Cubed3's Reviews
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.
How to Survive: Storm Warning has its fair share of problems and doesn't really contain that much content, yet credit should be given to developer EKO Software. It has attempted something different to make its game stand out in a genre that is already extremely saturated. It controls well and is fairly enjoyable to play, but even after just a few hours, it feels like there is nothing left to do.
Bento Studio and Moving Players have come together to make the most infuriating experience on Wii U eShop, and a certain type of player will absolutely adore its challenge. Its difficulty and lack of content may turn away some, but Cosmophony remains a stylish, addictive game that is sure to satisfy the resilient.
CastleStorm: Definitive Edition on PlayStation 4 is quite the time sink, and Zen Studios is to be commended for re-working a few proven, familiar play mechanics and binding them together to create an original, polished experience that feels fresh and is, most importantly, fun to play.
TRI: Of Friendship and Madness' name is appropriate: It is easy to get pulled in by the gorgeous visuals, fall under the spell of the powerful soundtrack, experience the exhilarating elevation of solving a hard level, have bucketsful of fun with the creative freedom the game offers, and naturally want to pet the adorable foxes. On the flip side, the difficulty of later levels is likely to drive the genre newcomer up the triangles-covered wall.
A dimensional switch to 3D, but Senran Kagura Shinovi Versus hasn't evolved into what potential it has after following on from the 2D exploits of the Nintendo 3DS predecessor. At the right price, its rather repetitive formula, variety-starved stages, frequent loading and basic plot can be tolerated because what lies beneath is a solid beat 'em up with some amusing moments outside of the obvious fan service. For a heavy dosage of butts, boobs and brawling, this is the go-to game on PS Vita, but don't expect much more than that.
Aiming and the shooting experience is tight and enjoyable, there are mechanics built into the background that alleviate the stress. The sound and graphics can't be faulted for the genre it is in, either. All in all, Heavy Bullets comes highly recommended!
The nigh endless depth of the combat engine in this game is so full of possibilities and options, it is like staring into the graces of heaven itself. Bayonetta 2 is the nirvana of the character-action game genre and is one of the greatest sequels ever made. It is doubtful that there will be a better game this holiday season. Bayonetta 2 is a Game of the Year contender, which comes extremely recommended.
This game is not what was originally promised, but that's not a bad thing. While many were hoping for the next Silent Hill 2, it became the next Resident Evil 4, instead. With The Evil Within, Mikami has taken the highlights of a number of his other games and combined them into one terrifying amalgamation of gore, horror and action. The Evil Within is a great game. Survival horror fans will find it a great addition to their collection, and even for those with little experience of the genre it's well worth a play.