Q.U.B.E.: DIRECTOR'S CUT Review
It's hard to talk about the first person puzzle game Q.U.B.E. without drawing comparisons to Portal. They are both incredibly similar in regards to presentation and aesthetic, and yet there are some differences. Q.U.B.E. was released back in 2011 but only recently received a Director's Cut. The Director's Cut adds story elements that were sorely lacking from the original product.
The story is written by acclaimed writer Rob Yescombe who also wrote Crysis and Alien: Isolation. The story is reminiscent of the Tom Cruise film Oblivion, and there are sprinklings of other sci-fi films throughout. The game tasks you with manipulating colored objects throughout levels to get to the endpoint. The high contrast of color in a colorless world looks absolutely terrific. The difficulty is always engaging and never punishing, which is exactly what I want from a puzzle game. At times the physics are a little wonky, but that does not hinder the experience all that much. The Director's Cut also adds 10 levels for speedrun trials and they are delightful. My biggest complaint with the game is that the main story is too short. If you like games like Portal, go ahead and do yourself a favor and get Q.U.B.E. I hope that I see Q.U.B.E. 2 in the near future because this is a world I really want to return to.
QUBE is available now for Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Wii U.