Cubed3's Reviews
Pepper Grinder is a short little platformer that delivers a satisfying gameplay concept, but it can take time to grasp the full mechanics due to the fast speed and slight unpredictability of where Pepper will move during and after the drilling process. The slower speed option can help alleviate the issues, but those that take the time to master it will be rewarded with a fast-paced adventure with plenty of secrets to discover. Speedrunners will get a lot of purchase out of this one, but it isn't without its problems when dealing with frustrating combat and bosses. Thankfully, the short length balances things out, ensuring Pepper Grinder ends before it gets too tedious.
A lot of Front Mission 2: Remake's shortcomings lie in a mixture of a sloppy transition to becoming a more modern game, including low budget and some of the old design choices from its source material. Many of the best aspects of the original still shine through and the remake's staff did make some legitimate improvements like the options to speed up gameplay aspects of the gamepla. With a bit more time, perhaps a better translation will get patched in and maybe a port for the more powerful consoles will iron out its technical shortcomings. Anyone who desires a demanding and complex strategy mecha game with political intrigue and a plot that predicts the dangers of globalism will get their money's worth with Front Mission 2: Remake.
The focus on online elements positions Megaton Musashi W: Wired as a potential favourite for mobile gamers accustomed to online interaction. While solo and offline play are available, the core experience lies in the extensive online grind alongside other players who prioritise efficiency and rapid mission completion for loot acquisition. The narrative in Megaton Musashi W: Wired may not resonate with all audiences, lacking complexity and English language voice acting. However, it compensates with a focus on bombastic action and over-the-top brawls, reminiscent of the live-action Transformers films. This emphasis on explosive spectacle may hold appeal for players seeking a purely action-oriented experience. Megaton Musashi W: Wired offers a flashy combat experience hampered by a repetitive structure, excessive grinding, and a weak localisation effort. While the frenetic action and customisation may appeal to some, the lack of depth and focus on loot acquisition limit the game's overall appeal.
Cupid Parasite: Sweet and Spicy Darling lures in new fans to the adorable Lynette's love life through balanced backstory telling in this full-length sequel, each route taking a few hours of play depending on reading speed. Returning fans will be ecstatic to see what happens during the happy ever after version of the original tale. The sole difficulty of the game lies in choosing which bachelor story to start with as they are all so interesting. The eye-catching colour palette pairs perfectly with easy-to-use menus and wildly different plot routes. Lynette's married life is not perfect but addresses relatable issues that get solved with humour and make a perfect bedtime read on Nintendo Switch.
Everything that Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door entails is everything that is desired in this series - turn-based timed button battles, completely original characters in familiar and new species, witty dialogue, and an emphasis on story and greater lore. This is a unique adventure full of fun and clever gameplay ideas, offering a medium-length RPG that will satisfy Mario fans eager to see more than stomping on koopas and - in the case of the more recent Paper Mario titles - repetitive battle systems and generic characters. If all goes well, fingers crossed that the success of this game can pave the way for a brand-new entry in the same vein as this one - ideally without a paper joke in sight.
Come for the almost Body Horror-esque visual style, stay for the fun and adrenaline pumping shooting action! Angel at Dusk might be a bit too simple for most people, as well as too easy for Bullet Hell veterans and too hard for greenhorns, yet it manages to offer quite the enjoyable ride. It mostly suffers in the replayability department, but if found at a good discount, it's solid recommendation for genre fans and not only.
It's clear from the very first hour into the dark fantasy world of GRAVEN that this retro-flavoured FPS was not a victim of an incompetent developer, but one more example of internal problems that didn't let the team behind it complete its homage to titles like HeXen. The end result remains fun despite its many issues, like its unnecessary long length and unbalanced mechanics. Sadly, it's also very likely that players might stumble upon a game-breaking bug that will ruin hours upon hours of gameplay.
There is no doubt that that the mostly strong level design, amusing character interactions and intriguing story make Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution a solid entry on Nintendo Switch, especially when having both new and returning music that help with the nostalgic feel for returning fans. It is a shame that there are some unbalanced areas in both design and gameplay that could impact enjoyment for some less skilled players, as overall it is a captivating addition to the well-known and beloved Neptunia series.
Men of War II is a solid RTS marred by clunky controls and complicated gameplay, but its worst offense is requiring an internet connection, even for single-player modes. Without that requirement (which, again, is currently meant to change sometime post-launch) and with just a little polish to the controls, UI, or both, this could be a must-have for RTS/WW2 buffs. Fans of the series will probably have an easier time diving in, while new players are likely to find themselves completely lost without going through the tutorials. On the whole, the game feels solid, looks good, sounds good, and has a lot of potential, and its flaws aren't so bad they can't be polished out.
Biomutant is very far from a bad game and getting something of this scope ported to the Nintendo Switch in a very playable state - as seen from other ports over the years - is credit to the technical knowhow and adaptiveness of the development team at Experiment 101. There are a lot of interesting mechanics going on, from the focus on an entirely customisable character and the crafting and loot system, to the exploration in this unique setting. While performance is generally acceptable however, the graphics are undoubtedly rough round the edges and things like shadows, pop-in and inconsistent textures spoil what is otherwise a decent enough presentation. Adding to this, while the world is varied in its locales, the emptiness of the setting does much to break immersion and despite the illusion of choice many of the quests ultimately boil down to the mundane.
Grid Legends achieves a great deal at nailing down the fundamentals of a modern racer, but not much else. While the roster of cars is fine, the upgrade system and process of obtaining new vehicles leaves something to be desired. Codemasters provides handling of most vehicles on the track and stable performance and visuals on PC to make up for the awkward feeling story mode and lacklustre AI in offline modes. In the end, Grid Legends doesn't quite match up to the competition but may be worth a look as a more straightforward title.
Endless Ocean Luminous caught a lot of attention amongst fans of the series when announced. Those who enjoy long, peaceful diving sessions may well feel at home with Endless Ocean Luminous. It's a formula that, on paper, had a lot of potential to have opened up the flood-gates (pun intended) for a comprehensive diving experience - especially with the capabilities of the Nintendo Switch. Initially it's a bright and intriguing but drifts off into the mundane fairly quickly.
The transition from single-screen pre-rendered backgrounds to fully realized 3D environments has breathed new life into level design of Oddworld: Soulstorm Enhanced Edition. Stages wrap around each other, utilizing added depth creatively. The expansive vistas of Oddworld's alien landscape look incredibly realistic, showcasing the capabilities of the Unity engine, which has evolved from a budget choice for hobbyists to a platform capable of rendering imagery on par with AAA Unreal Engine 4 titles. The clashing tones with the storytelling and gameplay are regrettable. The developers should have leaned more into the silliness of the premise instead of take itself so seriously. Being able to fart on command was a crucial pillar of Oddworld and seeing it gutted is utterly depressing.
Stasis: Bone Totem's challenging puzzles may cause a headache and bring progression to a halt on more than one occasion, so it is best to be prepared for critical thinking and a little trial and error. The excellently written characters and superb voice acting really drive the desire to progress, and the sci-fi horror plot is backed up by immaculate prerendered backgrounds that sadly take a dip in quality on Switch, especially on the puzzle screens. Although not without its faults and the odd bug here and there, this point-and-click adventure has still transitioned greatly to console, and the effort to bring such a title to Switch is hugely appreciated.
Marvelous have absolutely succeeded in making Rune Factory 3 Special endearing to newer fans despite some obvious differences compared with the newer Rune Factory titles. It remains a great blend of RPG farming and fighting, the latter can be focused on for farming aficionados, holding off main story progression until it is desired. The comprehensive post-game content that is not conditional on various requirements only adds to the experience. Let's hope Rune Factory 1 and 2 receive similar treatments in the future!
Forza: Motorsport 2023 is both a fantastic racing experience and an example of everything wrong in the genre at the moment. the driving is better than ever and the visual design is fantastic but the soundtrack, lack of local play and the small number of bugs did detract from the overall experience. It's got a ton of amazing content that makes up for the issues, however, so it is a hearty recommendation to all motor nuts.
Dementium: The Ward runs pretty short and has very little replay value. The puzzle solutions and bosses are identical to the prior versions, and the overall campaign takes place in only one location. Its value is a tad overstated, this is a recommended classic that does come highly polished and has some legit creepiness to it, thanks to the gritty and foreboding atmosphere. The controls feel very tight and it's incredibly responsive, though it could use more features like gyro or a weapon wheel. A survival mode or a randomiser would also add value and more of a reason to return to Redmoor. These are the kinds of additions Dementium: The Ward needed, not a 'retro' filter.
Persona 3 Reload does much to bring it up to modern sensibilities with a well optimized PC port in most cases, but more could have be done to shake off more of the baggage from the original release. The new menu systems and battle features carried over from more recent titles elevates the game the most and the new voice cast does an admirable job with largely the same script. The pacing still feels held back by the original story design and the main concept of Tartarus, but as a remake of what many consider a PlayStation 2 classic, it is a recommendation for JRPG fans.
Quantum: Recharged feels like a singular entry within a larger anthology or collection of retro arcade games harkening back to the early 80s. The game is highly responsive, and its polished, dazzling appearance indicates meticulous attention was paid to pay homage to the original Quantum. While it's commendable that the classic Atari game is receiving due respect, the extent of its acclaim appears to be overstated, primarily due to its excessively simplistic nature.
Princess Peach Showtime! is full of wonderful bits and pieces, all showcasing a staggering variety of extremely well implemented gameplay styles which come together as a very fun full game. It stumbles a little in terms of performance (perhaps some irony there in relation to theatre) but pulls itself back up. A Stella(r) second outing for Nintendo's leading lady and one that comes recommended regardless of age or any other features people use to create target audiences.