Cubed3's Reviews
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is an exceptional product of Nintendo's devotion to getting things right - an enjoyable, addictive format for the veteran player, and one with plenty of bite for the newcomer. It's a bright, bustling multiplayer fest that deserves a place in any Wii U library. The fight is on; it's time to settle it in Smash!
Falling Skies: The Game on Nintendo Wii U eShop is so lacking in every regard, and overall terribly bland, that it is easy to get distracted from actually playing it. Not from any sort of disorder but, rather, a desire to do something else just to relieve the boredom. Everything is simply incompetently put together to a degree that seems nigh-legendary. This is the sort of game that, several generations ago, could only be known as a rumour told by a friend of a friend whose brother once heard about the game existing. To be fair, Little Orbit's title isn't actually 'terrible' so much as it is just… boring. The only thing saving this from the lowest rating is that the game that was ripped off was somewhat decent but, otherwise, it's just one that will lie forgotten in the back corners of the net. That kitty with the butterfly filing taxes is more deserving of attention than this.
If players are seeking a big and deep adventure that is truly theirs and that they can share with their friends, then Terraria is the game for them. Terraria offers hours upon hours of content for gamers of any taste. Casual and hardcore, competitive and social; everyone will find something to enjoy. Few will, however, enjoy the whole package, but that is fine. This is a game where players themselves decide how it should be played. After the initial barrier of learning the game, a big world opens up and an unending adventure starts.
For fans of games in The Legend of Zelda series, Ittle Dew offers plenty of puzzles and replayability to scratch that Zelda itch. The combat system may be sub-par, but that shouldn't put people off as it's only a minor gameplay element, with puzzles being the stronger focus here. At the asking price of £8.99, there's a decently sized adventure, with multiple paths, and an in-game timer that is perfect for speed runs.
This may look like a harsh score, but it is hard to justify Never Alone's price tag when it is plagued with buggy gameplay and the story is shorter than Halo 4. The game is commendable for its goal and what it achieves in terms of raising awareness on the Iñupiaq culture and stories. In conclusion, Never Alone is a wonderful story and concept that is unfortunately wrapped in a slightly off, but still fun, gameplay experience.
There have been many effortless cash grabs, but none as blatant as this, which is a $60 commercial. Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 is no longer the worst Sonic game, and it is tragic to see the fandom of Sonic be danced upon by such a cynical cash grab that was quickly slapped together by focus testing and lacks any soul at all. 'Buggy' and 'glitchy' are truly the best words to describe this debacle. Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is the mark of the vulgar and should not be touched.
Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault makes some big moves in the RTS genre, and most are steps in the right direction. The battles have the potential to be fun, chaotic, and it is fulfilling to watch a rampaging tank be stopped and then to push back the onslaught. However, many times the 'rock, paper, scissors' element, compounded by the difficulty in telling units apart, makes the game an exercise in frustration as a player's well-crafted plans are ruined by an ultimately randomly-chosen hard counter that puts the player too far back to recover.
It's hard to find something to complain about in Shovel Knight because it does everything it sets out to do perfectly - to an impeccable standard. It just proves how community input in the form of both ideas and funding can go a long way to help make such a fantastic experience. Thanks for scratching that Mega Man itch, and for also pushing to get the game available in both Europe and Australia, Yacht Club Games! Now, for those who are still on the fence about this one: Get on the eShop and buy it!
Taking many tropes from the Metroidvania sub-genre of games, and adding a mechanic all of its own, The Swapper succeeds in creating an interesting world to explore and challenging puzzles to conquer amidst one of the most atmospheric backdrops ever put to a video game.
As far as LEGO games go, this is par for the course. It's highly enjoyable with a good amount of collectables and unlockables for extending the lifespan. Unfortunately, it does feel like a small step backwards after Marvel Super Heroes, with the missing open world being the biggest loss - this is LEGO Batman 3 and not LEGO DC Comics or LEGO Justice League, so there's still hope that an open world will come later, as this most certainly won't be the last in this franchise.
Just past its two year anniversary, the Wii U eShop is already home to a vast number of heavy hitters, and Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones stands amongst the best of them. With a subtle yet engaging plot device and atmospheric environment, dastardly devilish challenges, and a shelf life of features beyond many other games, this stealth puzzler is an easy sell.
Honestly a game like this deserves a bit of praise. It set out with a goal many didn't even know existed, struggled uphill against unknown hurdles, and still managed to come out great. While the story may be short it never feels weary or too skimpy, while the gameplay can feel unfair at times it is also fun, and the game is simply fun on the whole, achieving the notable 'one more turn' feeling for most of the levels. It probably won't get people gushing over it, but there is no denying that it is well made and above average as well.
The Sniper Elite series is steadfastly ploughing its own furrow in a marketplace primarily dominated by the likes of Battlefield and Call of Duty. While it's unlikely to match either of those titans in terms of sales, it does offer an experience different enough for regular shooter fans to justify a purchase. As a PR exercise for anybody who has regularly played online shooters and may still have unresolved anger issues directed at snipers, Rebellion has made a strong statement with Sniper Elite III and as a form a therapy it proves to be both beneficial and effective.
Tetrobot and Co. is a pleasant little puzzle game title and a good addition to the Wii U eShop indie game collection. Its clean, precise presentation, slick smooth gameplay and awesome level design make Tetrobot a strong contender for the puzzle game leader of Nintendo's eShop indie selection. Tetrobot and Co.'s small problems don't overshadow the experience in the slightest. Overall, it is a very fun, if difficult, puzzler that caters to even the most die-hard of puzzle gamers.
Fenix Rage is the game that people dream about when they say games today need to be more difficult. This is a title that offers everything that was great about classic '80s games, filtering out a lot of the bad, and is one that Cubed3 can recommend to any gamer looking for a modern Nintendo Hard experience.
Maybe its complacency in the face of the decline of its rival series, but FIFA 15 took its eyes completely off the ball. As ever, it is a glorious, box office glitz and showbiz affair - all flash and fancy. However, under the bonnet it is a shallow representation of football, a horrendous car crash of a mix of poor design decisions and inherently flawed AI. To say that FIFA 15 is basketball played on a football pitch isn't that far from the truth, and it is something EA might want to, and should consider for its next annual release.
Football Manager 2015 is everything expected of a Football Manager release. The players who got many thousands of hours out of the previous versions will no doubt get the same out of this years' edition. However, the match engine has taken a significant step backwards and borders on moronic, making it a chore to play. Additionally, a tinge of tiredness is beginning to creep into the formula for this annual release. The changes to scouting and training are welcome but going forward Sports Interactive needs to plan to bring something big to the table to avoid the series beginning to feel a bit stale.
This year's edition of the Just Dance series lifts the game beyond its former releases thanks to its focus on treating players to various extras the more they play and integrating the online component so smoothly into the regular play. There will always be a tendency to jiggle the Wii Remote randomly in the hope of getting a good score, but that is the player's fault, not that of the game. Just Dance 2015 on Wii U is as close to perfection in the genre as possible, also allowing for extra points to be accrued by singing along via the GamePad's microphone for good measure.
This War of Mine is arguably one of the most powerful games ever created at conveying the troubling reality of war in an emotional and thought-provoking way. That it does these, not through big explosions and fancy textures, is all the more impressive. These are real stories; this is a game that takes risks. There are no punches pulled in a world where everyone suffers, including children, and are shown as casualties, something other games have in the past shied away from. However, this is not just some experience to make a point. This is a damn fun game to play, it is incredibly hard to put down due to its incredibly tight mechanics, which all blend together to create something really special. Quite simply, buy This War of Mine.
It is often the case that a great little game will spring up out of nowhere, and that's definitely the situation here with Red Phantom Games' Minutes. Simple to play but very addictive, and challenging but rarely frustrating, Minutes delivers quick-burst, hectic puzzle-action gameplay with enough to come back to on a daily basis. It is well worth the money, and it will be good to see just what else the studio comes out with in the future after this great first independent project.