Cubed3's Reviews
One Piece's 3DS debut in One Piece: Romance Dawn sets sail but is quickly sunk under monotonous fights, endless corridor roaming that would put Final Fantasy XIII to shame, and a recurring reminder that it is merely a slapdash port adapted to none of the 3DS' strengths.
NES Remix takes most of the NES' early library of first party games, and fractions them into small tasks that help to revisit the most satisfying moments of each, as well as "remixes" some into new types of gameplay involving all sorts of cool and surprising elements. Whether one has already tried these games, or even still owns them to this day, he or she may well find that this new way of revisiting them might just be more fun than the games themselves. Playing NES Remix allows players to discover alternative methods to enjoy these classics in ways that they would not have otherwise found themselves by playing their original cartridges or Virtual Console releases. On the other hand, those who never tasted some of these titles, some of which are perhaps not anymore amongst the most well-known of Nintendo's back catalogue of NES classics, may well find that they want to experience them for themselves in the way they were meant to be played, after they try NES Remix. Indeed, NES Remix sheds new light on those classics to make them more relevant even to this day. Although, with that being said, there will always be players who will simply have a hard time getting into older software on the premise that they look, sound, and play "old", and, other than in the visual department to a small extent, NES Remix does very little to change this.
Blackguards is not not being recommended. In fact, it is being recommended. However, it is only being recommended to the right people. Those people are the true hardcore RPG fanatics - people who will put up with sadistic combat scenarios that will cause most other gamers to quit and load up something a little less painful.
Unepic may not stand out as one of the more original titles in the genre but it does what it sets out to do very well, offering plenty of addictive exploration, challenging combat and fairly in-depth character customisation. It comes highly recommended for RPG enthusiasts looking for a retro action-RPG with modern features at a fairly reasonable price of £8.99.
It is so, so easy to remark about Trine 2: Complete Story's remarkable graphics when the whole game is such a visual delight from start to finish, but the final product overall is a wonderful fantasy tale that comes together beautifully. Whether it is played alone or in multiplayer, this is an imaginative platforming adventure that is incredibly accessible to all. If it has yet to be played on any other platforms, Trine 2: Complete Story should definitely not be overlooked by PlayStation 4 owners.
Want to play a title where there is no guarantee of winning, no matter how good a player's skill level? Then Mario Party: Island Tour is something to pick up. Fun is there to be found, in small pockets of good mini-games (although not consistent or regular), but - as a big fan of Mario Party in general - this isn't the greatest of games.
Act 2 simply cannot come soon enough! Oh wait, that should be the final line, right? Broken Age has two parts to it, one moderately intriguing and short-lived, and another that really harks back to the classic days of point-and-click adventuring and goes on just long enough to draw players deep into the tale, leaving the action at a very impressive conclusion. Can it be said now? Yes, Act 2 simply cannot come soon enough! In the meantime, though, do not miss out on the highly polished adventure!
Sometimes it's great to see an old classic remade and introduced to a new audience, but all these years on, Putty Squad just doesn't hold up with its less-than-perfect controls and quickly-repetitive gameplay. It isn't to say that nobody will enjoy it, though, because there are plenty of levels and challenges to tackle, and it's possible that being familiar with the original game or Super Putty on Super NES could mean this will be more appreciated by such players. For everyone else, however, it's wise to pass.
Already one of the best games to download for the Nintendo 3DS, SteamWorld Dig is now available to even more people through Steam, and they should not pass it up. Whilst the similarities are small to games like Metroid, Terraria and Spelunky, they are indeed there, and they form a short, but extremely fun, little game that demands multiple play-throughs due to its addictiveness and urge to beat it in quicker times than the last. On the other hand, the fact it doesn't last too long and that there wasn't anything added over the 3DS version lets it down slightly.
Revolution is back in a big way, bringing together everything that made the original Broken Sword so joyous to play. Clever puzzles, intuitive controls, stacks of humour and an array of characters that excite and frustrate in equal measure. As for the story…well, when hitting that 50% completion mark to see in the conclusion of Chapter 1, there will be a definite hunger for more. Exhilarating, hilarious, brain teasing and providing a sensory overload, Broken Sword: The Serpent's Curse strikes all the right chords and is by far the adventure game of the year. The king is back!
An expansive masterpiece, with amazing controls, stunningly atmospheric music, an intriguing graphical approach and oddball story that keeps players on their toes. Tight controls and intriguing morphing abilities mean that every challenge is extremely enjoyable, and the entire world is open to exploration - no boundaries! Part of the fun is merely trying to fill every tiny part of the world map.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is not perfect. There are times the irreverent take on "Metal Gear" is just a little too irreverent. There are characters and lines of dialogue that one could do without. There are a handful of encounters that jump up and down on the "cheap and unfair" line in a way that The Wonderful 101 never does. And there are some cut-scenes that go on a bit long. However, the first time one slow motion flips in the air and slices an enemy in half with a Zandatsu, grabs his cyborg spine and smashes it for precious energy juice, it's obvious that these are very minor issues in a very good and highly recommended game.
The Banner Saga is a very good game with some obvious flaws. Some are due to budget, some are due to poor design. That doesn't stop the game from being fun, although it can make it occasionally frustrating. Still, it's worth playing and seeing and hearing.
CastleStorm succeeds at blending together the tower defence and 2D physics-based destruction genres to create a unique and very fun game that doesn't shy away from being a goofy, good time for the player with its dry sense of humour.
Call of Duty: Ghosts is everything that Call of Duty titles have been in the past: fast-paced action and the usual competitive multiplayer with a few twists thrown in. Single-player is interesting to a point, if a little too short this time around, multiplayer will keep players coming back for more, but does little to push the series forwards, and Extinction is a nice little distraction but nowhere near as fleshed out as it could be. For anyone thinking of getting the PC version, though, knock the score down to 4/10 as in good faith it certainly cannot be recommended until it's fixed. Right now it is plagued with performance issues that would make many consumers' heads ache and even the most average system die a death. At current it feels like only 1/3rd of the game is playable and that isn't good value for money.
Bravely Default is classic Final Fantasy in everything but name only. Despite dropping the famous moniker and attempting to become a successful new RPG series in its own right, this is the game that Final Fantasy fans have been missing in their lives for far too long. The added beauty of this very traditional role-playing experience is that it is accessible to all types of players due to the difficulty options and simple tutorials, making for a game that is great for those still new to the genre, but also offers a lot of challenge for the more seasoned gamer that demands it. Bravely Default is a great start for this new Square Enix franchise, and proves that allowing other developers to craft the types of RPGs that have been long-missed by the Final Fantasy company's fans can lead to extremely positive results. This is one game any RPG fan should be setting money aside for, whether they already own a Nintendo 3DS or not.
No touch or motion controls that don't always do what is asked of them; no microphone gimmicks to blow hundreds of times into incredibly infuriating wind instruments; no involuntary hand-holding that removes the need to explore and continuously breaks up the flow of the game—A Link Between Worlds is the very definition of what classic top-down Legend of Zelda games should always be about. It is clear that 2D Zelda thrives and is at its ultimate best when it sticks to its roots, and A Link Between Worlds does exactly that, and more. This is the return to form that long-time fans have been wishing for in the classic 2D format for the Zelda franchise for many years; it is the greatest entry in a very long time.
All in all, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy shows there is still plenty of mileage in the series, but as time has been called on this particular line of Hershel Layton adventures, it proves to be a fitting closure with some great twists at the story's conclusion, along with clever plot elements that tie this precursor trilogy back into the first ever game, The Curious Village. Whilst not as gripping as the finale to the original trilogy - the truly sublime and epic Professor Layton and the Lost Future - this is still one that fans should not be without.
EDGE is a great example of value for money. With over a hundred levels to conquer, plus a familiar ranking system, there is plenty to do to keep players busy. Not only is there a fair amount of content, but the game's discounted price of £1.79 makes this easy to recommend to anyone who owns a Wii U and wants a fun, unique experience. This low price point lasts up until January 2nd, 2014, so those interested have plenty of time to grab it. Don't hesitate; at this price, the game is a steal. Go buy it now!
Super Mario 3D World is a superb first attempt at a 3D Super Mario Bros. platformer from Nintendo. It's more than just a simple Mario title with multiplayer bolted on. The game weaves together a plethora of unique, compelling and occasionally downright bizarre ideas that simply work. Mario and friends run, jump, float, crawl, climb, throw fireballs and explode cannonballs across multiple worlds of charming designs, experimental ideas and rock hard platforming towards the end. Super Mario 3D World is one of the best titles on the Nintendo Wii U and one of the best platformers, period. Go forth and save the Sprixie Kingdom!