Cube Gothic

About

Cube Gothic is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up game with a progressive Gothic-esque soundtrack and hand-drawn graphics. Battle your way through the Dark Tower, fighting surreal hazards and solving puzzles to reach the First Vampire and ancient God. With adjustable difficulty and integrated mini-games, Cube Gothic offers a balanced challenge for both casual and experienced players. The game features a diverse bestiary, unexpected puzzles, and a unique, sensical story.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 68 reviews

graphics18 positive mentions

The game features stunning and unique visuals that create an enthralling atmosphere.
The soundtrack is excellent and complements the game's dark and mysterious theme.
The gameplay includes a mix of genres, offering creative elements and surprises throughout.

The difficulty is often described as unfair and punishing, with confusing hitboxes and a frustrating save system.
Many players find the reversed text and bizarre controls to be disorienting and detracting from the experience.
Some gameplay mechanics, such as math puzzles during boss fights, are seen as nonsensical and overly complicated.

graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their unique and striking art style, described as dark, creepy, and reminiscent of a deteriorating mind, making it a standout visual experience. However, many players feel that the beautiful visuals are overshadowed by frustrating gameplay mechanics, leading to a mixed reception where the aesthetic appeal is often at odds with the overall gaming experience. Despite the artistic merits, some reviewers question whether the visuals justify the game's punishing difficulty.
- “Wild and inspired visuals, interesting music, solid gameplay.”
- “The artwork is very unique to this developer; there is nobody else out there that draws characters and backgrounds like that. It's almost like visualizing a deteriorating mind, a very unique visual experience if nothing else.”
- “The visuals and the music are amazing to me, and the controls are pretty good.”
- “The art style is dark and creepy.”
- “Are the visuals worth the pain you have to go through?”
- “Even for an arkhouse game, this was a very masochistic experience; it's a shame because this game has a great story and I wish more people could experience it - it's almost like the developer does not want anyone to see his artwork.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
53%
11%
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players appreciating the unique mechanics and tight controls, while others criticize it for being overly difficult, flawed, and punishing. Many highlight the game's visual appeal and artistic style, suggesting that if the focus is on storytelling and visuals, the gameplay should be less frustrating. Overall, while there are interesting gameplay elements, the execution can lead to a challenging experience that may deter some players.
- “This has to be one of the most visually striking and mechanically inventive shmups I've ever played.”
- “Visuals are awesome and the gameplay overall is pretty fun and interesting.”
- “Wild and inspired visuals, interesting music, solid gameplay.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, but if you're going to focus on visuals and storytelling, maybe it's better to use gameplay that isn't so annoying, flawed, and punishing or simply have no gameplay.”
- “I love the art style and the overall uniqueness of the visuals, but the gameplay is pretty bad.”
- “Gameplay is ridiculously difficult despite what the store page says.”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The game's story is presented in a confusing manner, with text written in reverse and an overly stylized font that hinders comprehension, leading players to resort to screenshots for clarity. While the narrative is described as intriguing and dark, with nods to classic titles, many players find it bizarre and difficult to follow, often overshadowed by frustrating gameplay mechanics. Despite these challenges, some appreciate the unique storytelling and character development, suggesting that the story could shine if not for the punishing difficulty.
- “The story is intriguing, with very loose nods to old Castlevania titles.”
- “Wonderfully dark and mysterious, with an interesting story to match.”
- “Even for an Arkhouse game, this was a very masochistic experience; it's a shame because this game has a great story and I wish more people could experience it.”
- “All the text in the game is written in reverse and the font is too stylized to read efficiently, forcing the player to take screenshots and invert the image in paint to try to understand the game's plot (and the text doesn't even help you understand what's going on).”
- “I really wanted to like this game, but if you're going to focus on visuals and storytelling, maybe it's better to use gameplay that isn't so annoying, flawed, and punishing or simply have no gameplay.”
- “I mean 50% of the story in a game is shown as reversed text and honestly that looks stupid and a bit childish.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
19%
12%
The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting beauty and ability to enhance the dark atmosphere, with standout tracks like "Legion 52" receiving particular acclaim. While the soundtrack is considered excellent, some reviewers note that it may not appeal to everyone due to its niche quality. Overall, the combination of evocative music and striking visuals contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “The music is beautiful and haunting, where every piano key in my favorite track 'Legion 52' sounds like desperately throwing white paint to make stars on an endless black canvas.”
- “Greatest atmosphere and soundtrack I've ever experienced in a game.”
- “It has great music and a beautifully dark atmosphere.”
- “I didn't love the soundtrack as much, but still pretty decent.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While the art is impressive, the music doesn't quite match the game's intensity.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its beautifully dark aesthetic and exceptional soundtrack, drawing comparisons to the first Gothic game, "Seal of the Curse." Reviewers consistently highlight the immersive quality of the music, noting it enhances the overall experience and contributes to a captivating ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is regarded as one of the game's standout features.
- “It has great music and a beautifully dark atmosphere.”
- “Greatest atmosphere and soundtrack I've ever experienced in a game.”
- “Every Arkhouse game is very atmospheric, and the soundtrack is always good as well.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its witty dialogue, which often elicits laughter, adding a lighthearted touch to the otherwise challenging gameplay.
- “Difficult but very beautiful, and the dialogue is pretty damn funny sometimes lol.”