Cubed3's Reviews
In some ways, Resident Evil 5 is not as 'fun' as its successor. Its controls are slightly clunky, the A.I. partner is scatter-brained, and her inclusion in every situation reduces the horror. However, it's also more thrilling, and the survival aspect is implemented better than in Resident Evil 6, with tough ammo conservation and some inventory management.
While Infinite Dunamis does have the familiar, comfortable feel a lot of mobile RPGs have, it's saddled itself with a number of issues that really make it a chore to play. It's badly optimised for the hardware, and suffers from multiple issues during regular gameplay. The characters are bland and honestly annoying, and there's very little to make Infinite Dunamis stand out in a long line of already lacklustre titles.
MegaTagmension has grown by quite a few bounds, yet still hasn't addressed the core issue that plagued its predecessor. As a portable game in which things can be handled in bite-sized pieces, some of this is excusable and fits well, but only because the game was designed with short bursts of play in mind. While the story is fun to experience, for the more dedicated gamer, there are superior choices out there in volumes.
Considering how wildly different SteamWorld Heist is from its predecessor, this was clearly a bit of a risk for Image & Form. Fortunately for us, it is one that really pays off.
As a Total War game, Total War: Warhammer comes off as being a bit confined in terms of bounds, yet varied within said bounds. Boasting a lot of options, it is a genuinely enjoyable experience as it does take advantage of its licence. As a Warhammer title, it is a solid and enjoyable experience even if it's quite clear a lot was filed off either to make it work as a game or for future DLC. As a whole? It's a good new direction for the series to head in, and, hopefully, will let it expand beyond the confines of history into new, fantastical realms.
The gameplay is simple yet complex in a way that forces players to think about long-term goals rather than individual battles, making Grand Kingdom a natural choice for people who prefer the "tactical" part over the "role-playing" part of tactical role-playing games.
Problems with graphics and controls are hard to overlook, and there's no denying that this feels less inspired and more lifted from other series, although fans of those might still find it fun to play. Its gameplay elements are solid enough, despite being unoriginal, and overall the game does run and play well. There's nothing special about it, but besides the resolution and maybe the dungeon design, there's nothing unforgiveable about it, either. Mind Zero doesn't fail, but it also doesn't exactly try to escape the shadow of the titles it was clearly influenced by.
Aegis of Earth has one interesting idea and… that's about it. With its simple mechanics, okay story, and generally unimpressive presentation, it's okay for a portable game for quick bursts or killing time. However, those seeking more engaging tower defence titles best look elsewhere. This game has a place, but were it not on a portable console, would likely be in for an official reprimand. As-is, it fits in just well enough with the 'short spurt of play' ideology that makes it acceptable for a handheld title.
AIPD is a prime example of a good twin-stick shooter. The controls are easy enough to learn that anyone can pick up the game and play it, and the difficulty curve is gradual enough that a beginning player won't feel discouraged.
Genre clichés and visual glitches aside, this is a solid visual novel. It isn't likely to appeal to a wide audience; fans of BlazBlue (and fans of graphic novels or anime in general) will enjoy it, but it's hard to imagine that anyone else will. Still, there's something to be said about making games specifically for the fans, and Xblaze Code: Embryo performs solidly on that front.
Asdivine Hearts doesn't reinvent anything; far from it. But it takes the JRPG formula and balances the combat to perfection.
Burning Blood delivers faithful representations and beautiful presentation, but the mechanics are riddled with flaws. The story gives the best adaptation of the Paramount War, but the fact that there is no Dressrosa segment when so many characters from the arc are here is unforgivable. The basic and easily abused nature of the combat will see few returning to this title after more than a few plays.
The number of abilities successfully translated from "scripted sequences only" to organic gameplay is usually a solid metric of an action game's quality, and by that criteria, SUPERHOT excels. Its intense gameplay and layered narrative will delight fans of both the aggressive and the analytical simultaneously. While a lot of its innovation is clearly untested, its memetic presence is sure to be a talking point among indie fans for a long time to come.
Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair is a visual novel that toys with other genres with liberal regard to convention. Part murder mystery, part game show, all visual novel, it manages to be the most fun when the player has to piece everything together. While the game is bland to look at, it's not always about the look. It takes a bit to get to the juicy core of this creepy title, but once you're there, you may not want to leave.
Rogue Stormers just isn't a package that can be easily recommended. The difficulty is largely unfair, including enemies who don't die when they should, and come at you in groups of 30 strong. While there's nothing wrong with the controls or artwork, there's nothing really noteworthy either. Rogue Stormers is a bland experience when it works, and a hair pulling experience when it doesn't.
It is good fun while it lasts, and is worth a couple (dozen) runs through to the Overseer to see what he has in store.
Undoubtedly, fans of abstract puzzle games will find a lot to enjoy here. But those not so inclined to stick with something a little frustrating and overtly self-insistent perhaps may prefer to wait for the next reboot of this intriguing but poorly executed experience. Where Journey uses the concept of abstract, indirect storytelling to its empowerment, Soul Axiom ends up leaning on it like a crutch when it suits, much to its detriment in terms of the overall experience. The confusing PR description of the game, which is nothing like the experience you actually get, is testament to that muddled framework. This is well worth a go, but it is not a polished gem by any stretch of the imagination.
Brigador is, at the end of the day, a board game about carnage. In a landscape of games that either make you feel bad for seeing these atrocities, or turn you into a legitimate sociopath, it is a rare gem that manages to make you forget that what you just blew up was someone's home. Reaching each goal is satisfying, and for that, Brigador should feel very proud of what it's accomplished.
MagNets: Fully Charged had an good idea, but executed it poorly. Collecting trinkets from continuously respawning enemies until you have enough to get an item required to progress, only to have to do it again to pass another metaphorical broken bridge, makes for a subpar experience. A repetitive electronic soundtrack makes you feel as though no progress is being made as you constantly backtrack to ensure the survival of key buildings. All in all, MagNets: Fully Charged is a frustrating and tedious experience to behold.
Hyposphere could have some interesting ideas somewhere, but good luck finding them. As it stands, it's a series of metaphysical questions better left unasked. Even if the game worked as frequently as it should, it gives way to boring design that never feels like anything other than the designer bragging about how deep they are.