Cubed3's Reviews
Some may baulk at the idea of Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour being a paid download, but given the sheer amount of care and attention poured into every tiny aspect of this delightful product, it really feels worthy of the entry price. Nintendo has crafted not just a virtual tour of the entire Switch 2 console and all current accessories, it’s delved into the past for mesmerising titbits of historical goodness, put together a wealth of oft-hilarious quizzes, and packed in breathtaking demos to show off the tech involved, all on top of a wide selection of awe-inspiring mini-games that will keep you coming back for more. Only a lack of online leaderboards for the mini-games really holds this back from greater heights.
For what it is, AEW: Fight Forever is a simple, fun brawler. If you like simplicity and prefer your wrestling without the bells and whistles, pick this up. What lets it down is the lack of presentation and features. WWE does not own the monopoly on these things, and it’s a shame that after such a long wait, a lot is missing. The dedication to additions is commendable and bodes well for the future. Until then, this reviewer isn’t quite "All Out", but is definitely holding onto the turnbuckle.
Whether or not players are familiar with the works of Fujiko F. Fujio, Picross S: Doraemon & F Characters Edition provides hours of fun. As expected, the puzzles range from easy to challenging, and the game itself runs smoothly and without any issues. It is highly recommended to puzzle lovers who wish to relax with some fantastic brainteasers.
It is a pleasure to experience Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1, with every single entry holding up as well as it did when first released. For a pure gaming experience, this would be pushing perfection. What keeps it in a category below is the question of purchase for long-term fans. New content? Certainly. Best way to play? Possibly. Enough to warrant the price point? Potentially not until every Metal Gear is given the collection treatment.
Does Mario Kart World bring something new to the series? A resounding yes. A reinvigorated setup with connected tracks within a bustling, vibrant, next-generation Super Mario Bros world. Mario Kart World is vibrant, playful, and truly feels alive. A compelling solo mode, knockout competition, and strong online play make it an essential Nintendo Switch 2 title.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants is absolutely fine. If there is any nostalgia for the original cabinet this is a port that will ensure that love will be rekindled. For those not holding that sentiment, though, this will seem a barebones, standard hack-and-slash. With its price tag, unless a Turtles completionist, you'd be better off picking up many of the other related titles for now.
Saviorless is an enjoyable enough platformer with a premise that sets itself apart from the many other options available in the Switch eShop. There will certainly be a large player base who will miss the idea of combat, but for those looking for a more low-key experience, this will not only pass the time, but also leave them thinking long after completion. The perfect accompaniment as the nights draw in.
It is clear that Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma has been crafted with passion and love of the long-running series. The breathtaking scenery, emotion-filled cutscenes and new elements focusing on being an earth dancer takes the beloved adventure-filled world in an exciting new direction that holds hope for more innovation in future titles.
Old Skies features an imaginative time travelling narrative that becomes more gripping as each chapter is worked through, although the lack of choice and sections that should be playable in latter stages feel like missteps. It is a welcoming game for anyone unfamiliar with the genre, and the New York setting and periods travelled to are appealing and make for fascinating scenarios. Coupled with excellent voice work, Old Skies delivers a satisfying personalised story, albeit in a universe that is difficult to comprehend.
Don’t let the low-budget visuals fool you. It might look like one of the million other similar indies out there, yet Etaine: Magic Survivor is a piece of software crafted with care, and not a low-effort cash grab that uses sexy anime imagery to make some easy money. Slowly turning your heroine into a walking Armageddon that fills the screen with all sorts of things that inflict pain and watching enemies go down by the hundreds is cool, and the game’s excellent pick-up-and-play design makes it perfect for a quick break…that can easily turn into an hour. Sadly, there are plenty of balance issues, making some of the tougher challenges on offer (and they are aplenty) quite annoying.
Drug Dealer Simulator successfully simulates the dealing of drugs and taps into some of the excitement and fun that particular criminal activity can provide, but its flaws dampen the experience considerably enough to hurt it overall. It’s not a bad first shot at making drug dealing compelling and fun, but it feels like a sequel could potentially fix all the issues and make the experience something great… In fact, there is a sequel that's been out a year already on PC. With that in mind, it’s even harder to wholly recommend Drug Dealer Simulator. It doesn’t lose points for already having a better-looking sequel, but it does mean waiting for a console port of the sequel or playing it now on PC might be a better bet.
Qomp 2's premise is novel but it is mercifully short. It becomes too annoying to play and there is no replay value. The puzzles and exploration are only made challenging because of the way the ball does its own thing, and once the correct path or sequences are apparent, there is not much else here - yet it is also the entire backbone that Qomp 2 relies on, ultimately becoming a shallow experience.
Bugginess and strange character design choices keep Oblivion Remastered from being excellent. Tipping the scales from “good” territory into “great” are the levelling and gameplay improvements. It resembles a remake. Even with new memory leak issues, Oblivion remains a timeless masterpiece, and this remaster ensures its legacy will live on. Oblivion was born nineteen years ago, but for all these years, it has ruled our dreams.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered isn’t a reinvention. It’s just a time capsule with a fresh coat of vibrant high-quality paint. Under the hood? It is pretty much the same beloved sandbox RPG of the early 2000s, with few of its issues fixed for this new update. Fans are advised to go straight for the purchase as long as they have a capable system. The rest are advised to wait for a price drop, some bug fixes, or preferably both.
Loretta is certainly an ambitious title that offers a unique narrative experience without a lot of close comparisons on the Switch. The atmospheric presentation is great and the dark, unsettling story provides a compelling reason to check out Loretta even with all the other issues. However, some technical issues, underwhelming gameplay mechanics, and a slightly uneven story prevent this from fully realising its potential. Fans of psychological thrillers and narrative-driven adventures should probably give it a chance. It offers a glimpse into a haunting world worth exploring as long expectations are tampered a bit at the door.
While The Meating clings to its NES roots, those roots ultimately feel more like dead weight than a solid foundation. It succeeds in capturing the look and feel of those classic NES titles, but at the same time it struggles to innovate or offer a compelling reason for players to invest their time. In the crowded landscape of retro-inspired indies, The Meating fails to distinguish itself. The end result is something that feels more antiquated than nostalgic, and like most meat that has been left out too long it is probably best to steer clear and look for something a bit fresher.
Bigger can indeed be better. Planet Coaster 2 successfully iterates on the first instalment by adding interesting new concepts and gameplay systems that enhance the experience. Anyone who enjoys a management sim, tycoon, or just wants a fun park builder will find this to be a perfect match. Highly recommended. Get splashed!
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is clearly inspired by many sources - the character modifications of Final Fantasy VIII’s Junction system, Persona's combat user interface and camera work, and the Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice parry and dodge mechanics - but the way Sandfall Interactive uses these inspirations together with the story, the characters, and the music is unique. No microtransactions, no subscription pass, no major features trapped behind future patches; Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a single-player complete experience, with a New Game Plus to keep players coming back. Meanwhile, its exceptional music, writing, voice acting and visuals make it as aesthetically pleasing as it is mechanically satisfying and interesting. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a Game of the Year frontrunner.
The Apollo Justice trilogy is a fantastic set of visual novel games that do a great job at involving you with the narrative and making you feel smart while doing it. The immediate replay value is virtually nonexistent and it’s a shame it doesn’t do more to clean up its more outdated elements, but that’s not the biggest issue when their already high value is accentuated in HD. They’re a great entry point for visual novel or Ace Attorney newbies, and veterans revisiting these games can do so with these undeniably definitive versions.
Not only just a great sequel, Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer is one of the best point-and-click adventures available out there - a classic of the genre without a single shred of doubt. The few flaws at hand, chief among them how this doesn’t spend as much quality time with its secondary characters as it could, aren’t enough to ruin this pleasantly dark (yet also funny) and engrossing whodunit/cosmic horror thriller. It has plenty of great detective-style puzzle solving, lots of entertaining dialogue, and is wrapped in some of the finest pixel art.