Cube & Star: An Arbitrary Love
- February 14, 2014
- Doppler Interactive
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Get on itch.io StoreCube & Star: An Arbitrary Love is a surreal open-world exploration game that explores the creation of life and the pointlessness of existence. Players can choose from different views, such as Spindle, Perspective, or Data, to navigate the bizarre, colorful world. The game encourages players to spread color and joy, interact with strange creatures, and ultimately reunite the Ancient Cube and Star. This game is not for the faint of heart and offers a unique, mind-bending experience.
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Reviews
- The game offers a relaxing and enjoyable experience, allowing players to unwind while exploring and coloring the world.
- Its unique and minimalist design, along with charming music, creates a captivating atmosphere that draws players in.
- Players appreciate the freedom to explore and interact with the environment without the pressure of a defined goal or complex mechanics.
- The lack of clear objectives and guidance can leave players feeling lost and confused about the game's purpose.
- Many achievements and collectibles feel pointless or overly complicated, detracting from the overall experience.
- The game may not appeal to those seeking action or a structured gameplay experience, as it is highly abstract and open-ended.
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around simple mechanics of collecting and interacting with a vibrant, abstract world, emphasizing a philosophy of simplicity that enhances the relaxing experience. Players enjoy a unique sense of ownership as each world is distinct, though the lack of a save mechanic is a notable drawback. Overall, the minimalist design fosters a pure and enjoyable experience, free from the constraints of traditional plot-driven gameplay.
“At its core, the mechanics involve collecting, which is your way of interacting with a living, breathing, highly abstract world.”
“While the gameplay so far has never diverged from 'roll around, color, collect, talk', I don't think it needs to. It's a testament to the philosophy that simplicity is key, and sometimes overthinking in the game design process isn't required.”
“I adore this game and can hardly explain why; the color, music, and totally minimalist gameplay create an experience that can perhaps only be described as 'fun', pure, simple 'fun' untethered by our expectations of a plot or any discernible end goal.”
“Before you buy this game, go to its website and read the creator's description about its mechanics.”
“While the gameplay so far has never diverged from 'roll around, color, collect, talk', I don't think it needs to. It's a testament to the philosophy that simplicity is key and sometimes overthought in the game design process isn't required.”
“There really isn't much negative to say about the game, but one should be informed that the game has no save mechanic.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its charm and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many players finding it delightful enough to keep the volume on. However, some users express a desire for more variety, noting that the limited number of tracks can become tedious. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's peaceful and minimalist atmosphere.
“This game is an awesome world/peaceful game, it has great graphics and good music.”
“The unnecessary collectible joke gets tedious after five seconds and you'll probably wish there was more than one music track.”
“I don't usually play games with the sound on, but the music is very charming and I find myself turning up the volume for this game.”
“I adore this game and I can hardly explain why; the color, music, and totally minimalist gameplay create an experience that can perhaps only be described as 'fun', pure, simple 'fun' untethered by our expectations of a plot or any discernible end goal.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is described as minimalistic yet intriguing, with players encouraged to piece together the narrative through journal entries and conversations. While some find the lack of a traditional plot engaging, others feel it lacks depth and should be complemented by more enjoyable gameplay. Overall, the aesthetic and atmosphere contribute to a unique experience that prioritizes exploration over a conventional storyline.
“It's minimalistic aesthetic serves well the feeling of exploration and the occasional bits of story you receive from journal pieces and conversations are tantalizing enough to entice you to find them all and piece together the entirety of the narrative.”
“I adore this game and I can hardly explain why; the color, music, and totally minimalist gameplay create an experience that can perhaps only be described as 'fun', pure, simple 'fun' untethered by our expectations of a plot or any discernible end goal.”
“This has only niche appeal and should have been wrapped up in a game that is actually fun or engaging to make the player interested before asking them to come up with their own story.”
“The minimalistic aesthetic serves well for the feeling of exploration, but the occasional bits of story you receive from journal pieces and conversations are only tantalizing enough to entice you to find them all and piece together the entirety of the narrative.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics of Cube&star are praised for their colorful and minimalistic design, which enhances the game's exploration and storytelling elements. Players appreciate the aesthetic quality, describing it as exquisite and fitting for the game's peaceful atmosphere, despite some wishing for more interactive features. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's charm and immersive experience.
“Cube&star is colorful, minimalistic, smart, darkly and subtly funny (the Nietzschean quips from the various geometric creatures make me alternate between wanting to laugh or cry), and aesthetically exquisite.”
“It's minimalistic aesthetic serves well the feeling of exploration and the occasional bits of story you receive from journal pieces and conversations are tantalizing enough to entice you to find them all and piece together the entirety of the narrative.”
“The graphics are incredibly outdated, making the game feel like it belongs in a different era.”
“The character models are poorly designed and lack detail, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“The environments are bland and repetitive, failing to create an immersive world.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of collectibles and limited music tracks, which detracts from the overall experience. However, some still consider the game a hidden gem despite these frustrations.
“The unnecessary collectibles become a tedious joke after just five seconds, and you'll likely wish there was more than one music track.”
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged, turning what could be an exciting adventure into a monotonous task.”
- humor1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Cube&star is praised for its colorful and minimalistic design, featuring darkly humorous and subtly clever Nietzschean quips from geometric creatures that evoke a mix of laughter and introspection. The humor is described as both smart and aesthetically exquisite, enhancing the overall experience.
“Cube&star is colorful, minimalistic, smart, darkly and subtly funny. The Nietzschean quips from the various geometric creatures make me alternate between wanting to laugh or cry, and the game is aesthetically exquisite.”
