Official Score
Overall - 40%
40%
Cube Mission’s rigid structure does not do it any favors. When paired with its poor optimization, this title quickly becomes a hard sell for even the most diehard of puzzle platformer fans.
The life of a cube in NanningsGames’ Cube Mission is rife with danger, filled with fire, spikes, bottomless pits, and other threats. Tasked with solving 36 different levels, does this game prove that it’s hip to be square?
Cube Mission Review
Cube Mission follows your typical mission structure, and does so without explaining anything to the player. As a cube, players will navigate to the lighted portal to the end of each section. However, as is true of many video games, there are a number of threats that stand between you and victory.
Everything is managed on a grid format, with your cube companion able to go in one of four different directions. The isometric perspective makes this kind of tricky, and though the arrow keys can be used, the on-screen buttons are highly preferred for accuracy’s sake. Though lives are infinite, players will have to start puzzles over once more if something goes wrong.
This is one unforgiving title as well. All levels are set high above the ground, and simply brushing against fire, spikes, or lasers causes the protagonist to dissipate. This would normally be fine, but some of the hitboxes are way too wide, with us dying to invisible threats. Other levels task players with guiding a second cube to set points, which can quickly prove to be a frustrating endeavor.
Other objects, including platforms that fly across expanses, cranes that move you around, elevators that rise up from the ground, blocks that latch on to the player, and switches that must be flipped, can be hit and miss. Some things were not completely thought through – elevators do not reset, and certain switches do not activate at certain moments. More QA time would have quashed these quirks, and would prevent people from starting over once more.
Each of the 36 levels doesn’t take too long to complete, usually averaging around a minute or two for each successful playthrough. Achievements are tied to level progression, so those that complete the title will have seen all this game has to offer. Unfortunately, there is nothing here to keep players coming back once everything is completed, though individual levels can be played once more.
Unfortunately, this is one poorly optimized game as well. Though it was reviewed on a gaming PC, our computer’s fans worked overtime just to run this title, and actually forced our computer to shut down on two separate occasions. The graphical prowess on display is nothing too out of the ordinary, just simple polygonal shapes, so this oversight makes playing the game that much more difficult.
Cube Mission’s rigid structure does not do it any favors. When paired with its poor optimization, this title quickly becomes a hard sell for even the most diehard of puzzle platformer fans.
