Cubed3's Reviews
Cyber Shadow is not a perfect game; levels occasionally overstay their welcome and the visual variety between locales is quite limited. Still, the core gameplay and design are so polished that it's hard to put down. Nothing feels more satisfying than successfully comboing together Shadow's moves to narrowly survive a perilous set-piece. It learns the best lessons from its classic inspirations while still trying out new things, culminating in a smooth, difficult, and rewarding experience for fans of the genre.
Georifters isn't the worst platformer, but an ugly aesthetic and repetitive level design make for a generally unpleasant playthrough. What's especially disappointing is how creative the core mechanics are. Players are encouraged to manipulate the world around them, but stages are so basically built that even the most engaging puzzles barely offer enough stimulation. Georifters does have a fairly decent multiplayer mode, but mainly due to circumstance rather than thought provoking game design.
Taking a PC Classic and reintroducing it for a new audience with a fresh lick of paint, Edna & Harvey: The Breakout takes the basic concept of escaping an asylum and runs with it, offering vast amounts of interaction, backed with great writing and voice-acting. The Switch's Touchscreen feels unusually neglected here, and logical issues relative to the genre are sadly present later in the game, but aside from that, this is one liberation that is worth carrying out.
Fans of adventure games will get a big laugh out of Lair of the Clockwork God. Sadly, the platforming half of the experience is mediocre and unpolished. The experiment of Size Five Games is mostly a success with managing to find a careful balance of platforming and puzzles, but the team needed to refine the experience with tighter quality control. The writing and humour elevate theis from being average, to being worth a look towards anyone who enjoys the adventure genre.
There is almost nothing to dislike about World End Syndrome. It looks and plays beautifully with a variety of shocking plot twists added among some well-known anime tropes which are comforting to read in a visual novel whose plot is definitely not cute and fluffy. It doesn't matter that, like all visual novels, scenes are reused over and over. The plot is so engaging that the repetitive nature isn't an issue, nor is having to load an earlier save when a wrong choice is made and the main character is brutally murdered. For those more easily scared it is advisable not to play this game in the dark, as ordinary night noise morphs into a death seeking being whose badness is not as clear cut as it seems. To get one hundred percent completion, several playthroughs will be necessary, yet each character is likeable enough that replaying it isn't a chore, not when more truths will be revealed by doing so.
PGA Tour 2K21 is a fluid take on golf with incredibly tight mechanics that would be perfect for newcomers were it not for 2K's aggressive microtransactions. All sense of progression is held back by an in-game shop that demands hours of grinding on the player's part or real-life money. What is worse is that this practice makes it difficult to enjoy everything the title has to offer. Player customisation moves too slow and career mode simply offers too few rewards to feel rewarding. There is a good game in PGA Tour 2K21 somewhere, but it will never be found so long as microtransactions hold back actual game design.
For those with little time on their hands, or who are new to genre, Syrup and the Ultimate Sweet is an ideal visual novel on the Nintendo Switch. Short in length, and cute in style, with memorable characters, it makes it easy to replay to discover new aspects to each character and see all the endings without getting fed up of seeing the same text over and over. The truth of the candy golem's creation is a fine plot twist that puts a different view to the start of the tale when replaying it. The genuine life lessons it teaches, and the resulting personality changes are delightful to read, and provide food for thought alongside all the sweet treats included.
One of the most addictive rogue-lites on the Nintendo Switch, Heroes of Hammerwatch blends classic action RPG progression with a hostile world design that'll have heroes second guessing every turn they make, and whether or not their next foe will be their last. Procedurally generated level design can never match up to thoughtful handcrafted stages, but HoH is able to cut the difference thanks to its easy to pick up gameplay loop, and an understanding that even the smallest bit of progress is meaningful. Between experimenting with classes, upgrading your town, and dungeon-eering with a trusted group of friends, Heroes of Hammerwatch is a must-play.
With the truth not necessarily being found on the first play-through, Jisei: The First Case HD definitely merits a second one to learn about more of the secrets in detail, which do not appear to be revealed all in one route. This feels like it should be a series, so hopefully Ratalaika Games will make more with this strange protagonist, who can sense things other humans can't. From the nature of his character, this won't be the only murder the protagonist comes across and is assumed to be linked to it. There's certainly no hint as to where his powers come from, or where they will lead him either.
Mochi Mochi Boy is fun, stress-free, and a casual game to dip in and out of rather than one to play for hours at a time, unless one is immune to frustration and never needs a break from a tricky level, ever.
Despite various glitches that are being fixed in updates, overall Best Friend Forever is an accurate take on what life can be like both in the dating scene, and when bringing up a dog. For players who are not dog owners it is an eye-opener to how intense and hands-on having a dog is, with a lot to think about and juggle what aspects of training get priority. All the characters seem available to date, none are cookie-cutter ones as each has complex aspects to their lives which are realistic. Replayability is high with so many romance options available, and learning how to improve stats better to achieve better grades from the adoption centre provides hours of gameplay to be had.
Part of Inbento's appeal is the strong cat theme, which matched with cute puzzles to solve, makes it a good fit for the Nintendo Switch. The desire to find out what happens to the cat characters is motivation when facing a tough puzzle that seems unsolvable. The limited number of moves is not as limiting as it sounds because there is no limit to how many times the puzzle can be attempted, nor are there time limits, making it easy to dip in and out.
NEKOPARA Volume 3 has a way of making the characters feel like they have been known by the player far longer than may be the case, even if the previous volumes haven't been played. It should carry a content disclaimer saying it is not responsible for any food cravings players may have as a result of playing the game; all the food is portrayed in a realistic and delicious looking way. Reading the previous volumes is recommended to understanding the family dynamics, and despite the lack of options in the story, the replay value is high due to how beautiful the overall tale of striving for dreams is. Maple's story arc shows that with encouragement and support a person can reach for their dreams and bring joy to themselves and others. This uplifting game is a must have for any visual novel enthusiast's game shelf.
Super Mario 3D World may not have had much added to it aside from an online function that is limited to only saving progress for the host, but it didn't necessarily need much else. Nintendo successfully found a way to evolve the 2D classics without going open world, and the result is one of the most consistently fresh and enjoyable games around, which, despite lacking the challenge of the NES games, has something for just about everyone. The bonus Bowser's Fury solo adventure is an absolute delight with a brilliant core idea that adds a crazy tension to Mario platforming, but it is hard to present a case for purchasing this pack just to play it. Whilst full of great content, it is too short-lived to feel worth the asking price, and really needs a standalone purchase option. When taking both games into account for those that have not played the original Wii U title, though, this is a cracking bundle of Mario goodness that encapsulates what everyone knows and still loves about the moustachioed hero after an enduring thirty-five years.
For a game as adorable and as silly as Bonkies, it can be quite challenging. Younger players may have a bit of a learning curve before they can enjoy it, and the single player is not worth anyone's time. Nevertheless, for players who love playing chaotic, funny and difficult teamwork titles (think Overcooked and Moving Out), Bonkies is the space chimp party game that will leave players smiling or shouting, having a good time either way.
"Seize forbidden treasures. Summon alien gods. Feed on your disciples. Play as a seeker after unholy mysteries, in a '20s-themed setting, of hidden gods, and secret histories[i]," says [i]Cultist Simulator to potential buyers, but, like in every Lovecraftian tale, the actual truth will drive you mad. What's the truth here? Well, it's that this is basically a tedious, resource management game, where nothing is explained, which will leave a great number of players scratching their heads, even after spending a significant time with it.
A fairly niche experience is here to be had. It is unique, bold and above all pretty cool! When it comes down to it, PixelJunk Eden 2 is an easy experience to get lost in. It is obviously not going to satisfy everyone but for those this title strikes a nerve with it will be a lasting enjoyable experience and memory.
The distinct graphic style and story based on friendships and gaming, adds to the fun factor of Arcade Spirits. It is suitable for any player regardless of the level of arcade system knowledge, as a lot gets explained. It isn't solely an arcade history lesson, though. There is a slightly supernatural element that creates a lot of mystery and thrills, making a sequel rather desirable. The solid plot combined with retro style colours and game appropriate menus all add to the arcade machine feel of this visual novel, which most will appreciate and enjoy.
Gameplay time in Megadimension Neptunia VII can easily get into the sixty hour mark with the various side quests. The New Game Plus mode after completion allows the option of keeping various items and stats, and with three endings to discover the replay value is high. The easy-to-like characters make every gaming session enjoyable, even if it is a short burst, perfect for those who play on the go on Nintendo Switch. Hopefully there will be more Neptunia games ported to the Switch - most were on the Playstation Vita, which even during its time, was not the most popular of handheld systems. Neptune and her friends have found a home on this hybrid console and will win over new fans to their amusing and ludicrous adventures.
Gameplay time in Megadimension Neptunia VII can easily get into the sixty hour mark with the various side quests. The New Game Plus mode after completion allows the option of keeping various items and stats, and with three endings to discover the replay value is high. The easy-to-like characters make every gaming session enjoyable, even if it is a short burst, perfect for those who play on the go on Nintendo Switch. Hopefully there will be more Neptunia games ported to the Switch - most were on the Playstation Vita, which even during its time, was not the most popular of handheld systems. Neptune and her friends have found a home on this hybrid console and will win over new fans to their amusing and ludicrous adventures.