Cubed3's Reviews
At the current price, Dishonored: Definitive Edition is a complete rip-off and Bethesda callously thinks they can dupe their customers into buying such a lazy port of a fine game.
The price might seem high for how subtle or cosmetic these additions are, but many will likely find enough value in the overall strong developer support and thriving modding community to justify the cost, if the new layers of depth aren't enough for them.
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die is such an unsatisfying adventure game due to it ending way before it even truly begins. All of the elements were in the right place for a worthy successor to one of the greatest cult surprises from last gen, thanks to Swery's ambitious creative choices and boldness to have stat management in an otherwise non-skill oriented genre. Sadly, all of these flourishes are painfully undermined because of the story's abrupt cliff-hanger that is not built up to. The way D4 leaves so many plot threads unresolved and with no proper climax is guaranteed to frustrate anybody who plays this. The future of D4 is very unclear if it will ever get resolution, and while there has been an announcement of a second season, there is no indication that it will conclude the story of David Young. This game is very hard to recommend because, while it is interesting and is not like anything else available, it is also a massive tease with no promise of satisfaction.
It's business as usual for Sledgehammer, who has once more delivered a solid package that both compliments and adds longevity to the vanilla Advanced Warfare experience. There is a minor concern that a fracturing of the player base between those that own the new DLC and those that don't has started to impact slightly on the matchmaking, as finding Exo Grapple matches has started to take longer than it used to. However, those invested in the Exo-Zombies storyline should enjoy getting to grips with 'Carrier,' and the welcome addition of a wisecracking Bruce Campbell to the fray is a good choice that bodes well for an explosive final chapter.
Anyone who loves city-builders and doesn't own a previous entry in the series will likely find a solid, valuable title in Cities XXL. It's not as snappy or attractive, or even as engaging, as some of its competitors, but it's a worthwhile endeavour in its own right.
Skullgirls was one of the best new fighting IPs to come out in years, and Skullgirls 2nd Encore is everything that made the original game great and so much more. New characters, new modes, and improved visuals and sound make this the (hopefully) complete version of a fantastic title before the developers finally move on to new projects. This is a fighting game for fighting fans made by fighting fans, and the balance and creativity here is absolutely off the charts. It is a wonderfully enjoyable title to play, both for newcomers and the genre savvy, representing one of the most enjoyable, complete fighters in recent memory. The roster might be a bit on the small side and this package doesn't offer that much more for those that already purchased the DLC, but those that haven't absolutely need to pick this up. A game like this deserves a second encore, and Skullgirls has certainly earned it.
It was a bit surprising when Persona 4: Dancing All Night was announced and everyone learned the newest Persona spin-off would be a rhythm title. A rhythm game with Persona imagery draped over it is a bit bizarre, but even more bizarre is how thoroughly entertaining it is. It is a really competent rhythm game at its core, with solid mechanics and a stellar track list. Fans of Persona 4 absolutely should join along for Yu's latest adventure, but this really isn't a game for just Persona fans. This is an enjoyable title with a fun story, plenty of camp value, and an extremely entertaining and replayable series of songs that just happens to feature everyone's favourite Persona 4 characters. There are some minor issues, but the overall package is so well made that it is easy to forget some occasional game design wonkiness. At this point, it is worth checking out pretty much anything Atlus puts out with the Persona title attached to it, because if they can conquer the rhythm genre, they should be able to do just about anything. PS Vita owners might be getting desperate for some exclusive titles, but Persona 4: Dancing All Night is a title that was worth waiting up for.
Like it or not, Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls is an essential part of the series canon, despite the vastly different take on the previous visual novel format. Whilst far from perfect gameplay-wise, and dragging on too much for its own good, many of the positive attributes Danganronpa is known for successfully transfer across to this entry, filling in the gaps left between the previous two releases. It is the plot that carries Ultra Despair Girls along, but had it not been for the entries before it, this may not have been received as favourably. Either way, this is still a must-play for Danganronpa fans.
A few more RPG elements, such as exploration and true dungeon-crawling would easily have pushed Card Hunter higher, but there simply isn't enough to engage players long except the multiplayer, which, while it isn't Pay to Win, does give advantages through the store that are difficult to acquire otherwise. Card Hunter is fun to play, though, even with the annoying sound effects.
Disgaea 5 fulfils exactly everything desired and expected from a Disgaea title, though, and what more could fans or newcomers to the franchise ask for? Ultimately, Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance is a great game for any fan of the SRPG genre, and it shows why this franchise is a great entry port into the genre.
Extreme Exorcism is a action arcade game with a creative take on battling memory and reflex. There's not a whole lot to explore after playing for a few hours - just pick a room in the house, grab the weapons, kill the crowned copycat ghost, repeat. Do not expect this to hold attention for long, given that the only substantial purpose to press on is to unlock more weapons and see different rooms of the mansion. The battle against the copycat ghost is a selfless one, but somebody's got to do it… or maybe not.
Devil's Third might not be the cream of the crop when it comes to Wii U exclusives and may look a little rough around the edges due to its troublesome development, but there is a lot of fun to be had in both the single-player and online portions for those with an open mind and the ability to look past its rough exterior.
There's a great, yet flawed, game here. The open world is a joy to explore, but grows tiresome for those who want to get 100% completion. Combat is fun and brutal, but not varied enough to stay interesting long term. These flaws are not enough to highly impact the end product, thankfully, which manages to be a superb open-world experience, with a real unique style and character.
Whilst the originality of the game and its design can be seen, along with some humorous points to it, this alone doesn't warrant the need or want to download it - certainly not at the price tag it comes with. As a free download, it might (at a push) be worth the punt for a quick laugh between groups of friends, but that's where its potential starts and ends. Sadly, after little consideration, I am Bread lands butter side down.
Fairy Fencer F has remained largely unchanged. It is still an enjoyable title that doesn't quite manage to pull itself together, but doesn't fail, either. It still has potential. It is still, frankly, fun. Aside from people that desire to play this on the PC over the console, though, there simply is no reason to buy this version.
Unfortunately, a full release needs more than a promise of a good game; it needs to actually be one.
The genius of Her Story is right in its title: every detail and feature of its existence, from the presentation, to the script, to the symbolism of the built-in Reversi mini-game, is included in service to its female lead's story. The end result is probably the most holistic narrative-driven game since The Stanley Parable. If the FMV genre is destined for a renaissance, this game would be a fantastic example for developers to follow.
Edelweiss is to be applauded for applying modern day game design to a genus long in need of a 21st century lick, and while it might not totally rejuvenate an interest in bullet hell shooters, it would be foolish for fans of the genre to ignore a game as polished and slick as Astebreed. Granted, there's a limited audience for this type of game, and it's definitely not for the casuals, but any gamer nostalgic for the time when skill played a major factor in progression should find this a worthy challenge.
Despite the few flaws, long-time fans can safely try this out. Greenhorns, however, are advised to either wait for an update or a price drop.
While it's not impossible to glean some enjoyment from Giana Sisters: Dream Runners, it's entirely reliant on meeting a specific set of circumstances to do so.