Cubed3's Reviews
The culmination of this special coming together of the Ace Attorney series from Capcom and Level-5's Professor Layton world is a magical one indeed. Fusing together the fundamental elements of both titles for Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney works seamlessly and the combination of characters working as partners in each other's usual settings is truly joyous to behold. What is more, having Shu Takumi back on-board is definitely telling as some sublime new courtroom techniques are introduced that most definitely need to remain for future Ace Attorney titles, whilst Akihiro Hino's traditional Professor Layton game engine is as smooth as ever. Hopefully this is the first of many crossovers between Messrs. Wright and Layton.
Swords & Soldiers is a unique and fun take on the RTS genre that still holds up very well today.
Daylight is clearly more of a tech demonstration than a game, but it forgot to include any interesting uses of technology that couldn't - and haven't - already been done better on older software. As a one trick pony, if Daylight fails to scare players, then the monotonous and repeated palette of the game world itself will provide no joy to explorers, and the story will fail to grip those that like to engage with the narrative. If there is still any desire to experience the game, it would be recommended to simply watch a Twitch stream rather than paying for it!
Squids Odyssey combines the bird-flinging gameplay mechanic of the Angry Birds games with several elements taken from tactical RPGs, to create a unique gameplay experience with an equal amount of challenge and fun. For those looking for something that is unlike anything else on the market, Squids Odyssey fits the bill almost perfectly.
It is difficult to give Tomodachi Life a direct score, but the game does have the unique Nintendo look, feel and charm. The setup does take some time to progress, and it would require a little effort to truly benefit from the amusing and sometimes surreal moments between friends, family and random celebrities. Having dinner with Shigeru Miyamoto? It is possible. Going out on a romantic beach stroll with Beyoncé? Bit of a "maybe," but still within the realms of 'feasible' in Tomodachi Life. The concept is more of an experience than a game and, as such, is not for everyone - but it is certainly worth a go.
Knowing what to expect from 1001 Spikes will play a large part in whether or not it is found enjoyable. If gamers are looking for a super challenging, rage inducing but fair game, they will be quite happy with their purchase. If what they are looking for is an easy going, charming platformer, it is highly advised to look elsewhere.
There are some irritations relating to bosses, odd glitches and questionable AI at times, but this is a quality start for MachineGames, who should definitely be given a chance to work on a sequel built specifically for the newest set of home consoles.
A good Batman experience that is overshadowed by its bigger brothers in almost every way. Definitely worth playing for anybody who hasn't had their fill from the main series, Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate - Deluxe Edition doesn't strain to do anything new. There is nothing original to be found in any of the mechanics and the 2.5D perspective is more irritating than worthwhile. This shouldn't be the first game for anyone new to the series, but experts will find enough to like.
Wildstar is explosive, flashy and fun, and will hopefully stand the test of time and be expanded upon further in the coming years and months. Carbine seems dedicated to creating a stable and mature community of players, managing the in-game economy and keeping the game viable for its fans.
It's obvious a sequel will be coming, but Ubisoft really needs to take a good hard look at this title and address the glaring issues and stereotypical plot if it wants the future of Watch Dogs to be a successful one based on quality, and not the result of a huge marketing push that hides the fact this isn't the next level in the genre it was touted as being.
Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition takes a beloved classic of the past that hasn't necessarily aged very well and brings to players who are hungry for monuments of gaming history just the version they needed to finally take a dive if they hadn't already. Those who played it back when first released may find here a good reason to dive in again on their Wii U and reminisce youth, albeit at a kind of a steep price. Waiting on a discount may be a good idea for those who have their hesitations as the game is indeed fairly short and ultimately doesn't bring much more than HD enhanced graphics, an easier difficulty on the whole, and a lacklustre revamped collection of sound effects. Nevertheless, the simplistic design, HD rendition, great CD soundtrack of the Mega CD version, and the overall intriguing experience of trial-and-error still stand out well enough to make this a worthwhile purchase for those looking for a unique experience on the eShop at the moment.
Sucker Punch has struck gold once again with Second Son, putting the PlayStation 4's power to good use and providing gamers with a rich, satisfying experience. Slow start and samey missions aside, the spectacle of the main character's arsenal alone is reason enough for new PS4 owners to put this at the top of their shopping list.
Starting off weak and getting not only worse, but extremely tiresome due to repetitive gameplay and some horrendously awkward controls, Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark smacks of a cheap attempt to cash-in on the new movie release, not even properly linking to the feature film for those awaiting its release or tying various story threads together from the previous movie and game releases. The mess of a story definitely extends to being a mess of a game. It is simply cynical and bound to leave a bad taste in even the greatest of fans' mouths, this is undeserving of the Transformers name.
It's not easy to score a game like Nether. Its half-finished state inevitably means that most of what it has to offer is not up to scratch…yet. A tentative four it is then, in the hope that Phosphor will put in the work and allow its game to reach its full potential. Until that point only the most dedicated survivalists should bother.
Shovel Knight is, at the risk of repetition, brilliant, beautiful stuff. "Retro" may not be the right word to describe it. It is fun not because it evokes memories of 1989, but because it is self sufficiently excellent, here, today, in 2014. It rises to levels of technical and artistic achievement not often seen in the industry, and it has done so within a strict 8-bit structure. If Yacht Club can keep up this kind of quality and creativity, they have a long, productive future ahead of them. Here's hoping so, and here's hoping for more games as good as Shovel Knight.
The story is simple-yet-charming and the characters are all very obvious in their roles but make them no less likeable. However, the lack of innovation in the controls department on a new console in an exclusive game, the lack of any online multiplayer longevity and noticeable frame-rate drops make this a tough one to justify buying at full price. Thankfully, now it isn't necessary to worry about that as, at time of writing, it is very easily found for a much lower price and, thus, well worth a play through.
Despite following in Bastion's footsteps, Transistor doesn't quite manage to deliver as compelling and memorable an experience, even though it has clearly been crafted with such heartfelt intent. Whilst the premise is full of mystery and intrigue, during the course of the short story it never really draws players in as it would have many people believe after its promising start. A case of style over substance, but still a game that deserves the attention of those after something original and rather beautiful - only wait till it goes on sale first.
The insane amount of content overall that Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition has to offer truly makes it a worthy purchase for any fan of Dynasty Warriors, and is a great place to start for anybody that is looking to get into the series for the first time. Those expecting something different to the usual Dynasty Warriors formula won't find it here, however. Fans who don't own the original Dynasty Warriors 8 should have an absolute blast with this, but it might not be worth buying for owners of the initial version, unless desperate to play the extra story of Lu Bu, as well as the other extras.
Helping to wash away the act of piracy that was One Piece: Romance Dawn and Unlimited Cruise SP, Unlimited World Red presents an elegantly realised universe full of colour and series charm, held together with fun fights and rewarding tasks. The repetition of said features, plus the lack of the Wii U's strengths being put to use is unfortunate, but dedicated One Piece fans and patient newcomers will find a lot to love.
If nothing else, it serves to show just how far gaming has moved on since it first came out, yet it's pretty hard to shake the feeling that Square Enix has just dialled it in with this version, and in doing so, has squandered the opportunity of giving Final Fantasy III a much deserved 21st Century re-rub.