Cubed3's Reviews
With a very small amount of reductions made for performance, Roller Coaster Tycoon 3: Complete Edition on the Nintendo Switch is a triumph of port work. The developers should be proud to have pulled off what seems like an almost impossible feat. To have this fully featured and much-loved title on a portable console will have revolutionised many people's spare time. A fantastic game and one that nobody should hesitate to pick up!
Hakoniwa Explorer Plus isn't an extremely niche comedy ARPG. It's simply boring. The - otherwise welcome - low-key vulgarity, and sexualised monster girl enemies is just a thin veil, behind which hides a plethora of issues. This is repetitive, boring, and uninspired. The soft, curvy, and bouncy body of a cute lass is in no way a bad thing… but there is no reason to try this game out just for that.
Wasteland 3 is an absolute blast. The well balanced, if unforgiving, difficulty feels pitch perfect for the story and world. It is funny, harrowing and at times even verging on dark, telling a compelling tail of surviving in this terrifying world. Not only is the narrative great but the strategic combat centric gameplay is absolutely stunning. It is impossible not to recommend this title; it is one of a kind.
A commendable attempt to bring Samurai Shodown to an old portable format, even though the limited nature of the Neo Geo Pocket Color at the time does hinder Samurai Shodown! 2's chances of being able to hold much attention today. One for the diehard fans that will appreciate the effort of what was achieved with the hardware.
Without its atrocious AI Hotshot Racing is okay. With it, it's a racing game to avoid. Genre aficionados, especially those who lean towards the more arcade side of the scale, will manage to quench their thirst for a bunch of evenings, but it's unlikely this will stay with you for long.
Easy to use controls, entertaining characters, fulfilling all the quests and fish list, beating personal bests at the mini games - all add to the high replay value that A Short Hike provides. It's a game to relax with before bed, or when life stresses need a calming outlet to reset one's inner harmony. Helping out illegal campers has never been so fun!
There is little to fault in Evan's Remains, which can be a three-hour long adventure, depending how fast puzzles are solved, and how long is spent enjoying watching the protagonists hair and clothes move about when she runs and jumps. Multiple saves would be a plus point, although they aren't really needed, since puzzles can be bypassed if they prove too difficult. Learning the truth about everyone on and off the island makes a replay enticing, in order to see the hints about their identities, and the emotional, tugging truth about Evan.
Regrettably due to the inclusion of instant death FoxyLand 2 is not for casual platformer fans, who the first game seemed to cater for. Those seeking to find out what happens next in the cute foxes' lives will need great skill to be able to enjoy this one. Here's hoping that if there is a FoxyLand 3, it will take away the flaws of the second game on board, and reinstates the good elements from the first, so players of all capabilities can play it, not just those who revel in high stake gaming, and are good at platformers.
Just like the other game in the series Nurse Love Addiction, [i[Nurse Love Syndrome[/i] is one of the best visual novels on the Nintendo Switch. The issues discussed are minimal in impact on enjoyment of Kaori's personal and professional development, which is a story that requires repeated visits to discover the other romance route and simply to enjoy the story once more.
The carefully crafted atmosphere of the game using the plot, music, and sound effects is balanced against the sometimes rather poor English translation and simplistic menu UI, which could benefit with some refinement to make it easier to use. Despite knowing how it ends, the replay value is high because of the desire to experience such a tragic tale once more, and see what else can be revealed from the immoral crew that may help or hinder the protagonist. There is Japanese voice acting, which makes it a good way to practice some language skills if Japanese is known by the player, but it isn't constantly voiced. It is a measure of how engaging the story is that despite the translation issues it remains a compelling play.
Peaceful music and simple game mechanics, which could do with a clearer tutorial, as the extensive help menu is not necessarily easily signposted, moving sideways on the farm instead of having a top down view typical to farming games, is easier than it sounds. Hours can whizz by while coin collecting to see what crops and creatures will next be unlocked, although Plantera Deluxe is more of a dip in-and-out kind of deal than one you can constantly play, making it perfect for a before bed game, or any time where relaxation is needed.
Waku Waku Sweets on Nintendo Switch is an example of how cute graphics do not necessarily make a fun game. The ridiculous game mechanics that swiftly remove any enjoyment from what in its original 3DS form made it a fun easy game brightening up a gamer's day, makes this version feel unplayable. The story and characters may be entertaining, but that is worthless when making the treats themselves have a permanent invasive and unavoidable tutorial mode. Perhaps a patch in the future may resolve this issue, as it is doubtful even the youngest of players need constant reminders of how to whisk a bowl or break an egg once they have accomplished it successfully themselves. Until that patch comes, go hunt out the 3DS version which can actually be enjoyed without wanting to throw the console out of a window or in a bin.
The first two Shenmue games are undeniably very important, but they fall just short of being great. They are undeniably unique, even all these years after their release, and the best thing that can be said about them is that they are interesting. It is a really fun world the games put forward, and it is great to explore and figure out where to go and what to do next. At the same time, though, they don't necessarily play that well, and they show their age in a lot of unfortunate ways. This is definitely more of an acquired taste, and it is probably best to say that these are better experiences than they are video games. They're worth checking out, particularly for someone that has fond memories of them on the Dreamcast, but be warned that there are some warts that need to be looked past before you dive in headfirst.
At the end of the day, you know exactly what you are going to get from a F2P title like World of Tanks: Blitz. Micro-transactions are never welcome, but a necessary evil in this market, and graphics are of a mobile standard, with everything other than the pretty accurate recreations of the vehicles themselves, and all operate with as much heft and weight as expected. Great if you are a tank enthusiast, but for everyone else moving a sluggish brick around a low textured map can get tiresome quickly. This is countered by the length of matches being short enough that a quick tactical battle can be done while waiting for the kettle to boil, and dived into if something a bit more spectacular is installing. Newcomers are going to enjoy the pick-and-play factor. Stalwarts are going to make the most of cross-save and cross play to add a few more layers and months to their experience. It'll stay on the system, but only likely revisited when frustration kicks in from major titles and taking it out on any poor soul that dared to challenge a Switch owner with a Pro Controller.
Blair Witch is probably best played on other platforms, where the pop-in is not so atrocious, and where the game won't break. The atmosphere during the day time is diminished thanks to the low level detail that generates only a couple of meters away. These glaring flaws hurt Blair Witch from becoming immersive, and the obtuse path to the good ending won't be figured out without a guide. There is potential here, since the foundation is solid, but this version is not easily recommended.
The Coma 2: Vicious Sister would be an acceptable entry level horror-adventure for teenagers. It is easy enough to be picked up by mostly anyone, and the multiple endings add some replay value to encourage new gamers to try things differently next time. The low-key art and animation just barely get the game's point across, and would be more impressive in an adventure title that wasn't horror-themed. Fans of Clock Tower might find this interesting, but it is an amusing distraction at best.
Road to Guangdong can be commended for its unique concept and colourful imagery, but that is all it has. The mundane feel of the story is part of the appeal, as is the relaxing vibe, but there is no substance or discovery to be had, since there is no agency or wrong path. Driving is barely deeper than driving in one direction. Keeping the line under the red bar, and just selling whatever that can found is as engaging as picking out maggots from a heap of rice. The original OutRun is over 30 years old now, and yet manages to have more going on when driving.
Anyone expecting a radical overhaul of anything major within Civilization VI in this latest New Frontier Pass release may be disappointed. While the two factions are a fun change and focus on military might, which is always enjoyable, there is not much else within them that will set pulses racing. Where the Gaul and Byzantium pack adds enough to be worthwhile is in the 'Dramatic Ages' game mode - which does indeed provide an alteration on a key game mechanic in such a way that it will force players to have to rethink their style of playing.
Once it gets into gear, Assetto Corsa Competizione turns into an enjoyable enough driving experience, with some often frustrating quirks. Every move, pass, and failure made is analysed, scored, and presented back with a grade at such a granular level you'll be left scratching your head at how you ever passed your driving test in the first place. However, the unstable framerate, janky animations, erratic camera modes, and lack of other in-game tracks and vehicles without paying more for the DLC, means that this is one for racing sim aficionados only.
Battletoads is a stunning return for both the toads and Rare, a team that hasn't had much output recently. While it can become a little tedious to play alone, this is an excellent game to try with a small group of friends on a Friday night. Humour, variety of gameplay, and local co-op make this a great addition to anyone's library.