Cubed3's Reviews
Why is Doom better than Wolfenstein 3D? Because the action feels better, faster, more dynamic, less constricting. Why is Wolfenstein 3D better than Merger 3D, which was obviously inspired by it? Because, while identical in terms of gameplay, "Wolfie" actually had a team of capable game designers behind it.
Fractured Space boldly goes in a new direction for MOBA games by taking it to space and doing away with such key elements as item buying or killing smaller enemies to level up. It goes against the grain to focus entirely on pure PvP. The problem is that the PvP never feels satisfying, controlling the ships is clunky, battles are chaotic in a bad way, and the lack of strategy or predictability kills a large element of the genre.
Even being for those in the target audience, Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity is an annoying, frustrating, and even enraging experience.
Oceanhorn is short, easy, lacking in much extra to do after completing the main adventure, and has just one too many faults that hold it back from reaching the heights of the series that has inspired it so heavily. Despite that, it is worth checking out for any Legend of Zelda fan, and could at least function as a stop-gap that might just help pass the time whilst waiting for the next top-down entry starring Link.
Dripping with a rich atmosphere, The Bunker brings FMV back in a big way. Its intriguing story setup, the setting, and plot twist provide an unforgettable experience. While it's not hugely interactive, it is hugely enjoyable, and well worth a look from people who like horror, BBC programmes, and the tasty spices of a period drama. Stellar work from a team that will hopefully want to make more games in a similar style!
Blade Arcus from Shining: Battle Arena is a thoroughly solid fighter with some great twists on the formula, but it's hamstrung by an unbalanced roster. The lack of a player-base also hurts its long-term appeal. After seeing each character's storyline to the end, there isn't much else to do, aside from practicing for fights that may never happen. Still, if 2D fighter fans are willing to look past these issues, then there's a really decent title to be had.
RIVE is, without a doubt, one of the finer action games released this year. It strikes the right balance between focused, but also playful. The player will be thrust into a constant variety of intense scenarios, all more difficult than the last, but only rarely will they even think, "That was a little unfair." There are plenty of ways to approach each situation, and there's room to experiment with weapons or exploit the enemy AI. The difficulty is well balanced, and the campaign is fluff free. Even the water section is good, and those hardly ever work in video games.
Batman: The Telltale Series - Episode 2: Children of Arkham has two flaws. Firstly, everything, from the talking to the punching, is done in pretty much the same way as before, which results in a good game, but not a substantially different experience. Secondly, Telltale still plays it safe with the storytelling, with choices that don't really matter in the long run. The finale of this episode, however, hints at a potential change of strategy for the upcoming chapters… a change that will surely stir things up a bit.
After the terrible previous entries in the Sonic Boom series Fire & Ice manages to look superb in comparison, but, on its own merits, it's simply a good game… and there's nothing wrong with that. Not every title has to reinvent a genre or break the mould. This is an enjoyable 2D scrolling platformer that has the added benefit that may introduce some new players to "The Fastest Thing Alive." It may not be perfect, but it's fun and certainly one of the best Sonic games in recent memory.
Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters: Daybreak Special Gigs has some neat ideas, but they end up getting lost between the lacklustre delivery. The visual novel elements are poorly explained, and the control setup in both sections of the game leaves a lot to be desired. The battle system is definitely unique, but it feels tacked on and actually detracts from the overall story. The visuals are certainly breath-taking, but there are enough issues that make it a tough sell for even the most devout of visual novel fans.
All in all, Zenith's shallow combat and lack of replay value would have been easy to ignore if the game had delivered on its promise of humour. Instead, there are tons of jokes, but most of them miss the mark. After a long enough period of time, the bad jokes stack themselves to the ceiling, and then topple over. This creates what can only be described as an apocalyptic level of misery. Whatever interesting qualities Zenith had to offer are buried, and the player is left sitting in uncomfortable silence. Suddenly, ten hours feels like an eternity.
Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme VS-Force is not a bad game at all, the setup and premise is pretty simple, the characters interesting, and the designs colourful. It is by no means the prettiest title on the PS Vita, but a smooth framerate makes up for that factor. If a long term Gundam fan picks this up, a good amount of content with a fulfilling set of lore can be expected, but for anyone else, it may just fall short of greatness.
Pixel Paint is a tool only the experienced should really consider. The lesson it teaches is to work within confined limitations. Unfortunately, newcomers to pixel art will likely find themselves spending more time trying to interact with the app than actually creating their masterpieces. Perhaps it shouldn't be as simple as drag and drop, but it should feel a lot more fluid than it does here.
Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire is a niche title. It is for the people who enjoy learning deep systems, aren't too hung up on narrative imperfections, and want to unleash some justice. This will clearly not appeal to everyone, and many will find the barrier of entry simply not worth for what waits beyond. As for the rest, here lies an interesting and compelling tactical RPG, if there ever was one.
Ping Pong Trick Shot only wins points because it manages to function as an application. Beyond that, the gameplay is just an exhausted mini-game that doesn't even function well most of the time. The list of improvements needed to bring this to a passable application are numerous, suffice it to say, it would be advised to pass this one up.
While extremely confusing at times, Virginia manages to keep players glued to their screens thanks to the wonderful scenery and camera work, mixed with a wonderful story that is to some degree up to those at the helm to interpret. While to some it might be rather annoying to be trapped in silence, never getting a true grasp of what is happening, the pay-off of this style of storytelling allows the adventure to make up for that. Few games manage to capture the mood as well as this one, and some of the surrealistic segments are truly disturbing, making people question the line between reality and imagination, and even whether or not there is actually one to begin with. Virginia is a game that is easy to recommend to anyone who wants to experience something that is truly outside of the ordinary in the industry and truly flexes its creative muscles.
There is no doubt to its quality, yet it falls to the hurdle of its own title: Part 4. When taken altogether, the game comes off as drastically different; on its own it is simply a well-written and engaging title, if also sadly short and a bit annoying at times. For those interested in the series, it is best to start with Part 1 & 2 for the same reason it's not a great idea start reading a book from chapter 20.
The main gripe with The Bunker is the limitations with the gameplay. There are no puzzles to be solved, and it is a linear experience where the interaction stems from opening the doors and picking up the key items in order to progress the movie. However, beyond that is a wonderful acting performance by Adam Brown, Sarah Greene, Grahame Fox and the rest of the cast that inhabit the world below in the dark and quiet bunker. Full of mystery and intrigue, this is a remarkable effort at an interactive movie, which works well enough for another attempt at creating a live action video game. This is a gripping movie, and although short, fans of the horror genre looking for something different need to check this out and experience the unforgettable tale of John in The Bunker.
Dear Esther's appeal is directly tied to the player experiencing it. While it is a masterclass in graphics and sound, the game itself is practically a blank slate. It's like a puzzle with only a handful of pieces. The player isn't obligated to put it together, and they're not in the wrong if they choose to ignore it entirely. Still, this is a uniquely bold experience that pushes the medium in new directions. There are people out there thinking about it, asking questions, and really exploring what they just experienced. That is what's most important.
This is good. Consider this an "optimistic" good, since The Girl and the Robot has shown some clear potential and can rocket uphill as opposed to a "failed to live up to promises" good. This is worth checking out for its moments of 'Ma,' and is certainly enjoyable, but the moments it spends away from letting its atmosphere breath, and, instead, tries to ramp up the challenge and breaks that atmosphere, feel painful. What it does right it does great, and, hopefully, there will be a sequel for this title. Those who do not care for such things, however, there simply isn't anything else to really enjoy beyond some decent cel-shaded graphics.