Let's Play Cuboid Keeper - #6: Role Reversal (Finale)
2In this final episode of Cuboid Keeper (PC), I enter the final stretch of the game, where I battle the remaining forces of Carbarian Prime, and then Prime itself. Following this, the secret of the cube is revealed...
Thanks for watching viewers! This title came out of the blue for me, but I'm glad I tried it.
For full disclosure, I received a key from the developer to Let's Play this title.
REVIEW:
What I liked:
* Gameplay was sleek, and controls responsive.
* All the levels felt fair, and somewhat distinct to each other. There was little to no filler as well, usually a new enemy, obstacle, or module was introduced at regular intervals.
* Different levels could have different arena shapes, and those could be viewed on the map screen. I didn't mind Level 16 (the avoider level) and Level 32 (the maligned maze) - they were a nice change of pace.
* Each faction/civilization felt distinct in terms of their aesthetics, ships, and strategies.
* The Guardian's customization. You had a nice deal of choice in regards to what weaponry, defense, and support modules you could equip. More skilled players could opt to equip more weaponry and skimp on the defensive and support modules, and vice versa. Combined with the game's arcade scoring mechanics, it made for a compelling experience and promoted replayability.
** Though, I wish the game had one more weapon type.
* The techno music complemented the gameplay.
* The foreshadowing of Carbarian Prime's true nature.
What I was meh about:
* Lack of plot developments for other three factions. Particularly with the Monogosums and the Ottropians. The former faction mentioned they already destroyed several cubes in the past. I desired to see that angle explored more.
* The special modules didn't feel balanced. The best one was the Drones module, closely followed by the Blade. The first one quickly got outclassed.
What I didn't like:
* Outside of a few levels, two major bosses, and the final boss, the game was too easy. Even if you perform little to no grinding, it's not too difficult to triumph over most of what the game sends you. The Combo Shield, Shield, and Defender work amazing in tandem - sometimes too amazing. Even on "Hard" mode. Perhaps a "Very Hard" mode or bonus levels could rectify this?
* Other factions should have gotten more love. Primarily in the form of more than one major boss.
* Game felt a bit too short. It could have done with 10 more levels either in the main campaign, or as extra challenges or postgame content.
* Completing a stage damage-less should be indicated on the level select screen.
Overall, I handily enjoyed my time with this game. It's one of the easier indie twin-stick shooters on the market, but has a nice skill ceiling in the form of high scores. I'd recommend this title to newcomers of this genre.
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EtharonG
Cuboid Keeper LP Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2fCsHy3Q-g4hvmHT9tod1QPwPBV-aSiw
Steam Store Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/954240/Cuboid_Keeper/
Game's Website: http://ottropi.com/
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Cuboid Keeper is developed and published by Ottropi Games.