Cubed3's Reviews
WRC 6 offers a solid and perfectly respectable rally experience that has a more accessible first route into rally games for the uninitiated. A certain improvement on its predecessors, it sets out a new roadmap for how the titles should be going forward. Although shallow in parts - especially audio - there is still a lot of enjoyment to be had with fun handling and the mix of real courses, and 'based on real locations' special stages gives an authentic World Rally Championship experience. Ambitious eSports aspirations were perhaps a stage too early for this series, but there is definitely potential here and it will be worth keeping an eye on the next title to see if the team can iron out some of the wrinkles.
Dying: Reborn VR is a waste that does manage to have some okay visuals and a couple of interesting puzzles that are completely undermined by a lack of smooth turning that ruins the experience. It may be fine for those who don't mind turning at set degrees, but everyone who likes smooth turning should not buy this game at all. It doesn't help that the PSVR version is $9.99, which is, at its core, a feature that should have been in the standard game. Lasting at about two hours, Dying: Reborn VR is just not a worthy purchase for any PSVR customer.
Of all of the Nindies to land on launch day, Vroom in the Night Sky, is without a doubt the worst.
Shovel Knight became an instant classic for a reason, and the ability to pack it up and take it anywhere makes it a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch. Available as a standalone app or as a collection of all three campaigns, the titular Shovel Knight has dug his way into the hearts of Nintendo fans everywhere, and the ability to take the game anywhere makes the Nintendo Switch the ultimate platform to experience the Shovel Knight phenomenon.
Do not let the ending put you off Firewatch, nor let the talk of 'Walking Simulator' give any sort of preconceived notion of this being boring. What has been delivered is one of the most engaging narrative experiences in recent times, draped beautifully over a thoroughly enjoyable adventure, with plenty of scope for going back to uncover more details, finding new conversation avenues, and stumbling upon all manner of intriguing information not seen the first time round.
DESYNC had a nice idea on its hands, but it executed it pretty poorly, as it forgot the most important thing when it comes to video games: not gameplay, but a carefully planned and balanced design. As a result, it's annoying instead of challenging, the combat feels sluggish and not fast or varied, and the whole thing is a bit too much of system hog for what it has to offer. Better stick to Quake…
The White Bomber and family head up a worthy return for the Nintendo Switch. Barring hiccups with online lag and repetitious voice clips, Super Bomberman R is a satisfying candidate for multiplayer competitions and online battles.
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.