Cubed3's Reviews
FarSight Studios has shown these two tables the love and care that they have given to their other tables, and for completionists of The Pinball Arcade, this pack cannot go ignored for those wanting to complete the Gottlieb collection of tables available for this title. Just don't expect the same number of hours of fun or a variety of tables as the other packs had
Riddled Corpses EX is one of those very satisfying guilty pleasures. It may be simplistic and braindead like the zombies in it, but it does everything so exceptionally that it becomes a full recommendation. Its lacking qualities are more than made up for thanks to the expedited game loop that wastes no time, and constantly challenges the user. The co-op features make it so even when things are at their hairiest, as a chum can still swoop in and give desperately needed back-up.
While it is annoying that Bloody Palace mode is not available day one, it is coming as a free update on April 1st. Capcom has proved this gen that they are truly the best at 3D action games. They took some bold risks with the style and realistic flavour, and it pays off by taking on this new look that has never been seen before in any videogame. Even spectators are going to be extremely entertained by the spectacle that is Devil May Cry 5. Everything feels so fresh, and the advancements in the controls and fluidity in animation makes playing this refined masterpiece so hard to put down.
Although Horizon Shift '81 deliberately models itself after the shoot 'em ups of yore, it never once lets itself get lost in its own homage.
Nearly thirty years was a mighty long time, but ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! proves that the wait was worth it. This is an excellent sequel, and it's not just because it captures the spirit of the original. The new features, as well as quality-of-life improvements, really enhance the experience. Each level is filled with things to do, and they all serve a purpose. There aren't any meaningless distractions. Even today, where roguelikes are exponentially more common, this is one that shouldn't be passed up.
Sure to be one of the final, first-party, big games on 3DS, as it slowly winds down into retirement, but at least it's going out with a bang. As this is definitely the best Kirby game to hit the platform to date, and easily one of the best platformers. Yoshi may be the star of the woolly show at the moment, with Yoshi's Crafted World landing on Switch soon, but Kirby did it first and did it best. This is an utterly charming patchwork that's absolutely impossible not to get tangled up in.
By spending money on I Am The Hero, you are basically getting a retro-inspired beat 'em up that will last for an evening or two. It's enjoyable, but its tiny length and replay value make it feel more like a forgettable rental.
ChronoClock is a decently-written romantic visual novel, with a bit of decent comedy and drama thrown in for good measure, served along some decent audio-visuals. It's hard to recommend it to anyone but genre fans, though, as it doesn't really do anything to stand out from the crowd - despite the existence of a time-bending MacGuffin.
The detail to which you can customise the cities in here is astounding, and Mass Transit is not only adding more to the plethora of options already in Cities Skylines, but also tweaks some of the more frustrating elements, easing up the controls, and letting the player really get into the nitty-gritty of the road and traffic networking.
Far Cry New Dawn is a ridiculously well-polished and fun to play action game (AI issues aside), with an enjoyable if largely mundane story and villains
Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal plays it safe with the series' established formula, which is ironic considering these titles are anything but safe. The series has always stuck to its roots and embraced the perverseness that in equal measures repels and attracts gamers, and this entry does little but remind the gaming world that these games exist. Aside from Burst Re:Newal being a ground-up remake, there's surprisingly few innovations to take the series into uncharted territory, but the combat is nevertheless enjoyable, and the story interesting enough to just about support the weaker points of the experience.
The quest in RemiLore: Lost Girl in the Lands of Lore is inconsequential, and the only reason why anyone would play this is to have a cute hack'n slash with the utter bare minimum of rogue elements. Bringing a friend along will help keep things interesting, but there is just not enough substance to keep most hooked. It is too easy, and one has to play very carelessly in order to feel the rush of walking that razor's edge that comes with the better rogue-likes.
Pumped BMX Pro is a fun BMX platformer - when it wants to be. But, on the Xbox version anyway, the right-stick for tricks is a temperamental control that only sometimes performs the tricks, despite being held in the correct direction. Plus, the "pump" system is extremely specific with when to use it, and Pumped BMX Pro takes no prisoners in miss-timed presses that will basically cause the rider to fail the stage. But once these kinks are worked out, this is definitely a BMX title worth checking out for those who don't want to invest in a heavy sim-based game, and opt for the more arcade-styled versions instead.
Never mind the fact that Thea: The Awakening can frequently feel like a needlessly complicated 4X stategy/survival rogue-like/card battler. If that was its only issue, this would be an easy recommendation. Regrettably, the inconvenience that is its user interface mars what could be something really awesome.
Perhaps it will get better, but whether the audience is still there when it does is questionable. Cool flying mechanics can only keep the interest of the masses for so long.
Observer could have been more. It has style and exceptional art direction, a creative premise but flaccid and unimaginative gameplay. Maybe this comes with the territory when it comes to walking-sims or first-person adventure games, but there really is no excuse for the lack of imagination because much older games have found ways to keep things fresh while adventuring. There is very little attention to detail when it comes to interaction and player-choice. Observer should have been like playing a pacifist run on the original Deus Ex.
Quite simply, Metro Exodus is the perfect way to round off this trilogy, and a testament to the powerful evolution that a gaming franchise can make. The open world offers a whole new perspective from which to enjoy Artom's tale. Whilst there are some niggly issues with AI, and maybe an overuse of bespoke animations, the fact remains that it is hard to think of a better example of how to design a single-player survival adventure. Visually stunning and packed with audio detail, this is something that should be experienced by any PC gamer.
While the journey is more important than the destination, the fact NAIRI lacks a traditional conclusion - leaving many arcs and themes in a resolution limbo - hurts the narrative considerably. Considering just how much the story focuses on Nairi as a character, a cliff-hanger ending that places emphasis on plot comes off structurally inappropriate at best. That said, the script, atmosphere, and puzzles all warrant at least one playthrough. Tower of Shirin might fall much flatter than it needed to thanks to a poorly realised ending, but NAIRI, as a whole, is a charming point-and-click with plenty of heart.
While a bit short on the replayability side, and with visuals that look good, but not as good as they would do so with the use of a VR headset, Battlezone: Gold Edition is a fun tank arena shooter, with a surprisingly strong strategic mindset. Just be sure to enjoy this with a bunch of other players, as solo play might get way too boring, way too soon.
Dead or Alive 6 isn't the Christ's-Second-Coming equivalent of fighting game sequels. This is mostly an upgraded version of Dead or Alive 5, and not exactly a heavily upgraded one. Having said that, even those few improvements manage to make this the best, and most visually appealing instalment so far - boobies, or no boobies.