CubicBan

Genre: Puzzle

Players: 1

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Review:

CubicBan is a family-friendly Puzzle game in the “Sokoban” style, where players must push boxes into designated squares in one of 75 puzzles. Released on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in 2022, this game’s take on the genre involves an abstract “spacey” presentation and a miniscule $3 price tag.

The presentation here uses 2D “vector”-style visuals that seem reminiscent of games like Geometry Wars, albeit without that franchise’s flair. This is joined by simple sound effects and extremely faint instrumental and choral music. Seriously, I can barely hear it, even after turning up the in-game volume from 50% to 100%. Not great.

As for the gameplay itself… well, this is a Sokoban game. The level design isn’t especially interesting or clever, but it works. There’s not really much to add to this. Well, okay, there is one thing. The game’s minimalist menus aren’t especially clear, and they take a few seconds to transition, which is frustrating, especially since there aren’t many options here in the first place.

Look, if all you want is a Sokoban Puzzle game for $3, this will do the trick, but the lack of polish in the presentation, the lack of anything interesting or memorable, all of this adds up to a mediocre entry in the genre. And while some may find it worth the small $3 price tag, there are so many other Puzzle games on the Nintendo Switch, even plenty of other Sokoban-style Puzzle games, that I find it hard to imagine there’s much reason to spend your time on a sub-par one, even for only $3.

tl;dr – CubicBan is a family-friendly Puzzle game in the “Sokoban” style, where players must push boxes into designated squares, with a vector-style “spacey” theme. I suppose this game works, but it does nothing interesting or memorable, the presentation lacks polish, and there’s a terrible lack of options. Puzzle game fans looking for something inexpensive can do better than this.

Grade: D+

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