Q.U.B.E. - Directors Cut Review

Save the Earth from a giant cube that is hurtling towards it by dismantling it from the inside.
Sounds a little strange, and you would be right, but somehow it works.

Q.U.B.E. (Quick Understanding of Block Extrusion), a 2014 PC release that has just been released on PS4, PS3, XBOne & Wii U, is a physics based puzzle game from developer Toxic Games.

You awaken in a white room, a voice comes through to say you have just woken from a cryo type sleep and that you are in space, inside a cube, and it is your job to dismantle it.

First thing you notice is the monochromatic visual style, reminiscent of a padded cell. The view is first person and movement is nice and fluid with your standard FPS controls. Puzzles are well highlighted with vibrant coloured blocks that you need to move around to solve. Moving the blocks is made possible by your gloves that allow you to perform a number of functions without the need to be close by and touching.

Now I was not expecting much when I fired this up the first time. This is not the usual genre that I play. There are no enemies and it is just a puzzler right. I was wrong.

There is something about the atmosphere created that keeps you drawn in, moving forward yet, makes you uneasy and tense at the same time. Rooms and walls move on their own and if you're claustrophobic, play with at least the lights on.

Puzzles are relatively easy to start but get progressively harder as you play through. They shouldn't pose much of a problem for most, however they do get tricky and timing becomes a big factor. One hint though, don't over think them, this will only make it harder.

As you progress, the visual style changes. It's like you're going deeper in the cube and in turn it gets very dark and your only visual aid is the bright blocks, glowing in the distance where your next puzzle awaits.

Once the darkness set in I felt a real sense of being alone, I was sitting in a dark room playing with headphones on and I was completely engrossed in what was happening on the screen and in my ears. I found myself wanting to get to the next point to find out the next part of the story.

At its heart Q.U.B.E. is a standard puzzler and the challenges in the later parts give you the sense of accomplishment you crave, but the story is what draws you in and holds you for the duration. Most will finish in about 4-5 hours and it is worth the $14.95 price tag.

Check out the trailer below, it gives a good insight into what to expect.

Thanks for reading and as always comments and feedback are welcome, we even encourage it.
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Pat (Snoogans)

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