Cubed3's Reviews
If one thing is certain, it's that the F-Zero brand would be in good hands should Nintendo ever choose to take this fruitful relationship with Shin'en Multimedia to a new level and entrust the property to them. Since there hasn't been a new title from Nintendo in so long, it seems like a logical thing to do. In the meantime, Fast RMX is an excellent arcade racer that will satisfy anyone's craving for speed and intensity, as well as gorgeous graphics that really show off the Switch's capability. As a full priced game, it would still stand out, but as a £17.99 download on the eShop, this really is a no- brainer for any fans of arcade racing. One of the best launch day games available.
Nintendo has outdone itself with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - absolutely sublime work.
Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is a guilty pleasure that is best digested in small doses. It's really entertaining to savagely murder dozens of enemies with such a large weapon in a single swing, but with such simplistic combat and generally unaggressive enemy forces, the novelty wears thin after a while. On one hand, it can be a great entry point for those who have been curious about the original manga and anime, but at the same time, this is also a fairly dumbed down telling of these stories and characters. Long-time berserk fans will be excited to hear that the story does go further than the "Golden Age" arc (an overly represented arc) and actually has extensive story that goes into the "Falcon of the Millennium Empire" arcs. Any Musou fan already knows if they are interested in Berserk and the Band of the Hawk, but this is not the grand Berserk game Guts deserved.
Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers is a different kind of spinoff than usual, and a good one at that, with a well-designed strategy system that's very easy to pick up that provides enough tactical depth to be compelling. However, the countless battles can't help but feel repetitive, and it's still a very similar narrative experience to what can be found in other Dynasty Warrior titles.
Torment: Tides of Numenera is a particularly difficult game to review objectively, as its enjoyability depends largely on the player's tastes and lifestyle. Those willing to spend a large amount of time surrounding themselves with complex lore will find this to be an enjoyable throwback to a genre that's struggling to find a place in the video game era - however, the majority undeniably won't be able to look past the 90s visuals, wordy script, and chugging performance; this certainly isn't the game for them.
Ghost Blade HD isn't going to astound its players with exhausting layers of depth, or challenge them in ways never thought possible. Still, it features a strong grasp of the basic necessities that make for a fun and exciting game. The constant loop of dodging bullets, destroying enemies, and collecting their precious stars is solidly executed. The level of difficulty is balanced well, and learning the intricacies of the scoring system will make each playthrough all the more enjoyable. All in all, this STG is a fine way to spend a weekend or three.
The only reason for the existence of Super Blackjack Battle II Turbo Edition: The Card Warriors, is that it's a spoof of Street Fighter II… Or at least that's what it thinks it is, because, in reality, it's just simple, ordinary, no extra bells and whistles, no bonus nonsense, no reinvention of the wheel, plain, "good" ol' 21… and that's far from enough.
Hollow Knight is anything but hollow. Cut from the same cloth as Metroid (and a little bit of Dark Souls), its beautifully gloomy, as well as cute, hand-painted underground world, offers one of the best time sinks ever made; and one where skill is definitely in the spotlight. Its plot could be a bit more accessible, and the lack of hand-holding can sometimes be annoying, but these "flaws" can't really crack the surface of this diamond.
What could have been a great SRPG based on the Dynasty Warriors franchise falls flat, thanks to the decision to keep the density of units from normal Musou games in an SRPG where the player actually has to sit through the enemy's turn. Having plenty of enemies to slice through to feel empowered and strong works well in real-time, but in turn-based games it is more likely that the player will fall asleep than feel excited when fighting against armies of enemies.
Chime Sharp is a powerful example of giving the player all the power they need to succeed. While at first it may seem a bit aimless, once you get a good grasp on what you're doing, it's genuinely exciting. With unlockable game modes for each track, and a great soundtrack, Chime Sharp is a casual game that should satiate any puzzle fan.
Candle may have some traditional adventure game aspects, but it does just enough to feel like a brand-new game unlike any you've ever played. While it's doing some things differently, it knows how to hold back, and finds the mix between old and new. Its refinement of the old ensures, even when it falters, it has a strong enough foundation to keep you enjoying it all the way through to the end.
Overall Pixel Heroes: Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic is an interesting game. It brings a very familiar concept to the table and then randomises its attributes until it becomes something different, a less generic RPG with significantly increased difficulty. Its sense of humour, and fun systems and visuals make it well worth picking up for anyone in the market for a turn based RPG, or those who enjoy a bit of traditional tabletop dungeon crawling. For most, the jokes will mostly hit and will stave off the boredom factor, but for those that don't like referential humour, maybe steer clear of this title.
Attack on Titan has, arguably, the best possible flaw: a desire for more of it! With some fast-paced and outright enjoyable fighting, the game is an outright joy. The story won't hold much surprise for fans, but, at the same time, it's still a good one. The question really isn't so much 'Is it enjoyable?' but 'Is it long enough to justify a purchase?' Sadly, the answer isn't clear enough of a yes, but almost everything else is very solid and well-made.
For all of its faults, the biggest one at the heart of Level 22: Gary's Misadventures is that it just isn't very much fun.
Yesterday Origins is a fantastic point-and-click adventure that features comic-styled panels to showcase the story of John trying to find a cure for his memory loss.
Ginger: Beyond the Crystal is great, but whether you'll like it comes down to whether or not you're okay never feeling challenged. Once the basics are down, it's the same experience throughout. While there's definitely some technical issues, it's still a solid title any fan of 3D platformers should take a crack at - but if you need a game that will evolve as you progress, this isn't going to scratch that itch.
Dragon Ball Fusions is such an original and fun idea, yet is plagued with so many flaws and annoyingly flawed aspects of the gameplay that the final product is reduced to something that ends up being a specialist game for hardcore fans that can ignore a 10-12-hour title tripling in lifespan due to so many repeating animations bloating out every combat sequence. There's still an enjoyable game here with some addictive aspects, but it could be so much better with just a few minor tweaks. Quite disappointing.
Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin is a noble effort by Double Fine to give Psychonauts fans something to whet their appetite until the actual sequel comes out. Their attempt was misguided. Most of the game is hopping from host to host with a little puzzle here or there, of which none are ever challenging. With PSVR having a small install base and the steep pricing model for the game, it's not likely anyone will be getting sucked into Rhombus of Ruin. Just wait for the sequel.
It's not that it's a pure niche piece of software, as every single simulation game is like that. theHunter: Call of the Wild's biggest issue is that it got released in a pretty bad state, and still hasn't been fixed… And it's a real shame, because, when it decides to work, it can be quite the immersive experience and feels a lot closer to what it wants to - the best of its kind.
It is never a fun thing to play a game like Dystoria as it has many interesting and clever features and serves as a great history lesson in gaming, but, at the same time, it all falls flat due to the poor execution of said mechanics. To have a game focusing on driving on all sides of the objects, it is important to focus on making that enjoyable some way or another. In Dystoria, it simply isn't, as everything looks the same in a way that makes it extremely difficult to navigate, making it a frustrating feature instead of a game-defining one. Currently, it feels more like an early beta game with potential than a finished product.