Cubed3's Reviews
Typoman: Revised is pretty close to greatness. A genuinely original idea, a breathing world, and a good flow get caught up by awkward movement and the occasional feeling of being detached. Still, pretty close to greatness is something to brag about. Make no mistake, Typoman: Revised is something the development team should definitely be bragging about.
Meridian: Squad 22 has all the basics of what makes a successful RTS game. The core is solid, and the hunting of the research canisters is a highlight. The problems come from how the controls are unforgivably outdated - especially with squad control/hotkeys - how all units are fundamentally the same, and the fact that the plot that had a lot of potential never actually goes anywhere in the end. It is enjoyable for a quick romp, if someone has a deep craving for a sci-fi RTS, but there are flaws here that prevent it from being great and tackling the greatest of greats within the genre.
Solar Shifter EX is a fun and dynamic shoot 'em up that embodies the genre and adds a little something unique. It's a well thought out romp with plenty of great moments but it just misses out on greatness. No doubt this is an amazing effort from a one-man team and it will provide fans with plenty of challenge.
MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death starts quite positively and is very enjoyable up until around the third or fourth tower. At this point, the combat starts to feel like a chore and there isn't anything new added to keep the adventure interesting. Even post-game is disappointing for this type of title, and it all just ends up feeling quite unsatisfying. That being said, with this type of niche title, the loyal fans will certainly enjoy it. MeiQ is one worth picking up for dungeon crawling RPGs enthusiasts out there that have exhausted all other options, but not really for many other gamers.
At its root, this is a very cool game, but all too often it gets in its own way with poor choices in weapon balance, exploitable map pickups, and all too often luck-based gameplay. At its peaks, it's a great experience and it brings a genuinely interesting twist to the genre, but when it's at its worst, the flaws rise to the surface and become so much harder to forgive.
A.W. Phoenix Festa isn't bad, as some elements are mildly amusing. The building up of the character to compete in the final tournament is a cool element, but the game lacks depth on so many levels while punishing mistakes so hard that the whole thing becomes a grind. There is not much to see, not much to do, and how often scenes repeat is grating. What is seen in the first 15 minutes is in general what the next 5 hours are going to be like, and those first 15 were not that good to begin with. The elements in here have the potential to be a really cool game, but this is more like a framework than an actual game worth buying.
SEUM: Speedrunners from Hell is a love letter to all things metal and game. It's fast, like a bass drum hitting 200 BPM, and it's clearly inspired by the world of gaming today. While its idea may be old, it's clearly highly inspired. While it could definitely use more polish, the experience is absolutely worth it as-is. Let your inner Iron Maiden out, and go for a run.
Obduction might not be for everyone, but it's a strangely enjoyable experience, either for fans of Cyan's classic series, or for those first giving the genre a chance. The world is beautiful and complex, and the seemingly mundane environment is actually a carefully crafted world with intricate detail. There's definitely some frustrations to be had with some of the more obtuse puzzles and occasional technical stutters, but Obduction is definitely a journey worth remembering.
Touhou Genso Rondo: Bullet Ballet catches the feel and tempo of the titles in the Touhou franchise, but it still contains enough to make this experience different from the main titles. The biggest weakness is that it has a poor single-player experience due to how easy it is, but it shines as a multiplayer game, and it is certainly a title that fans of the franchise can pick up and play with their friends or online.
The haunting music serves as a grimy backdrop to what is otherwise a very beautiful-looking game. Each stage is a perfect illustration on the sources they are based on in Norse mythology, with splendid vistas that are equally as impressive. While the gameplay and stages can be slow going at times, or downright frustrating due to constant backtracking in order to discover all the secrets in every stage, the fights against the five Jotuns are the true meat of this game. Jotun: Valhalla Edition contains a Boss Rush mode at the completion of the adventure, which allows for a greater challenge at defeating these bosses, while Thora's journey to reach Valhalla is a satisfying one thanks to a strong acting performance given by Viking warrior.
Seasons After Fall is a beautiful piece of interactive art. The design and sound are all executed flawlessly and are a genuine joy to behold. Swing Swing Submarine has really set the bar high for indie game production values. Sadly, the game does begin to feel slightly repetitive and some more puzzle elements - and especially new locations - would have been most welcome. As it stands, Seasons After Fall is a very pleasing and competent puzzle platform attempt, which, although short, will leave most players more than satisfied.
Unholy Heights, though well-crafted and humorous, is far from perfect. The combination of the two genres may seem like a fantastic idea on paper (and it does indeed lead to some enjoyable moments of gameplay), but there's far too much empty space for extended play sessions to be consistently fun. That said, it fills a hole left open for two of the most starved genres on the eShop, and fans of either tower defence or simulation could do far worse than to spend a few hours in the devil's shoes.
This is all that Duke Nukem Forever could and should have been. A nostalgic blast, with gameplay that is fast and fun, comedy which while cliché actually delivers laugh out loud moments, and a story which is surprisingly engaging. Definitely, one title worth picking up in order to get ready for the upcoming sequel.
With Uno, Ubisoft has taken an old classic and tweaked the formula just enough to make it feel fresh without losing the familiar, addictive gameplay that it's renowned for. It's just a shame that the social aspects that made previous iterations an entertaining, unpredictable place to hang out, have been completely neutered, leaving behind an online component that feels comparatively sterile.
The Secret Monster Society - Chapter 1: Monsters, Fires and Forbidden Forests is a great precursor to the fully-fledged point-and-click adventure, filled with a pleasing selection of puzzle styles, some wonderful visual presentation, and great voice acting along the way. What it lacks in terms of overall length and taxing puzzles, it makes up for in the aesthetic stakes, with some really loveable characters introduced, leaving a strong desire for Chapter 2 to arrive quickly.
N++ wants you to let your guard down, but that's not always the most fun. While the level design is the closest to perfection many could ask for, the game frequently feels cheap or downright apathetic. Because it comes from a different era of gaming, it doesn't always feel like it cares if you succeed. Fortunately, a friend can be brought along, but it is still watching, waiting for the slightest failure.
Overall, Football Manager 2016 is definitely an improvement over last year's submission. It does a nice job of catering to those who want a faster-paced experience, whilst offering those who want to micro-manage every possible aspect of the game, a perfect sandbox with which to scratch that itch. Moreover, Sports Interactive has seemingly brought both experiences closer together, allowing an easier path for those playing Touch to promote themselves to the full experience at their leisure. The overall detail is astonishing and it will take far longer to get through a season. Gone are the days off finishing off a league in a night, but the satisfaction of reaching the summit of a league table after the arduous road preceding it, is that much greater. Aside from a couple of slight blemishes, with an under polished avatar system and a few presentation issues, Football Manager 2016 is without doubt a great accomplishment, which deserves anyone's attention. Just don't be surprised to watch your social life get relegated…
Dex is a fun and simple open-world RPG with a plethora of missions (both main and secondary), to get invested in. The characters introduced are done well thanks to the voice acting, which, combined with the artistic style of the "industrial" setting, helps set Harbor Prime apart from other cyberpunk titles. Though the story and the game world are inspired by other classic sci-fi's that do not seem original, there is enough soul here to actually warrant it a play-through. The poor combat and unfortunate glitches show the real flaws underlying what is otherwise a wonderful game; one that has shown enough to give hopes for a more refined sequel.
It's obvious there's something here in Unbox people may find entertaining. Even with the clunky controls, there's little nuggets of fun to be found in this throwback to 90s platforming wonders. It's just clear that it also brings a lot of the frustrations of that era with it. It's a bit late in the gaming industry to still be figuring out 3D controls, but if you can look past it, there is enjoyment to be had here, after all.
Mugen Souls Z is essentially a clone of the first game with a new story on it. For many this will be fine: the humour is mostly at the same standard. The battle system remains largely forgettable, dungeon crawling is uninspiring and some of the main characters are grating. This is the type of game that would be massively improved as an anime, allowing the story to be the main focus - for someone that wouldn't mind ploughing through a battle system that really isn't that good, they would enjoy the humorous story to take a break from so many games that take themselves far too seriously.