Cubed3's Reviews
On the surface, Neoverse Trinity Edition has everything a deck-building TBS needs to be a highly recommended one, mainly due to its more-than-decent mechanical depth, and, yes, because of its sexy exterior. Sadly, this just doesn't achieve being the next Slay the Spire it wants to be. A bit repetitive, and with a visual wrapping that's as generic as it is nice to look at, Tinogames Inc.'s creation is far from bad, but also something that's far from greatness. Only for - very - big fans of the genre - just be ready for something that's maybe a bit too easy/casual-friendly for your liking.
An interesting world full of cool ideas sadly hampered by its story and gameplay pacing. Encodya will supply a great variety of content and puzzles to baffle and test players of all skill levels, backed by a great story and world that make the game worth the price of admission. If point and click adventures are of interest, then this title should be on a wish list as it presents a unique experience and story that would have benefitted from a little bit more feedback and a patch.
How Shinsekai: Into the Depths breezed under the radar isn't really a mystery, given it released around the launch of Animal Crossing, but let it be said: this is truly an underrated classic. With a fantastic gameplay loop, intriguing world design, and silent but compelling plot, this proves to be an absolute powerhouse of a title on the Switch. It deserves a hearty recommendation and then some! Capcom once again proves that it makes games of an incredible quality, and can provide a truly unique and wondrous experience.
For those who enjoyed the original TT Isle of Man, the sequel Ride on the Edge 2 raises the stakes with an improved career mode that delivers a more immersive experience. Sign with a manufacturer to get access to their livery, then proceed to unlock perks and part upgrades to enhance the performance of those bikes with each successive race. Newcomers can easily pick up and learn the ropes while making good progress on the stat sheets thanks to the arcade-like controls that don't make the racing experience too complicated, unlike the more realistic sim racer. However, beyond the career mode, there is a basic online mode to further gain some racing experience. While this isn't the premium two-wheeled racer on consoles, it is a step in the right direction for Kylotonn.
The wait for Bravely Default II has been long and hard, but now that it is finally here it convinces with high quality graphics, storytelling, gameplay and sound. While this title is not without flaws, these are minor compared to the overall excellence of this title. A joy to play at home on the big screen or on the go, this title is a great addition to any turn-based RPG fan's library.
The Medium isn't an unflawed masterpiece. It's got some performance issues on PC and some jankeyness in unexpected places. However it has got this absolutely unique horror atmosphere, beautifully crafted worlds and some absolute heart-string pulling story moments. This is a successful return of the "horror adventure" game style from those golden oldies everyone fondly remembers. Bloober Team has done an outstanding job making this title and it's one hundred percent recommended to all fans of horror.
A fantastic rally sim for newcomers and veterans alike, WRC 9 has only gotten better in its transition to the PlayStation 5. The next-gen console brings with it obvious visual and performance enhancements - pushing gameplay anywhere between 60 & 120 fps - but the real star here is haptic feedback. WRC 9 use of the DualSense controller is outstanding, utilizing sensations and vibrations to add another layer of immersion to racing. Players will feel the road underneath them, the weight of their brakes, and the subtlest shifts in terrain. A mix of addictive arcade gameplay and deeply immersive feedback, WRC 9 exceeds expectations.
Mostly an interest only to those wanting to role-play a type of zombie empire, it does little to change the formula of the game. For better or worse, there have been some significant changes in the game over the years, which the core of an hour-upon-hour sprawl has not changed, so adding a few new portraits does little to add anything new to the mix.
Strictly just as an expansion, this one is pretty good. The new race is just all around fun to play. The lore is played straight, and there is something undeniably fun about using these huge mechs to sword slash the evil masses apart. Planetfall remains a fun game overall, but a few lingering UI issues and design choices hold it back from being really great.
For any newcomers to the Neo Geo resurgence occurring on the Nintendo Switch right now, it can seem a bit daunting deciding exactly where to set up your stall and enter the fray. Rest assured, the decision is made here with SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium being a choice that does not disappoint. Back during its release in 1999, the collaboration between these two giants was monumental and even now in 2021, its clear to see how much love was put into its creation. With a diverse, full roster, great sound and graphics as well as a variety of modes to keep players returning, it's never been a better time to begin your Neo Geo library.
There is no doubt that Neptunia Virtual Stars is a perfect match for the world of social media and Vtubers. The execution of this title may not be perfect in the peripheral elements, but overall it is a solid addition to the series. Returning fans and new ones alike will enjoy seeing their favourite Goddesses and getting to know the new characters. The fact that the Vtubers are real outside of the the experience is a big pull for Vtuber fans as they can get to know their favourite stars more deeply through this experience. Even when the main story is concluded, there is still plenty of V-Cubes to collect, new strong enemies to kill and Beatnik to master, making it a title that can't be missed for fans of the Neptunia universe.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is a mixed bag. On one hand, its simplicity in its pick up and play race-to-race gameplay style can suit those who enjoy "back to basics" game modes. Anyone seeking an experience that can be fun to play with limited options will find Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered a joy to play, especially given its relatively budget price. Petrol heads and those looking for a bit of nostalgia will be satisfied with the car selection and arcade gameplay. However, Hot Pursuit Remastered's game modes both inside and outside of career mode are fairly scant, and fall short of standards set by other racing games in the modern landscape - even those upheld historically within the Need for Speed franchise itself.
Put the neat PS1-era retro visuals, its strong atmosphere, and the meaty and fits-like-a-glove OST aside, and what's left is a first-person photography sim that's charming, but not fun. Exploration should be engrossing and challenging, but is just boring and unpolished, and taking photos, basically the core of whole thing, is an unimaginative chore that doesn't put your skills to the test - it just puts you to sleep. It's hard to hate this, though, as it's an obvious labour of love that simply didn't manage to be as entertaining as it could be.
With no shortage of zombie games to purchase or browse through in the store, it's hard to understand what void Yet Another Zombie Defense HD is trying to fill. It's a top-down twin-stick shooter that doubles as a base-defence zombie game... however it doesn't do anything to push the boundaries that other titles have already established. It is fun to play in short bursts, and its longevity is only extended by finding some local or online people to play with, but even still, the many shortcomings are impossible to ignore. While Yet Another Zombie Defense HD didn't have to bring anything new to the table, it still needed to be a zombie-stew worth eating and unfortunately, despite having some potential, it's still missing quite a few ingredients to make this experience worth anyone's while.
KnifeBoy oozes atmosphere, combining elements of trippy surrealism, with a weird, post-apocalyptic kind of setting… but it is otherwise a boring, and heavily unpolished piece of software - one where the love of its creator still manages to shine through the cracks, but that's not enough. Still worth a go for those who have a thing for the unique and the bizarre, but there are far better metroidvanias out there.
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.