Cubed3's Reviews
Earth Defense Force: World Brothers starts off on a pretty high note, with various characters and Easter Eggs of the older entries thrown in. Getting new guys and weapons is fun, but fairly rapidly some of the annoyances really start to come through and slow the experience down. From the very slow movement, to the largely repetitious maps, it doesn't take that long before it feels like players have seen most of what there is too see, and begin to feel the need to move on.
Crypto Beyond All Odds is actually fairly solid with its aesthetics, theme and some small memes. Those with no clue on cryptos are going to be in the dark big time about a lot of what is happening, the history, and the jokes. Ultimately the game starts to get repetitive where the waves feel too much the same, and the game devolves into chaos too quickly to allow much strategy beyond just slapping more crypto towers down and usually winning.
Call of the Sea can be described as: a forgettable adventure, sprinkled with fun, but easy puzzles. The exposition-heavy "narration" of the main heroine ruins the atmosphere of this journey, which isn't that strong to begin with, especially for a story dealing with eldritch terrors from beyond. The only reason to play this are the puzzles, although they too fail to keep you invested, as you won't really care about reaching the end, especially if a fan of Lovecraft, which will instantly turn the plot into an extremely predictable one. It has its moments, sure, and the visuals are beautiful, but this is generally a mediocre experience.
Mario Golf: Super Rush plays as well as it should and introduces some exciting elements to the long-running series. Playing with the right people can make for a fun time… but that's about it. A poorly executed Adventure Mode, overall lack of creativity and no incentive to keep playing all make for a disappointing package that is more of a step backwards for the franchise. The promise of free DLC updates may alleviate some of these issues, but when looking at it as a full-priced first-party Nintendo product, Super Rush simply isn't up to par.
The Xbox brand has taken great strides in diversifying its portfolio of first party offerings, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps is quite literally genre-defining. Slightly more linear in nature than its predecessor, Will of the Wisps still manages to make exploration feel fresh and traversal fluid. Stunning graphics, a wholesome and immersive soundtrack, tight controls and fun varied combat truly make Ori and the Will of the Wisps a must-own for Xbox Series X|S owners.
NEO: The World Ends with You is a good RPG in its own right, but it does not live up to its predecessor's legacy. Combat eventually opens up to become chaotically fun and the series' sense of style is as fresh as ever, but the story leaves a lot to be desired. Beyond spotty pacing at times, the script lacks the strong character focus that defined the original. There's too much focus on world building and epic plotting instead of the intimacy that made TWEWY compelling to begin with. The fact that Final Remix's A New Day epilogue plays such a foundational role in the narrative doesn't exactly help matters either. NEO: The World Ends with You has a frantic battle system that only gets better, but the story is sure to disappoint.
By far the most polished and interesting Ace Attorney title to date. It perfects the formula and offers a compelling narrative that bridges not just one but two games. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a masterpiece of "Courtroom drama" and one in which fans and non-fans will find a stunning experience. Heartily recommended to not only Switch owners but to anyone who owns a console on which the collection will release!
Red Colony 2 offers even more fun and titillating campiness than the original, and slightly improves its gameplay formula. The "upgrade" isn't that substantial, to be honest, so the game is better described as 'more of the same,' but it's hard being hard towards this indie, super-low-budget tribute to Resident Evil and Dino Crisis, and how it manages to offer a tale that can take some pretty dark turns, and at the same time look and feel so utterly ridiculous, but in a good way. It's a '70s sci-fi pulp magazine with monsters and busty girls in video game form, and that's never a bad thing.
For those who didn't make the Neo Geo leap with the excellent SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (which is included here anyway), Neo Geo Pocket Colour Selection Vol.1 is where to start. With an excellent range of titles as well as the only way currently to play two superb Metal Slug titles outside of picking them and a handheld up, it's an easy decision to p-p-p-pick up a pack. It's always going to be a tough sale to take a leap if not familiar with the handheld and lacking that deep nostalgic love, but even with some strange additions outside the recognisable (honestly, Dark Arms is bonkers, fantastic fun), there really is a lot to make that purchase totally justifiable.
Mighty Goose won't push players to their limit the way Blazing Chrome does, but it is satisfying to play, thanks to all the mayhem and destruction to be had. The impressive sprite art and animation go a long way at elevating the experience from being just another run and gun action title. There aren't many like this that have so much pandemonium on screen. The harder, unlockable mode definitely seems like it would have been the standard difficulty if this had come out in the era that inspired it, and it feels like the intended way to play. For some reason, causing havoc as a goose is one of those things that makes a lot of sense in a video game.
Cubed3 adored DOOM Eternal for Nintendo Switch when it first released and having The Ancient Gods DLC Part 1 come to the console is another cherry on the cake for the handheld hybrid system. The difficulty will be the biggest barrier to overcome for many; this is a rock solid DLC pack that will test even the most veteran players out there. The three stages on offer might sound like the DLC is lacking, but there is enough content there to warrant the price tag for an extra chance to smash up some demons. Bethesda have already stated that DLC 2 will be coming later in the year, so it is not that much longer to wait!
Balan WonderWorld deserved to be far more than average, as the final game is a marked improvement over the demo. It's beautiful a lot of the time, character designs are mostly wonderful, the unique ideas that appear in each level are great fun… however the overall execution is simply lacking something important. The repetitive bouts, rough edges, and the sometimes awful physics make this a much harder title to recommend. It is full of bubbly unique charm, and is mostly heart-warmingly fun, but many will be put off by the slow, restrictive design, despite this being designed around it. Hopefully, the game will get some traction.
The Yomawari: Long Night Collection represents great value with its two-games-in-one package. Despite both games being quite short they represent the horror genre like no other. The tension is often palpable, and feeling of fear while out on the streets is almost constant. The audio may appear to be basic, but it does a stellar job of immersion with small sounds helping to heighten the paranoia that something could be lurking around the corner. The visuals will appeal to fans of a chibi-anime style and really do help lend to gorgeous backdrops and animations. Yomawari: Long Night Collection is well worth a purchase for horror fans.
Max Payne's third (and final) journey into the night just doesn't have the right to call itself worthy of its name. Max Payne 3's biggest problem, however, is the fact that, even if you can stomach the change in direction, writing, and - once strong - visual style, this simply is too repetitive for it to be any fun. The production values are insane, but they simply can't save this from being this bundle of mediocrity that it is.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a complete package, telling the story of Midgar from two different perspectives. Both the main campaign following Cloud and his journey, and Yuffie's own adventure, are well told with tight and responsive gameplay along with an impressive graphical update. These tales each leave exciting questions to be answered, and this reviewer can't wait to see what awaits Cloud and his friends beyond the City of Mako.
Lacking that unique, special vibe of Max Payne, and offering a dry tale of love that few will care about, this is truly 'The Fall of Max Payne.' In terms of gameplay it's slightly better, but it's still not enough. Long story short, what used to be a good-ish shooter with awesome presentation, is now just a good game, but one whose world and characters won't stay with you for long.
Yui's eventful adventure with its high personal stakes in saving her family and friends, plus her unique ability to travel between her younger self and her current self, makes YesterMorrow a strong addition to Switch's library. The time travel mechanics are simple to execute, harder to master, especially as judgement is required to decide when it is the best time to change time periods. The gripping plot and the desire to save everyone from the, at times, horrific reality, creates a strong drive in Yui that will remain long after the end credits roll, with only initial game issues prior to and shortly after launch affecting overall enjoyment.
Neo-noir plus John Woo, plus the foreboding atmosphere of Norse myths, in a shooter that's great in everything... apart from the actual shooting. In other words Max Payne should not be viewed as an action game. Repetitive, uninspired, and even unfair, the action on offer is definitely this title's weakest aspect. Therefore, if looking for a great shooter, this isn't it. This is, above all else, an experience. A fantastic one, indeed, but only if you can endure the constant loop of quick saving and loading.
Bob Help Them is essentially a simpler, single-player equivalent to Overcooked. The specific tasks one must do are extremely simple, but a harsh time limit creates an engaging challenge that requires genuine concentration and strategy. This title could really use a bit more polish and refinement when it comes to visuals, controls, and quality-of-life features, but those looking for a fun and frantic strategy puzzler will still have a good time with it nonetheless.
It is rare to see such a strongly varied game, based on a beloved license such as Spiderman, hit all of the right notes and deliver in such a satisfying fashion. The simplicity yet sheer variety in combat is unapparelled, traversal is mind-blowingly fun and cathartic, and the soundtrack is epic, not only the musical score but the voice acting as well. Visually, Marvel's Spiderman Remastered looks outstanding, with raytracing and 60fps, which is exactly the type of quality that New York's favourite superhero deserves. PlayStation owners and Spiderman fans who do not own this are doing themselves an absolute injustice as it is quite simply one of the best games available on the system.