Cubed3's Reviews
Doom II, or Doom II (Classic) as Nerve Software's version for the Switch is called, is basically the port of Doom (1993) all over again: highly enjoyable, very cheap (at least for the moment) but far from a perfect version of the game. Just make sure to lower your expectations a bit, because in terms of level design this is the inferior sibling.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a potentially great RPG, trapped under a less-than-stellar console port.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a mixed bag. While it's great to see the series return, the fresh coat of paint isn't enough to hide the myriad fundamental flaws with it that have since been addressed in later entries. It is fun in short bursts, the new style looks lovely, and Poké-fans will be happy just to step back into the world. Best of all, this may point towards the other entries receiving Switch upscales, and perhaps even a whole new entry.
Doom's arrival on the wonderful system that is the Nintendo Switch is the perfect opportunity to be reminded of why it's such a fantastic experience despite its age. It's old-school FPS fun at its finest, and now you can carry it's dark corridors and hellish landscapes on the smallest of backpacks. Sadly, while the gameplay has been left intact, this version is far from the perfect port that it could be, due to a couple of odd omissions and changes - but at least it is super cheap (as it should).
It's fair to say that Zombie Army 4: Dead War won't be winning an award for originality any time soon, but it's hard to deny the simplistic joys of placing a well aimed explosive bullet into the crusty cranium of a distant, slow-moving cannibal corpse.
Technically competent, and surprisingly well done, the simple lack of depth prevents this from doing any better. It can actually be completed in a few hours at max. Having a friend or playing online can extend the fun, yet the lack of content becomes obvious fairly quickly. The developer has promised more updates, which will hopefully come through, as the game has a good base to work with.
The core of the game is a very old-school RPG/dungeon crawling experience, for all its positives and mostly negatives. Unless not having a map and spending hours trying to re-roll viable characters sounds like fun, this one is better off left alone. The anime portraits look nice, but they are just dressing on a framework of something that simply does not stack up to better options in the genre.
The Fighters Pass not only brings five fantastic characters into the Smash universe, including some excellent surprises, but adds five stages with mostly unique features, as well as a shedload of music tracks.
If you have managed to hold out on getting into Street Fighter V and were waiting for the best time to dive in, well done! Champion Edition is the version to pick up.
Honestly the biggest surprise in a long time. Such a crazy and un-family friendly concept pulled into an extremely fun game package with loads of laugh-out-loud moments, sharp visuals, and endearing characters. Definitely not one for the living room, but if you have a modicum of interest in what you've read here, then it's definitely a recommendation. A unique adventure that oozes with charm and always has a tongue in its cheek that's only let down by virtue of it being a remake that still shows its portable routes.
Despite the DLC gripes and the heavy downgrade in visuals for this Switch port, Samurai Shodown really stands out from the crowd, and it's great to see the revival of a popular series return in such a good way on the gameplay front. It takes weapons-based combat and creates a smart system out of it, putting players on edge, and provides moments of pure bliss when bare knuckle comebacks are made. The strong Japanese style only adds to the appeal. It really could have done with a more fleshed out story mode, though.
Stylish, methodical, and encouraging attacking gameplay, this latest Under Night In-Birth title is as exciting as always, and Switch owners that have yet to try the series out are in for a treat, with plenty of modes, a lengthy visual novel chronicle, online play, and a varied cast of characters. Despite the array of balance and move tweaks, though, this just isn't enough of an improvement over the previous title, with only one extra character being introduced. This is still a top anime fighter, though, and a good alternative to BlazBlue.
My Big Sister is the adventure genre at its simplest form. The solution to each "puzzle" is so evident that the only challenge here will be the struggle to stay awake. The horror-esque plot, and mature themes explored could help a lot, but they are handled in a manner that the average player will be left scratching his/her head about whether this is a dry comedy with some darkness thrown in, or a dark fantasy story coupled with some low-key humour.
If you don't like the price, wait for a discount. If you can't stomach a couple of problems on the technical side of things, the most serious of which being the bad netcode, wait for a patch. If you consider yourself a fun of fighting games, however, do get Street Fighter V: Champion Edition. It's a highly enjoyable title that will manage to please newcomers and veterans, and it has tons of content for those who aren't into the online aspect of it all. It's Street Fighter V as it always should be.
Rune Factory 4 Special is a near perfect farming and RPG title. The frustrating elements are outweighed by the gorgeous styled graphics, the immersiveness of the plot, and the sheer joy that comes from playing this remastered game. It raises high hopes for the upcoming fifth instalment in the series, and it can perhaps be considered a masterpiece.
Between 2033 and Last Light, Metro Redux is a must buy for fans of the genre, fans of the medium, and fans of good stories.
Between 2033 and Last Light, Metro Redux is a must buy for fans of the genre, fans of the medium, and fans of good stories.
Technical foibles aside, Darksiders Genesis provides yet another fresh take on everyone's favourite Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The isometric viewpoint is an interesting new direction, and one that isn't quite justified by the familiar hack 'n' slash action, but this is nevertheless a fun and well-designed experience that stays true to its roots despite its diminished scale. Fans of Darksiders will surely find a lot to enjoy here.
The words 'creepy' and 'moody' don't often come to mind when thinking about jigsaw puzzles, but that's the beauty of Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions. Puzzles often result in surreal imagery, and Nikita Sevalnev's soundtrack adds a chilling layer to the already ethereal atmosphere. With difficulty modes suited for both beginners and veterans of the jigsaw puzzle, Glass Masquerade 2 is a must play for anyone looking for more flavour in their puzzle games.
It may not be a terrific port, but Thronebreaker is a wildly addictive and relentlessly entertaining RPG-lite. The version of Gwent herein is the most fully realised to date, taking the core mechanics of previous versions and refining them into a malleable card game with endless potential. A beautifully written story and compelling characters make this a must-play for fans of The Witcher.