Cubed3's Reviews
Yesterday Origins is the reflection of the team behind it; a team with a deep passion for the genre that it has been serving for more than two decades, but also one that's not "there" yet. While generally a nice ancient mystery/crime thriller, and although the puzzle-solving is quite good, it certainly needs some fine tuning here and there, both when it comes to its characters, as well as its gameplay mechanics.
Despite a few minor irritations, such as the odd bug in a MyCareer training session or a slight oddity in the animations, NBA 2K17 is basketball at its absolute finest in gaming terms. While it's obviously difficult to rank it alongside games of yesteryear, like the more arcade-centric NBA Jam on the SNES, when it comes to simulating the game on modern hardware, this is the purest, most authentic experience out there, bar none.
Police Tactics: Imperio may not offer the coolest concept, but it could work as a fun strategy title. The problem is that it isn't, and while at first it may seem that the boring micromanagement and subpar UI are the main flaws here, in reality, it's the fact that this has a severe lack of content, and feels the same from beginning to end - which won't exactly take long to reach.
With lots of references to pop-culture, this parody of an alien invasion contains all the jokes and humour that one would expect from a Mars Attacks! clone, and Destroy All Humans! does not disappoint. However, the humour cannot atone for the poor gameplay mechanics on foot that feel clunky and outdated, though the saucer sequences do save it somewhat. There's a real lack of variety with the missions, with most repeating themselves constantly with different enemies. The few stealth missions are really fun, but they aren't used to their fullest potential, while the HoloBob can be cumbersome at times due to how easy it is to have Crypto's cover blown by the always watching Majestic. For fans wanting to relive the classic, Destroy All Humans! is worth a purchase. However, for newcomers wanting an alien invasion title, this may not be enough to satisfy those otherworldly desires.
Don't get disappointed by a plot that is as far from ambitious, original, and engrossing as possible, because, as gameplay goes, few can hold a candle to Arkane Studios' Dishonored 2's level of replayability, non-linearity, and just plain fun. As for the gripes concerning the inexcusable framerate drops, follow this simple advice: wait a while, and then jump right in, because this isn't a title that's worth avoiding just because of its current technical issues.
Nine years on and Modern Warfare still feels as fresh and vital as ever. As an exercise in nostalgia it's a raging success and Raven Software should be applauded for doing such a solid job of updating a timeless classic without losing the essence of what made it so great the first time around. Whether Activision continues on a futuristic path with upcoming chapters in the franchise remains to be seen, but the fact that more people were excited at the prospect of revisiting this than jumping into Infinite Warfare's multiplayer should at least be an indicator that it might be time for a change.
Maize is an example of the age-old debate in gaming around gameplay versus story. In this case, it is so hard to discount the gameplay aspect. The great implementation of the plot and the unique story, on top of the brilliant portrayal of the cast and the general charming vibe, is sure to please young and old. What lets it down is that all this is balanced against a rather high cost considering the very modest length of the adventure, which doesn't offer any real replayability. Additionally, the lack of challenge means things feel extremely linear and the length is even further eroded. Maize is a definite pick up… when it is on sale, that is.
Without a doubt, the wrestling action in WWE 2K17 is some of the best the franchise has seen in a very long time. All of the improvements result in matches that are more fluid, more entertaining, and are generally very balanced and satisfying. It does a fantastic job at coupling deep sub-systems with arcade-like appeal. However, the career mode is hobbled by an absence of compelling storylines. The WWE Universe mode and it's plethora of customization options are massive time investments, and the freedom to build the perfect roster is very cool. Promos are a great idea. It's a shame that there's a little too much guess work involved, and the results tend to be disappointing. The lack of polish isn't game breaking, but the long load times and occasionally baffling AI can get annoying after a while. Still, if pro wrestling fans are willing to persevere, they'll find a lot to like.
Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS does tick the boxes when it comes to core solo play, serving up an assortment of Nintendo's own crafted creations and also a handful of compatible user-made courses. The tool maintains the Wii U's edition's flexibility and has a good majority of tiles to play with. However, where the game truly is lacking is in the online component - no course sharing and searching is a big oversight and does dampen the selling appeal of the 3DS edition, something that Nintendo should resolve.
Some may be put off by the lack of any single player content, and exclusively co-op multiplayer experiences do have their detractors. However, Killing Floor 2 does what it does so well, that it is hard not to recommend it, especially as it is not the most expensive title on the market. It looks and sounds great, and it has a raft of community enhancements and developer updates/content. There are a few little niggleshere and there, but for shooter and zombie fans, it is surely one to pick up.
Severed sounds like it should be some cheap gimmick. So many other games have tried to base their identity around touch screen functionality and failed miserably, and yet for Severed it works. Not only is the touch screen-based combat incredibly enjoyable and addictive, it makes the game significantly better. It doesn't feel like it was shoehorned in, and this is perhaps the best example of touch screen controls to date. There are some other issues, but these are so minor that they're barely worth mentioning, and this is simply a fantastic experience from beginning to end. The combat, combined with the haunting, memorable aesthetic, makes the game stand out as one of the better indie titles available on the Wii U. So grab your stylus and be prepared, because Severed is a cut above the competition.
The cuteness and novelties of Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity wear off quickly after about 30 minutes, and the shallow, mind-numbing gameplay takes hold. The playability and controls just were not well thought out for a game like this, but anyone who is willing to slog through may still manage to experience an interesting, yet ultimately failed experiment. As far as Touhou games go, Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity is a fair looker, but limited animation accentuates the low budget. Hopefully Touhou projects will continue to get westward localization, and just maybe someone will attempt another project like Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity but will learn from its mistakes.
Overcooked: The Lost Morsel contains six of the most fiendishly designed kitchens yet to appear in Overcooked; and those relishing a challenge will definitely have their work cut out if they want to earn all three stars in each stage. Toss in six new chef characters to unlock including a panda, a pig, and a bulldog (brining in to question whether people should eat at these establishments) and there's a solid, fun-packed bundle ready for the next appropriate social gathering. The only downside is that there don't appear to be any additional trophies to unlock, but then again, a well-balanced meal is its own reward.
Sports Interactive must be commended on doing a really excellent job in finessing not just the contents - old and new - but the UI, to a level where it's not only less taxing to navigate, but elevates the overall experience and enjoyment of the game. The developer has been able to intelligently and subtly guide players towards being more familiar with the choices at their disposal, embracing them with a mode-defined sense of control and expanding the depth of the game in their minds. Everything that made Football Manager great in last year's entry is not only still present, but has been polished to a high degree. Whilst many of the new incorporations may not be as ground-breaking as some might have hoped, they are welcomed additions and point to things to come. For now, Football Manager 2017 is quite simply the most in-depth and rewarding experience yet - and perhaps, worryingly, maybe even more addictive.
The ball that is given to the Caped Crusader in Batman: The Telltale Series - Episode 4: Guardian of Gotham initially looks the most interesting yet; however, he takes it… and does nothing with it. Once again, this feels more like "another day in the life of Bruce/Batman" rather than an epic superhero story, with an exciting beginning, a riveting middle, and a dramatic finale - which, after the mediocrity experienced so far, makes hoping for the latter to be any good quite hard.
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 is a pleasing improvement over the original. There are some welcome character additions, such as Turles and Zarbon, which flesh out some previously missing content, but it is a story, despite being set two years after the first game, that remains largely the same. However, the additions of some alternative battle conditions, such as having to search and protect the Dragon Balls, prevents every fight devolving into the same pattern. The PC version alleviates some issues with regards to the loading times, but then introduces others in the form of the sparse online community. Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2 is a good fighter, but could do with some further training to become the elite warrior it should be.
Although Gregory Stokes hasn't managed to get his racing team out of 9th place, he still recommends that anyone who has an interest in being a Motorsport Manager to give it shot. It's a career that can be tailormade to suit anyone. All that's necessary is the right mindset. Naturally, they can't expect immediate gratification. There's also the possibility that they'll struggle to make any real progress. It does deliver a different sort of excitement, though; one that can't be found blasting alien invaders, or trading blows with a martial arts master. In the end, this is a career that revolves around setting goals and achieving them, while attempting to exceed expectations. The choices other managers make will differ from Greg's, which is what makes the experience so personalised and fulfilling.
Unexciting battles are easy to stomach when the beauty of a title lies in its world building, and, thankfully, the drenched-in-evil universe of Tyranny is fantastic, both in the way it is structured and in how it handles the concept of morality. Unfortunately, its potential has been thrown from the tallest spire's window, and instead of becoming the magnificent masterpiece that it sometimes feels it is, it turns out to be a very rough diamond that reeks of rushed production.
Amnesia Collection is $30 and comes with two great survival horror games and one mediocre, short walking simulator. This is a pretty great compilation if only because The Dark Descent is one of the scariest games around these days, and is probably worth it alone for the asking price. A Machine for Pigs may be pretty horrible and disappointing, but come for The Dark Descent and bring a change of clean trousers.
Pokémon Sun and Moon come away feeling like a totally fresh experience for the series. After 20 years of memorable Pokémon experiences, Game Freak has brought out something that feels completely new, while still delivering on the core Pokémon experiences people crave. There's something for every kind of Pokémon fan here, whether they're looking to catch them all, or if they just want to be the very best. Pokémon Sun and Moon don't just feel like another entry in the long running series, they feel like an opportunity to let the series soar to new heights, and, boy, does it ever.