Much like the classic film that inspired the latter part of this review’s title, CUBERS: Arena thrusts you into various gladiatorial-like arenas and forces you to indiscriminately dispatch of all your foes in a desperate bid to win your freedom.
Of course, it would be remiss of me to pose a question to you and fail to deliver on the answer. With that, suit up and arm yourselves as we critically evaluate this effort from Polish developers Teyon and determine whether it is deserving of a thumbs up, or thumbs down.
The Look of a Warrior
First and foremost, CUBERS: Arena is nothing short of drop dead georgeous. In total, there are four primary combat arenas: Colesseum, Cave, Village, and Abyss. Each of which contain conditions such as night, fog, and blizzard, making for a terrific range of visual variation.
However, some of the more impressive lighting and particle effects lack that practical touch, which can have detrimental effects on a player’s experience. For example, the hazy snow storms found in the village, and the enormous pools of shadow that reside in the caves can all too easily obscure the view of a player. As it so happens, being able to make out all of your environment with the greatest clarity is vital.
On a more positve note, the graphical fidelity is marvelous, with every pologon looking clear, crisp, and vibrant. Further, CUBERS: Arena runs on the Unreal Engine. Therefore, the decision to adopt a more stylistic art style ensures that this title is capable of running, as well as looking, its best as I have previously encountered an abundance of flat textures, texture pop-ins, and unsteady frame rates in other titles that also utilise this engine.
Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Trophies
In-between gory combat encounters of the mortal variety, which can be mercifully censored for those without the stomach for violence, players are permitted to roam this game’s hub world: the Oasis. Though miniscule in size, it contains some subtle details that initially flew under my radar, but immediately impressed me once I finally took notice of them.
For example, as you down each of the four bosses in the game, the weapons they used in their attempts to bring your life to a miserable end are placed atop small stone pillars as trophies. This reminds players of how well they have done, and how much more they have to do, while simulatenously building up the final boss in refreshingly gamic fashion.
A Hero’s Tale
In addition to this more subtle build, there are also more overt builds in the form of more traditional storytelling.
Though CUBERS: Arena is light on narrative, it does feature cutscenes that introduce, and conclude each of the four major areas. On these occassions, players are told of the King – the primary antagonist of this title – and warned of his almighty power and strength. While the remainder of the campagin lacks engaging twists and turns, the developers at least provide players with an overarching goal to work towards, and thus a reason to see the game through to the very end.
Battle Cry
Much like the narrative, all musical offerings in CUBERS: Arena come across as secondary elements. Much to my delight, that is not to say that the music which features in the game is not excellent. While there are only two tracks that spring to my mind as I reflect on the title, I enjoyed both of them equally for disparate reasons.
The first is the ambient track that scores the Oasis, a location that is designed to grant players blessed moments of reprieve from the game’s relentless campagin combat missions. So, ambient tones are the perfect accompaniment to this location as, it can be argued, their soul purpose is to put one at ease.
They are also perfectly complemented by the natural beauties that litter the Oasis, such as swaying palm trees and a flowing waterfall that fills up a nearby stream. Imagery such as this always succeeds in reducing my anxieties.
The second track, however, succeeds in bolstering them. Of course, when in the heat of battle, I would expect no less. Indeed, the second track is the one that underlines the combat missions. If there are other tracks that vary the score, then I barely noticed. Fortunately, what I did notice matched the gladiatorial motif well.
Cheers from a Baying Crowd
When coupled with the emphatic cheers of the delighted onlookers, I was met with an immersive experience that compelled me to make sure I myself was not equipped with a sword and shield, and that my feet were not adorned with sandals.
My only true gripe with the audio is the mixing. For the most part, it is splendid. However, when certain objects in the game world are destroyed, the sound that accompanies this destruction is so much louder, and more abrasive than all the other sounds. A moral subtle transition between the downing of the final enemy, and the reward players receive for doing so would have been greatly appreciated.
Let the Games Begin
The core gameplay loop of CUBERS: Arena sees players hacking and slashing their way through various stages, while taking some time out in-between to buy new gear, upgrade their current gear, or purchase new skills that can be equipped and swapped out at lesiure.
In regard to the purchasing and upgrading of items, which vary in rarity, it pleased me no end to discover that both of these abilities required separate forms of currency. For instance, weapons and gear are bought by way of gold, while experience points permit you to perform the necessary upgrades. Consequently, there is little need for players to pick and choose between which action they desire to perform, resulting in a light RPG system that is simple to get to grips with.
In addition, some weapons and gear will come packaged with sockets, perfect for slotting gems into. These gems come in a total of four fetching colours: red, blue, green, and purple. Each offer a disparate range of buffs, such as the attack buffs courtesy of red gems, and the vitality buffs that green gems so generously provide.
Prior to each combat encounter, I ensured that I had equipped the best buffs in the slots that would see them operating that the peak of their effectiveness. Alas, I rarely noticed any considerable change to my warrior, for better or worse. As a matter of fact, it was only when I equipped a purple gem that granted me more experience points on the conclusion of each battle that I actually began to taste the fruits of my labour.
Welcome to the Arena
Another issue I take with the gameplay of CUBERS: Arena can be identified in the battles themselves. Should you desire, a second player can be added to proceedings in order to deal the maximum amount of pain to your enemies. However, the minute-to-minute gameplay does not feel balanced to the single player experience.
In almost every arena, during almost every wave, I very quickly found myself overwhelmed with enemies. However, I do derive immense pleasure from the fact that they all behave in a unique manner. There are those who can summon additional foes. Those who combine ranged attacks with close encounters of the fisticuffs kind. Giant brutes who have no qualms with swatting away their allies simply to get that much closer to you.
Although this demonstrates a commendable degree of conscientiousness from the devs, tactical thought goes completely out the window when contending with a seemingly ceaseless horde of foes, in addition to an increasing number of death-traps. There is simply too much happening on screen at any one time, meaning that you barely receive a moment to plan. Subsequently, I was highly discouraged from jumping back into the game once I had tasted the humbling sensation of defeat.
Just About Earning Your Freedom
Without doubt, CUBERS: Arena is a game that offers delights for the eyes and ears, while offering a degree of fun along the way. Had the devs taken the time to ensure that the balance was just right, this would be a game perfect for those who enjoy a solo experience, as well as those who love to take advantage of gaming’s social nature.
As it stands, if you have a player two on stand-by, I see no reason why you should fail to win over the polygonal crowd.
