Cubed3's Scores

  • Games
For 4,058 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 39% higher than the average critic
  • 10% same as the average critic
  • 51% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 7.2 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 68
Highest review score: 100 Guacamelee! 2
Lowest review score: 0 The Letter
Score distribution:
4058 game reviews
    • 44 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Balan Wonderworld is perfect for those who want a relatively relaxed game that delights the mind while not being overly tricky, fills up the cuteness meter, and rewards those who seek out every collectable. There are occasional frame rate drops and some potential confusion at the start due to lack of narration or knowledge about musicals. Along with what for some will be an issue with minimal lack of difficulty increase outside of boss battles and post-game content, this means overall enjoyment may be restricted for some players.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Featuring a total of 32 games across three downloadable packs and separate downloads, Capcom Arcade Stadium is a fantastic way of diving into the studio's gameography. Roughly 30 years of video game history are on display here, featuring a wide variety of titles that highlight Capcom's eclectic and often forward-thinking approach to game design. The implementation of rewind & save states makes virtually any entry accessible, and the ability to speed up gameplay helps the more sluggish inclusions get much needed play time. Not every game in Capcom Arcade Stadium is a classic that's stood the test of the time, but most surprisingly have, and that alone makes the collection worth picking up.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Sexy, sultry ninjas and pretty vistas can't save this from being a mediocre brawler; one with a couple of good things to talk about, but mostly with plenty of flaws. The gameplay can get repetitive, and the action, while somewhat enjoyable, can soon turn into an irritating chore that has you multitask, in a game that doesn't really let you do so. Small tip for those who still want to try Shing! out (this does have sexy, sultry ninjas, after all): do avoid the default control scheme, and don't play it on your own under any circumstance.
    • 65 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Collar X Malice delivers a dark and twisted thriller, filled with some of the signature elements that have made Otomate the best in what it does. The presentation and writing are absolutely some of the company's very best. While the heavy romance elements of its other games could be inhibiting to those outside its core demographic, this feels like the most inclusive of all of their titles, and one any visual novel fans could truly enjoy. This version brings the quintessential experience too. The extra side stories, and the alternative story are solid enough additions, but it's in the epilogues that this really shines. It's always wonderful to see a "What happened next" in games; addendums to the tales that deliver satisfying conclusions for each character, and that's exactly what's on hand here.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Embr is, in a way, a lot like its namesake. It burns bright while it lasts, sure, and it is initially a lot of fun to run around putting out fires and dealing with the general chaos of the game. Unfortunately, it burns out quickly, and soon all that is left is the faint glow of the once bright fire. At this point, this just doesn't have any sort of staying power, and the novelty of the whole experience wears off very quickly. This isn't a bad title, and even with its shortcomings it is worth the time for a quick play-through. Perhaps it might even warrant a second one some time down the line, but this is the sort of game that could've been much better with a few more ideas, and maybe if improvements come in the future this could truly be a great experience. For now, it doesn't quite generate the heat it was hoping to.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    With a new platform host comes a Wonderful One renaissance, and a second chance to experience one of the most unique action games of the generation. The improvements found in this remaster are minimal, and previous visibility concerns are all the more prevalent due to Switch's portable functionality, but those willing to work through said issues, will discover an incredibly enjoyable, and endearing experience.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Now that Marvel's Avengers is dirt cheap, it might be worth a play for the impressive action sequences and impressive visuals. Maybe with enough people picking it up at a much more agreeable price, it might inject the tedious co-op modes. It certainly did not deserve the utter disdain it received, and was at best just a corporate, tone-deaf project that nobody wanted. It is rotten with executive sleaze for sure, and the game can feel like work a lot of the time due to the grind, but there is an ok experience in this somewhere. It is buried beneath all the obnoxious writing, grinding, and generic design.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Crash Bandicoot hasn't changed much, and that's - mostly - a good thing. Some more substantial additions would be more than welcome, as the new things on offer feel underused here - like the mask abilities and the extra playable character, which can only be used in very specific spots and/or levels. The replay value is once again very high, first due to the many collectables, and, second, because of the "your skill is the limit" Time Trial mode. As expected, Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time remains as challenging as its older siblings. Mostly because this is…well, Crash Bandicoot, but sadly this also happens because of the much worse perspectives. Fixable by a patch? Hopefully, yes, as it lowers the fun factor quite a bit.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town has the potential to be the best entry in the Story of Seasons series. Sadly, the combination of major and minor bugs, including frame rate dips on the farm itself, severely decreases gameplay enjoyment. There has been one pre-launch update and further updates are on the way. This will hopefully address some of the issues encountered and maybe even allow active participation in more of the events. It is still a fun experience so long as the noted problems can be tolerated. There is a huge variety of animals and crops to tend to, fantastic range in character customisation, and the usual aspects of a Story of Seasons title that long-time fans have come to love.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    This competent knock-off won't stick around in anyone's memory after playing it, but Bladed Fury has a strong foundation and the action feels satisfying to play. However, the droll story is a hard sell for anyone not familiar with Chinese history. The art, though, is very good - almost as good as the Vanillaware titles that inspired it. From a certain angle, it might pass as the real thing.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    If it weren't for the helpful quality-of-life features added, the first two Turrican instalments would likely never be played by anyone today. This is less of an issue for the other two titles included in Turrican Flashback. Super Turrican and Mega Turrican are really exciting, and highly stimulating action games that hold up today. The only modern day indie equivalent would be Gunlord X, which cheekily mapped the beam weapon to the analogue stick for the fastest possible action. Turrican was where it began, and anyone who enjoys the likes of Contra or action games by Treasure should really give this a look.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    At first glance, Azur Lane: Crosswave may look like a fan service-filled experience, and while there is a bit of truth to that in both character design and some conversations in the story, it is also a title filled with intrigue, rivalry, and cooperation. The depth of the story and character growth coupled with the easy to pick up, hard-to-master gameplay make it perfect for the portability of the Nintendo Switch. Post-game content is just as important as the main story, whereafter dozens of hours can be put into creating a dream team whose power is unstoppable against the Sirens.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    The story and presentation are very unique and deserve high praise; the narrative keeps the experience going whenever the platforming starts to get boring and fall flat. Too often, MO:Astray amounts to cheap deaths and pixel-perfect jumps, which severely detracts from what would have been a completely outstanding sci-fi exploration game. Simply put, flopping around as a blob eventually gets old.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Aside from a few limitations and exclusions in the mechanics department, Harvest Moon: One World is an exciting addition to the famous series from Natsume Inc. Dozens, if not hundreds, of hours can be spent befriending town residents, taming wild beasts and being a good farmer so the world can prosper and people can eat more than just potatoes. Different landscapes and climates provide region-specific crops and creatures that expand beyond the basic types initially available, adding variety throughout and beyond the main story - not to mention the house decoration mechanic and wardrobe to expand with new clothes. The invention of shrinking the farm buildings at the touch of a button makes it easier to build and manage a vast farm empire that benefits the entire world. This is one for every farm sim fan to check out.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Battle Brothers feels like a really natural fit on the Switch. The open-world nature of the game is one that is easy to get lost in and therefore having the ability to take it on the go is a fantastic attribute. As good as that is, the clunkiness of some of the controls on the console will take a bit of getting used to. However, the fact is there is not really any other title like this on the console with such a uniquely procedural role-playing feel. Making the player care about characters is one of the hardest tricks in gaming and Battle Brothers delivers this, with the sense of loss after a tough battle being really palpable.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Ancient Gods - Part Two is very good… or, more precisely, just very good. Compared to the near flawless core game, and the slightly rough around the edges, but still great Part One, this feels kind of rushed, with the new additions once again following the tired formula of gimmicky enemies. As for the story, and most importantly, the presentation, it's a blatant mess. A disappointing one at that, as this isn't just a simple expansion, but the culmination of what was basically the resurrection of the venerable franchise that 2016's DOOM initiated.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Crash Bandicoot 4 is a raving success when it comes to producing a sequel worthy of the franchise's original trilogy. Any fan should have no hesitations in picking this up. The content on offer is huge, with tons to collect and aim for in every stage, costumes to unlock, different characters to play as, fresh gameplay that compliments the familiar, and bundles of humour and charm. This is not an easy game, however. Getting to the end is one thing, but be prepared for one of the toughest tasks in modern games if attempting to 100% every level. Despite the performance cutbacks on Switch, it runs and looks well enough, but if portable play doesn't matter to you, it might be wiser to opt for one of the other versions.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    El Hijo is certainly a lovely experience. It has gorgeous visuals, as much storytelling as a player wishes to see, smart puzzles, and some of the more frustrating aspects of stealth games are given features to make it more palatable to a larger audience. Sadly, though, these features dumb down the stealthing side to an extent and take away the dynamic feeling of many others of the genre, leaving players coming for a stealth heavy game wanting more.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    It is hard to say this is a great Persona title. The combat is fun and punchy, the story cool and on point, and there are some attractive design sensibilities. Unfortunately, the overall experience doesn't feel as cohesive as it could. At its core there is a great Persona story and experience but the move to the new systems and Omega Force's take on the series highlights why it is that Persona needs its turn-based combat and carefully considered character narratives. This is an excellent title in its own right and probably Omega Force's best work yet. It's just lacking that special something that would make it a stellar Persona title. It might have worked better as an expansion to the original Persona 5 as the story is awesome.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The simple gameplay of Battle of Polytopia is actually a pretty fun breakdown of the genre - the problem is ultimately its simplicity is its undoing. Despite what it says or looks like, every starting race is nearly the exact same, which is a huge missed opportunity to diversify them. Battles late-game are very dry. For some casual players it is a fun romp, but anyone looking for depth or longevity won't find it here.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    This game is part Animal Crossing, part hardcore strategy, and that is largely its weakness as there is very little overlap between those games or gamers. For strategy aficionados, the staggering amount of crafting, structures, and literal Feng Shui will be too much, and for casual crafting/constructing fans there is too much RPG/Strategy elements. It's nice how this is clearly very Asian in theme, but the game is just so strange it is hard to recommend.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It is incredibly hard to put Alice and You down once a session has begun. It's pitch perfect in its execution of a simple but compelling puzzle concept. This is a fantastic title that is highly recommended to anyone interested in retro aesthetic and puzzle games.
    • 54 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Apex Legends is a live service experience, so there are reasons to be optimistic about the future of the title. The best advice at the moment to is to turn off cross-play and just compete against others with the same limitations. At its core, though, there is something really good here. Unfortunately, it's just hidden behind a wall of technical issues in terms of graphics, frame rate, resolution and overall stability. Panic Button is the king of Switch ports, though, and it feels like the developer deserves the chance to try and put this right. Fix the stability, adjust the graphics and work on cross-progression. If Panic Button can put things right, it will enhance its reputation to no end.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    As bold, or unique the horror-meets-sex concept might be, the execution here is far from excellent… or great, or very good, to be honest. Lust from Beyond is a decent adventure, for sure, with a neat dose of Lovecraft in it as well. While it has its moments, it isn't really very effecting at being scary of discomforting, with the gameplay certainly being the least enjoyable aspect of it all. It's easy to find a lot worse in the realm of indie horror games, so if a big fan of the genre, do try it out if you get the chance to find it really cheap, just don't expect something that will stay with you for long.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    With its short playtime, Iris.Fall doesn't overstay its welcome and presents an interesting distraction that never bores. Variety is the spice of life in this instance, so it's unfortunate that new elements are sometimes introduced that are so baffling that players may be discouraged from seeing the story through to the end credits. For those that do, however, a beautiful and unsettling adventure awaits with some great mechanics laid over some even greater visual design and cues.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Overall, Observer: System Redux is a great pickup for those looking to see just exactly how well their shiny new consoles can perform, as well as having an interesting experience to boot (you know, like a computer). Environments are beautiful in a truly depressing, atmospheric manner, and lead Rutger Hauer really makes the effort to portray a downtrodden detective tired of the new cybernetic world order. This is a clear pick up for fans of psychological horror drama, looking for a few jump scares and… uncomfortable-ness over a few hours. For the rest, however, it's an interesting experiment that perhaps could benefitted from less of the shocks and more of the Detective chops.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Room to Grow is probably one of those titles that don't do anything wrong… but aren't really that great. Sure, simplicity can work wonders, and in the world of puzzle games that has happened many times. Not here, unfortunately, as the progression is extremely slow, as if this is afraid of frightening players, with the few mechanics available being handed to you in an equally slow pace. Is Mischka Kamener's creation bad because of these issues? Far from it. As long as you don't mind NOT being fed with new stuff to remain interested, this is a neat assortment of smart puzzles, that will take some time to be completed, pro or not.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A few niggling control issues and glitches aside, it is highly recommended to check out Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty before Soulstorm arrives this year. There is a lot to love about Abe's tough adventure, with stealth, puzzles, and plenty of other mechanics all at play in determining whether he saves his 299 Mudokon buddies or not. A one-of-a-kind side-scroller that still stands the test of time.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Although its mobile origins, and reliable, yet repetitive routine of collection materials may deter a few, fighting for those ingredients, unlocking secrets, and selecting the best menu provides plenty of delight in the charming, and at times cleverly twisted plot of Marenian Tavern Story: Patty and the Hungry God. Replay value is high for completionists who wish to not only discover all six hundred+ dishes but max out the levels and unearth all equipment. The inspiring, upbeat story of Patty's fight to help her family's tavern business flourish deserves a spot on everyone's collection.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 20 Critic Score
    Juggling sub-par game design with a host of technical issues on the Switch, Gods Will Fall is a painfully disappointing roguelike that plays more like a proof of concept than anything else. Fashioning gameplay around eight distinct playable characters who can all permanently die is certainly interesting and adds an inherent tension to the experience, but stiff controls, laughable enemy AI, and shallow combat do nothing but remind audiences that they can be playing something better. The fact DeepSilver would publish a title so blatantly unready for public consumption - let alone purchase - is frankly baffling. Gods Will Fall is as much a waste of time as it is money.

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