Cubed3's Reviews
Factoring both packs into the overall package that makes up Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone, there is very little to fault in this true arcade rhythm experience. Clocking in at 224 songs strong, the sheer number of tracks is incredible, and the fact so many of them are fantastically addictive is icing on the cake.
Nearly a year on, Street Fighter V still doesn't quite feature the sort of content a modern fighting game should pack in, and this limits the number of casuals and newcomers that could potentially be brought into the scene. Definite improvements have been made in the last twelve months, though, and whilst there is still work to be done and there are some hard-to-ignore graphical issues that dominate screens, if you can add the DLC characters into the roster through unlocking or purchasing, there is no better time to jump into the Street Fighter V ring.
If an adventure game was only judged by its graphics and music, Silence would have been highly recommended. The world that Noah and Renis explores is stunning, with rich environments and a fantastic use of colour. The soundtrack is appropriate for every situation and quite good. However, the rest of the game suffers due to an uneven story and poorly written characters. There are a handful of charming and even brilliant moments, but they're sandwiched in between occurrences that will only confuse and frustrate the viewer. This is a game of peaks and valleys, and it ends after going over a cliff.
Although this is a forgiving stance, there's just so much more that captivates: from the intense battles, and slaying of dragons, to the gradual sense of empowerment as the player's character grows and develops, distinguishing powers and abilities. There are so many hidden secrets in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, so many facets to unearth, and choices within those to fraternise over, it's hard not to be sucked in by its charm and intrigue. So long as it's appreciated for what it is, a revisiting of a classic that influenced practically all open-world RPGs that came after it, Skyrim Special Edition is a very stellar package which holds up very well indeed, despite it's issues, against more recent competition. If you've never played it, now is the perfect time, and with the advent of the Playkey service, it opens up the game to a much wider audience.
A game designed strictly around boss battles isn't the easiest sale, so it's great that Furi has a slew of fantastic encounters that are challenging and exciting. Each Jailer will take a good while to defeat, but failures can never be attributed to poor game design or inexplicable issues. However, the spotty frame rate is unfortunate. The optional time trial and harder difficulty modes are welcome additions for exceptional players. If the idea of spending several minutes to an hour or more on a single fight - no matter how well-designed it is - doesn't sound appealing, then steer clear. This Prisoner's epic is as rewarding as it is punishing.
LostWinds is a fine game that doesn't require a lot of effort to see through to the end. The short play time, easy puzzles, and practically non-existent enemies make for a fine way to spend a lazy Sunday. Unfortunately, its lack of substance and long-term appeal guarantees that it will be forgotten before long.
An incredible game that marries beautiful presentation with fluid and fun gameplay. It tells a story set during World War I that feels believable and invokes thought when things go awry. With a reasonably short, but well planned, campaign and endless potential in the multiplayer, there is definitely value if Battlefront is one's preferred big shooter franchise. A thoroughly enjoyable game that takes the formula back toward the depth of the game's predecessors while keeping in the trends of the modern expectations of the genre.
Without doubt, this is a must-play for fans of the series, managing to be a perfect accompaniment and semi-sequel to the original. Though the first game indisputably felt like a complete tale, Steins;Gate 0 nonetheless feels like an essential part of that story, and is so integrated with the original that it mostly feels like the whole story is finally being told. The voice actors' performances, the stunning art, and the superb soundtrack all combine for a final product that is absolutely top tier. Every aspect of this game is polished to perfection. Again, this is, regardless of medium, one of the finest time travel stories that has yet been told.
Cyber Chicken could eventually become a decent shooter, but it needs a lot of work. Badly-tuned boss fights, poor mechanics, and massive game-halting bugs completely obliterate any possibility of deriving enjoyment from this game. The dated jokes are more likely to cause stomach cramps than laughter. Gamers looking for a Metroidvania fix will find nothing but misery here.
Stardew Valley brings new life into what has otherwise been an extremely stagnant genre. While the Story of Seasons series has tried shifting its formula from time to time, none of the recent releases have made great strides in making the experience feel meaningful, especially in regard to character development. While Stardew Valley does keep the daily grind of farm simulation going, it intersperses the mundane with real storytelling moments and endearing characters that will keep you coming back for more.
1954 Alcatraz has its own level of charm that helps it to just about keep its head above water. However, it also lacks any punch throughout. None of the characters are particularly beguiling, the puzzles faced are not especially memorable or even taxing, and the story itself only just holds the attention long enough to finish the approximately eight-hour journey. Thankfully, there are multiple junctures during the tale that are just about intriguing enough to warrant keeping multiple saves to see how things play out differently - but only the most perseverant will likely do so, with the majority just switching off post-credits. Those sticking around to see the ending variations, though, will find that 1954 will forever be resigned to the past, with no strong memories remaining at all, neither negative, nor positive.
A decent enough addition to the series, but ultimately, one that fails to bring anything new or special. Hardcore Picross fans will be picking this up regardless, while those who may be interested in trying out the number crossword puzzler would be better off going for the tie-in version to whatever franchise they prefer, or even the 3D version.
There are not enough adjectives to describe what a pleasure it is to experience Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure. From the smart acting and intriguing story, to the clever puzzles included and great locations to explore, everything in Big Finish Games' project is a resounding success. Adventure fans have been waiting a long time for this, and it is pleasing to see that the wait was indeed more than worth it. Tex Murphy is back, and hopefully there is much more to come, especially with the officially-supported fan remake of Overseer, The Poisoned Pawn well underway.
Deep Silver didn't need any more bad games under its belt, but if there is nothing else that can be said, it can be stated definitively that this is not as bad as Ride to Hell: Retribution. Some would call this a victory, and it's a noble effort to not throw away work that was already underway, yet that's part of the core problem. Homefront: The Revolution wasn't finished and released because gamers needed something great to play; it was completed and sold because some manager out there refused to let the work go to waste.
Watch Dogs 2 is lightyears ahead of its predecessor in every way imaginable and conveys a smartly written precautionary tale regarding the perils of living in a 24-hour surveillance society. Clever mission structure, sumptuous visuals, great acting and sound design all contribute to a living, breathing world that's a real joy to explore. While it tackles a subject matter that can occasionally come across as being a bit 'Black Mirror' at times, recent news stories concerning the UK government's controversial Snooper's Charter or the Arkansas Police Department's attempt to leverage Amazon Echo data to help with a murder investigation only serve to enforce that maybe this isn't really that farfetched at all.
Honestly, as a book, Muv-Luv is fairly solid with a decent idea and capable writers backing it up. It doesn't reach its full conclusion but that's because there is a third game waiting in the wings, and the provided endings are just fine. About the only 'real' complaint that can be had is that its duel-story style can end up feeling needlessly taxing at times, resulting in irritation instead of enjoyment.
Square Enix Montreal is doing great things with the Go series, and the studio will be making plenty of people happy if it can continue to add to it, hopefully with another puzzle quest for Lara to overcome in the future.
Memoir En Code: Reissue fails both as a game and an interactive story, but that's not really a problem, because it never wanted to be any of these two things. Memoir En Code: Reissue is just an "autobiographical game album, designed to be experienced similarly to a music album" …and it fails even at that.
With so many disappointments in recent Telltale titles, it's fantastic to see the team recreate the magic of Clementine's earlier stories in A New Frontier. It manages to introduce a great cast of likeable characters that have their own tale to tell, while also expanding Clementine's saga. This feels like a return to the form of the glory days of the first season of The Walking Dead, or even The Wolf Among Us, so here's hoping the team can keep the quality up for the rest of the series.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 2: The Ties That Bind II keeps the course, delivering another quality storytelling experience with aplomb. Javi's story is a compelling one and fans can't help but clamour for closure and answers for what happened to Clem… and what happened to AJ. Plenty of pieces are in motion and this is building to be a very special story. If only Telltale could get this quality over to its other recent titles...