Cubed3's Reviews
to a T is a delightful achievement from Keita Takahashi and the team at uvula, demonstrating that there is still plenty of room for originality in an industry often dominated by familiar formulas and increasingly predictable experiences. The sheer variety of activities, the freedom introduced through the spinning and flying mechanics, and the infectious musical numbers make this an absolute joy to spend time with, whilst the unexpected narrative depth ensures that the adventure leaves a more lasting impression than anticipated. There is so much care poured into the world and its inhabitants that it is difficult not to become attached, and the opportunity to experience more of the setting through other characters only strengthens the feeling that this is a universe worth revisiting. It is a beautifully realised adventure that manages to be funny, addictive, and genuinely thought-provoking, often within the space of a few minutes. Takahashi has once again demonstrated an ability to turn an unconventional idea into something truly special, and this is one experience that should not be overlooked by Nintendo Switch 2 owners.
Extra time and helpful updates do Black Ops 7’s multiplayer some good, though not enough to avoid stale familiarity. Tie that alongside one of the most egregiously-dumb campaigns in series history and it’s no surprise why this’ll go down as one of the most ridiculed entries to date.
Football Manager 27 is not perfect by any means. Some might still consider it inferior to the high watermark of FM2024. However, after the unmitigated disaster of FM26, it's fair to categorise this year as a bit of a comeback story when it comes to the series. It's clear Sports Interactive has learned some valuable lessons and got a real insight – if they needed one – about just what players of this franchise value. They value easy navigation and lots of clear information at hand. They want to be part of the world of their Football Manager save and they want that role-playing aspect. All those things are big wins in FM27. The match engine still needs a bit more work and there is lots of scope for improvement, but Football Manager 27 marks a really promising base from which to take stock and build upon.
If never experienced before, these titles come highly recommended. With an excellent system that is yet to be replicated, hours can be lost crafting an individual take on the barren lands of Mordor. Shadow of Mordor is still as brilliant as it was on release, making the price of admission alone worth it. With the option of handheld, too, the best way to play is here. Shadow of War is also worth a look, but with a much larger scope, can often feel bloated, bringing down the package as a whole. A worthy adventure, but much like the books and movies, by the second half, a bit too much to lose oneself in.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is a solid new entry into the Castlevania franchise. This proves yet again that reformed Konami are excellent at choosing developers to carry their original IP forwards. It's fun just running around, sliding and climbing through the playground the developers have crafted, seeing all their cool shortcuts open up. Combat might be fairly simple but it's challenging, fast and satisfying, amplified by gorgeous visual and sound designs. This is a great entry point for new players and a better than expected new game for returning fans. Get this one; the curse is broken!
Desolus is a compact title, and does its best work when it’s having you think. Sure, the puzzles aren't very hard, but they are satisfying all the same. The packaging is disappointing, though, as the game looks very off-putting. Still, for first-person puzzle fans out there, there is something to like hidden in this experience.
Croc 2: Kingdom of the Gobbos is platforming bliss. It’s got an excellent difficulty ramp up, mostly excellent traversal (save the vines and ropes), and it’s pleasant on the eyes to boot. Any fan of the genre or “retro” gaming should do themselves a favour and pick this one up as soon as possible.
Towards the Pantheon mixes old-school Zelda-style exploration with traditional turn-based combat and an endearing twist on storytelling. The beginning is a little unforgiving, but once it settles in, it's a blast to play and, at 10 hours, isn't demanding.
Stupid Never Dies doesn't quite live up to the pedigree of its legendary staff, but that doesn't mean it's not a hell of a ride. Many of the design choices seem questionable or disappointing at first, but after some time and playing Stupid Never Dies on its own terms, it all makes sense and is quite fun. It’s not exactly an “action RPG,” but more of an arcade-style action game with a few RPG elements that make it last much longer than the typical action game. By the end, it proves to be a lot more deliberate than it initially seemed.
Tormented Souls II is a sure thing for classic survival horror fans. It's a kind of game made for a very specific audience who's been starving ever since the sixth console generation. The puzzles have been ramped up and so has the survival gameplay, aiming to cater to players with experience in the genre. It may not be a true classic, but there's no going wrong with Tormented Souls II during the Halloween season.
The increased map size, wealth of included content, improved performance, and numerous quality-of-life enhancements transform what was once a compromised adaptation into a genuinely outstanding city-building package. Cities: Skylines remains the benchmark against which most modern city builders are measured, and Expanded Edition stands as the strongest version ever released on Nintendo hardware.
The Doom Slayer giveth with one hand and taketh with the other. The addition of shield combat adds a new element of defensive and offensive strategies, but then movement feels a lot more hindered so the players are forced to use the shield. It is a fun addition but it is also a shame that the pacing has slowed down to compensate. The story itself, whilst presented well, doesn’t feel engaging enough to care about, although mileage will certainly vary, with the core Doom fans most likely loving what is on show. All that aside, the action is still awesome and the soundtrack still delivers. An absolute must for all Doom fans.
Tenebris Somnia doubles as a great game for survival horror fans and film heads. It's wholly original and doesn't lean on its influences obnoxiously. Using filmmaking as a storytelling element while having beautifully shot FMVs is a stroke of genius. The intentionally minimalistic survival horror gameplay isn’t so simple that it loses its appeal, but rather, it emphasises the elements that made it great from the start.
Endless Ragnarok operates in a unique spot. While there is quite a bit of volume to the content, it is purely locked as a late-game expansion. It is not even accessible unless the player has beaten the first game, but it adds new characters, weapons, and other systems for the late-game boss rush. Ultimately while the combat can be fun, the grind and length of battles wears on a player, and the lack of any interesting character development or expansion story makes this a very limited niche of DLC.
It is neither fun nor easy to give such a low score to Hello Kitty: Party Land. For the most part, it is an amazing Mario Party clone that solves one problem few other games in the genre have tried to: how to live alongside the juggernaut. Short board playtimes let even busy parents play with their children, and the cooperative nature makes it fun for the whole family. With its high level of polish, this is a game one wants to recommend. However, the stick-rotation mini-game is, at the end of the day, a potential health hazard in a game targeted at young children, with potential legal issues down the line. Hopefully this problem gets fixed before launch.
Lunarium is an excellent game that comes very close to being an all-time classic. There needed to be less repetitive and tedious dialogue so as to let the visuals tell the story. The visuals are so impressive that developers should trust them and the players to connect the dots. If it had to rely on dialogue, some voice acting would have been appreciated. If it had a more rousing soundtrack and a hard difficulty mode, Lunarium would have been a masterclass action-adventure game.
Reka is really fun when it clicks, but it’s got some rough spots for sure. Fortunately, they don’t completely detract from the experience, and instead feel like odd idiosyncrasies. For fans of base builders, unique cultural representation, or exploration games in general, this is an easy one to recommend.
911 Dispatcher: Unknown Caller's saving grace is that it is technically a game about being a 911 dispatcher. Otherwise, it’s a very cynical piece of interactive media that is clearly trying to pilfer the audience for the almighty dollar. It’s not even a shame; it’s just head scratchingly obnoxious.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is a long-awaited return to form. Its campaign is one of the series’ best, DMZ is easy to get lost in, and multiplayer holds its weight through tactical and punchy combat. The Switch 2 port might not be as detailed and visually polished as the other versions, but it's a more than adequate way to experience an entry that feels like Call of Duty—and the FPS genre—at its peak.
Halo: Campaign Evolved is simultaneously a quasi-functional shooter with modernised adjustments and one of the worst remakes in recent memory. A title that misinterprets Bungie’s 2001 classic – narratively, mechanically, and aesthetically – in ways rarely seen to this extent. A confused gumbo of old and new ideas that highlight how abundant resources can't do much for something that feels so thoroughly soulless.