expectations, the game will surprisingly deliver them.
Geki Yaba Runner Deluxe, despite being ostensibly low-budget, is intrinsically a lot of fun, offering addictive, simplistic gameplay for a relatively cheap price. However, its failure to innovate and the inexplicable price hike it gained in its cross-platform move mean that it struggles to find its own place in the market, especially when compared to other genre entries, and it certainly doesn't mark itself as a highlight of the console's library.
Mixing the best adventure elements of Myst with modern day Hidden Object puzzles, an intriguing story, and lovely presentation throughout, The Frostrune is an absolute pleasure to play through from start to finish. Whilst it may not play exactly like traditional point-and-click titles, relying more on outside-the-box thinking, it takes the core concept and mixes it up to keep things fresh. The attention to detail is apparent in this labour of love and it deserves to be truly appreciated.
Tears Revolude is a formulaic adventure that accounts for the necessities, but doesn't have any style. The cast was designed by a focus group, the plot is straight out of the early 90s, and the dialogue is amusingly simple. Again, it's actually rather charming, but perhaps this is just the easily-ignorable ramblings of an old man. However, it's impossible to defend the grating music and poor graphics. Good visuals aren't quite necessary when it comes to RPGs, but the audio side can't be ignored. On the whole, this is an adventure that probably isn't worth the effort, even though it is quite short.
Ultimately, Dragon Age: Inquisition suffers from a very simple problem. It has enough things like graphical prowess and decent combat and the like to be passable. If the Dragon Age name hadn't been attached to this project it seems doubtful it would have been green-lit. Those looking for a better resolution to the story won't find it in here, and, ultimately, it feels like little more than a polished cash-in than an attempt to build or expand.
Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is packed to the brim with content. It goes beyond a simple port by incorporating intuitive gameplay tweaks, from Poochy's helpers to customisable yarn patterns. It's a charming, well designed platformer that draws plenty of influence from Yoshi's golden years, but expands on them with cleverly executed mechanics. There are times where there may be a tendency to lean, just a bit, towards more gimmicky concepts, but these are maintained in such a way that it fits within the adventure in a natural way. Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is the definitive release, and a solid return to form for a dinosaur who was on the brink of becoming extinct on handhelds - again. A must-have for any 3DS owner who enjoys and appreciates the classic side-scroller.