Cubed3's Reviews
Iron Rain re-modifies the series formula, but doesn't abandon the no-nonsense approach of the other games.
There's really not much that needs to be said about Neptunia Shooter. It's a decent shmup with an identity of its own. However, it could've been a little more ambitious.
Square Enix is not likely to ever make Final Fantasy games like X or X-2. They were the last of their kind that had involvement from Hironobu Sakaguchi, and his mark has been missing since his departure from the company. Xbox One is blessed to have one of the best versions to play what might have been the artistic highpoint for the Japanese RPG juggernaut. These hold up very well, and will keep a Final Fantasy neophyte's attention, should they look past some short comings like low-detail NPCs and some minor plot holes.
Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder is an ingenious mixture of madness that is punctuated with highly entertaining animated sequences. The striking visual style that ACE Team is known for is distinct with just an acceptable amount of amateurishness keep it hilarious and memorable. Whether it's going up against another human or the AI, everyone should always throw rock.
It looks like 2019, but it plays like 1991. Despite the fact that Gods Remastered is a good-looking re-skin of an older title, the most important factor in any title is the gameplay.
Using Journey to the West more as a clever backdrop rather than outright adapting it, Unruly Heroes makes for a charming action-platformer that pokes fun at one of China's most important novels, while also crafting together a wildly fun experience. With four distinct characters to choose from across 29 visually stunning levels, and the journey to restore balance to Heaven and Earth results in rarely a dull moment. Toss in a surprisingly engaging combo system, on the fly character switching, and plenty of secrets to uncover to tie the package together, and Unruly Heroes winds up quite the formidable platformer.
Giga Wrecker Alt. is a bit of a mixed bag, and it's hard to see just who would get the most out of it. There are some great elements in here. Some really great ideas. The sad truth is, it's a pretty poor execution of so many promising elements. The flawed controls, combined with the major issues on establishing how and where to progress makes ultimately for a pretty frustrating experience. Not the good type of frustrating, where a roar and a smile inspires a confidence to overcome. The sort of frustration to lead to just wanting to dump the game.
Moero Chronicle Hyper definitely has an audience, though it's a very niche one. This sort of dungeon crawler can be massively addictive, and it's always good to see someone have the balls to bring a game like this over from Japan uncensored. That being said, there are lots of things wrong with this. Characters designs are lacking; the levelling and skill unlocking systems are flawed; and the story is utterly bland. Many flawed elements, but for the centre of the Venn diagram where "Pervs," "JRPG fans," Etrian Odyssey dungeon crawling fans, all overlap, there are going to be some absolutely overjoyed gamers.
All in all, the SNK 40th Anniversary Collection is a fine way to experience SNK's humble beginnings. The included games cover a wide variety of genres, and even the worst of them have one or two admirable qualities. There are no complaints at all when it comes to features. Both region-select and console versions are accounted for, and the museum is loaded with bonus materials. Hopefully the dual-stick control issue is eventually sorted out, as it's the only stain on this otherwise impeccable set.
Warhammer: Chaosbane takes place in a forgettable world, which is annoyingly repetitive, and has more than a handful of rough edges. Despite that, the arcade-like, fast-paced action it offers, as well as its fresh take on the genre's standard classes, makes it easy to forget its flaws, especially when trying it out along with a bunch of friends - or total strangers. Definitely not a recommendation for everyone, but those who'll like it will surely stick around for more than a few hours.
Observation is far from an easy recommendation. If you can't stand slow-paced games, with an unrelentingly cryptic plot, an extreme emphasis in realism and immersion, and puzzles of the "how the heck does this work" variety, avoid it at all costs. The rest can safely give it a go. It's probably the best hard sci-fi thriller of the year, and a must have for those who are in love with space and cosmic horror.
Although the developers' love for the craft and medium is on full display at all times, Vambrace: Cold Soul does suffer considerably from just how much it proudly lifts from other titles.
Slime-san is a blast through and through. From its normally tight and fun controls, the fantastic atmosphere built by its unique visuals and fun music, there is very little it does wrong - some of those things could be put down to player error. The bite-sized levels and variety of modes, power-ups, plus the amount of content, means that not only is this perfect for those wanting quick retry-based, semi-rogue-like levels, but also those who want a host of varied and interesting content - it really offers bang for your buck, so its thoroughly recommendable to those who enjoy the genre.
Inferno Climber: Reborn has a few interesting qualities, but they are completely buried by a combination of poor controls, an awful camera, and quite possibly the worst frame-rate since Virtual Hydlide. Anybody who dares to take on this action-RPG will have to endure a ton of pain. Perhaps, if they suffer in torment for several hours, they'll uncover something of merit. Even then, is it really worth the cost of their soul?
Even the avatar will commentate on the situation, rather than stew in silence like so many other blank slates. This makes for an adventure that's amusing in every respect.
It's a game behind the times, from the way it plays to its awkward design choices, and its weak performance and optimisation on consoles is further cause for frustration. For those willing to put themselves through an unbalanced learning curve there is some enjoyment to be had on the far side, but beyond the fleeting charm of some of the levels, the rest of the experience falls flat.
As always, the battles are exciting, and the scope and scale never fails to impress, with the addition of the heroes adding a new dimension to tactics and strategies. This is the game that Romance of the Three Kingdoms fans have been waiting for.
As far as 2D action games on the Switch go, Blaster Master Zero 2 is up there as one of the better options.
YumeCore is one of those rarities where if a single aspect wasn't quite right, then it would fall apart entirely. There isn't a deep and complicated battle system to figure out, nor are there a wealth of level-ups and rare drops to hide behind.
This is what Nintendo need to keep on doing to ensure subscription to Nintendo Switch Online stays worthwhile, however, this is just Tetris with a very addictive online element, and can quickly wane once the initial honeymoon period is over. Those who really enjoy basic Tetris will be right at home with this iteration. It is fast, frantic and somewhat unpredictable gameplay is what makes it so addictive in the first place - for others, the repetition might kick in after some time.