The game seemed simple enough: A laser is given a cube. Each side has a moving target. The job is to cut away as much of each side as possible, leaving the target with little room to move. Reach the target percentage of cube cut away and move on to the next (of 50) level(s). I expected ease, even simplicity from Cubixx HD.
The goal is simple enough, and the learning curve is short. The multiplayer is entertaining and with the possibility of adding 6 other players makes the fun and insanity 6 times more likely. The graphics, while a little rudimentary, get the point across and aren’t too distracting.
Sometimes Cubixx HD felt less challenging and more cheap. You are brought into a false sense of security after the first level, and you enter the second expecting a slightly more difficult section, especially when you consider that there are 10 sections all together. However in the second section the difficulty has risen exponentially, much more than it should have. I didn’t get to the last section, thankfully for my controller and my sanity
This is where I have a problem with the graphics. There are enemies in the game called laser chasers who follow along the edges of the cube and any lines you create to try and destroy you. I am not sure where the decision was made that they should look exactlylike your own laser, but it was a mistake. It makes the game confusing and frustrating, especially when you are in multiplayer. Small problems like this bring the game from a fun challenge to a frustrating one.
The controls are solid, but corners can be an issue. I found using the D-pad to be a bit easier to move your laser around as opposed the left analog stick. Pro tip: Try not to create tiny corners when you are cutting.
The music is typical when it comes to games like this. The game greets you with what feels like European techno music – helps the blood to pump and get you ready to play. However, the more you cut away from the cube, the more you see a pulsing ball in the center of the cube and you hear what sounds like a beating heart. My mind had a hard time trying to figure out what to concentrate on. Funky techno club music to keep me hyped or a beating heart to calm me down?
Don’t get me wrong, despite my griping, Cubixx HD is addicting. I kept playing to try and get farther along in the game, but eventually my frustration would get too high and the game would have to be turned off. When you consider that you can play in arcade mode, time trials, multiplayer, a mode called Score Attack (among many other modes that you can unlock), the fact that Laughing Jackal is only asking for $9.99 on PSN is a great deal for your money.
