Cubed3's Reviews
The off-colour humour won't be for everyone. Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is an unapologetically crass and vulgar action-horror game from another time. It is no surprise as to why it became a cult classic. Its gameplay is still stimulating and the art direction is way ahead of what's available on the market today. The gory imagery and cool designs made it resonate with gamers, and while the remaster is rather plain, New Game Plus, motion controls, and costumes breathe a little more life into it.
Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist may not reinvent the Metroidvania genre, but it beautifully nails its thesis. Its tale of dystopian despair unfurls with elegance, carried by characters as striking as they are melancholic, and gameplay that borrows wisely from the genre's titans. Like Lilac herself, Ender Magnolia blooms amid the mist.
Yars Rising offers a unique interpretation of the classic Yars' Revenge. While the narrative may be unmemorable and the cutscenes intrusive, the gameplay remains engaging, thanks to its surprising remixes of the original game and how they fit in the structure of a Metroidvania. The stealth mechanics, though simplistic, contribute to the overall experience.
Nightdive Studios did the best they could with a mediocre game. The Thing was never a good game and the original developers often lamented over the final product. They had much grander ambitions that could have made it a genuine classic. While the remaster's technical execution is commendable, the source material's was questionable. Despite this, the remaster may serve as an impetus for future adaptations of John Carpenter's film. The film's core concept remains a compelling narrative foundation and has potential for more successful interpretations in the right hands.
Tales of Graces f Remastered's most compelling feature is its combat system. It's a serviceable JRPG experience, potentially appealing to younger players disinclined towards turn-based systems. While its emphasis on "the power of friendship" may resonate with this demographic, older gamers will find the narrative lame and its character motivations underdeveloped. Although the writing occasionally exhibits weaknesses, the narrative does offer moments of genuine emotional impact.
The Coma 2B: Catacomb is a worthwhile horror game, but one that will test one's patience. The randomisation compounded with the cruel and unfair AI throwing outrageously long QTEs will undoubtedly frustrate the most dedicated horror fans. However, it is fun to see Youngho again and to find out what he has been up to, and the scares deliver the chills.
KEMCO and Articnet deliver a well-balanced sport-RPG hybrid in RPGolf Legends. Having only two difficulties may bother more veteran players, and the need to grind late-game for some bosses and dungeons may cause a few to give up before the actual end, but for most it is a solid story with engaging quests and an ear-pleasing soundtrack, making it an enchanting tale on Nintendo Switch with high replayability due to its charm and story.
Withering Rooms boasts a surprising amount of content, rivalling some AAA titles. Players will encounter a variety of outfits, weapons, enemies, and challenging boss battles, offering a high value proposition. For fans of Bloodborne seeking a 2D action RPG with a focus on witchcraft, Withering Rooms provides a compelling experience despite its uneven rogue-lite mechanics.
Schim isn't without its merits. For players looking for a more casual, low stakes experience, it can be a relaxing time to shut off the mind to, and the art style alone is worth admiring. It's built on a strong conceptual foundation, even if it struggles to make the most of its intriguing premise. Although it doesn't quite hit the mark fully, Schim should be applauded for trying to do something different and unique. There is a certain satisfaction to leaping from shadow to shadow, much like one might imagine as a child looking out from the window and also imagine during a long car journey. Much like those car-imagining journeys, though, the novelty can fade quickly, but at least it doesn't make one feel queasy, like reading a Beano would.
The opening of Xenoblade Chronicles X is really something. From the pure horror of watching Earth get wiped out, to the first exploration sequence in the dark and the rain, this game really takes players on a masterful rollercoaster of emotion. The only real knocks against it are the occasional oddly placed music track, and the generally boring city sections, with an additional comment that the systems are often so complicated that they get in the way of fighting and exploring. The story definitely comes in waves, so any player should be more interested in the exploration than purely a narrative experience.
Monster Hunter Wilds is a fantastic time through and through. It might not hit the right balance for all players due to the move to being more story-focused with pacing and things, but for those who like it, there is a ton of fun to be had here. A successful and innovative way to change up the typical Monster Hunter formula and a great stepping stone to finding the perfect balance. A heartily recommended action title where the monsters are the real stars of the show!
The charm of Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is its story, but there is still the potential for more growth in this area, as well as its gameplay. Those that take the time to explore and get to know the characters will find more enjoyment than others. For the casual gamer, one may find Asterigos short and repetitive, but this is still a respectable debut title from developer Acme Gamestudio.
Mullet MadJack emerges as a striking and intense experience, rooted in the legacy of cyberpunk anime's creative and artistic zenith. Its narrative subtly critiques the perils of artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and the multifaceted nature of addiction, seamlessly integrating these themes into the gameplay. Far from a simplistic excuse for destruction, the premise carries substance, delivering its commentary with a sharp, knowing edge. Compounded by its wry wit, it's one of the most original, gripping, and addictive first-person shooters of all time.
Shadow of the Orient is inoffensive and delivers exactly what it promises, which is, admittedly, not a lot. The gameplay is as classic as it gets and is priced appropriately for its content. It's a solid effort that doesn't do anything wrong apart from some dirty level design and leans on being a bit forgettable.
A solid but short VR horror experience, Afterlife VR is a confident and reasonably immersive game. The developer clearly had fun making it but the lack of replayability and shorter runtime stop this from being a full recommendation.
It's hard to imagine anyone buying Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered because they like the games themselves, as no amount of visual polishing can save this trio of decent to mediocre, and mediocre to awful action-adventures. That been said, if you are into the collecting side of the hobby, and especially if a fan of all things Lara Croft, Aspyr's creation definitely has a place on your shelve.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 aims to please Call of Duty fans of every kind, with three stacked modes - campaign, multiplayer and Zombies - that all have enough going for them to satisfy all Call of Duty fans. Omni-movement is a fantastic addition to the routine gameplay that feels like a natural evolution not just for CoD titles but FPS games in general. However, each mode isn't without its frustrations: the campaign stalls the action a little too often, the Zombies mode can get a tad repetitive and the multiplayer maps vary a little too drastically in quality. Still, this is Call of Duty as it's known and loved. Franchise enthusiasts will likely be satisfied.
It's hard to recommend Breath of Death VII: The Beginning: Reanimated to anyone but fans of the 2010 original and maybe to a few of those diehard aficionados of super old-school JRPGS. Bad? No. It's actually a pretty good game, but it leans too much on comedy to be immersive, and its short length makes it feel more like a taste of something more epic in scale and scope.
Doctor Cat shows promise but ultimately fails at the execution. The puzzles themselves are fine, but unfortunately issues with controls ruin the experience completely. It is also unclear why a premise was set for Doctor Cat with what feels like little to no resolution.
Nekograms is absolutely adorable, with challenging puzzles, beautiful art and great sounds. However, it is a bit monotonous, in that it does not offer anything other than the base-type puzzle. Although puzzles are beautifully designed and offer a fun way to spend some time, some more content could really improve this title.