QUBE: Director's Cut
- May 21, 2014
- Toxic Games
A brilliantly constructed if slight first-person puzzler, the new narrative in Q.U.B.E Director’s Cut serves to elevate an already entertaining yarn into a near-essential prospect.
The Director’s Cut is the definitive version of Q.U.B.E. featuring new content, puzzles and an all new story line from award winning writer Rob Yescombe.
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Wii
Wii U
Xbox
Reviews
- Great puzzle design that offers a variety of challenges suitable for different thinking styles.
- Excellent sound design that enhances immersion with ambient sounds and well-timed music.
- Polished gameplay with well-thought-out mechanics and a deep narrative that elevates the experience.
- Some puzzles can be overly difficult, leading to frustration.
- Lacks charm and wit, making the story feel dull and the setting sterile.
- Technical issues such as glitches and camera angle difficulties detract from the overall experience.
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's story presents a mature and serious narrative that distinguishes it from the Portal franchise, offering a fresh take on physics-based puzzles. However, some players find the setting sterile and the storytelling dry, lacking the charm and wit that made Portal successful. While the narrative is considered deep and the mechanics well-designed, the ending has been noted as a disappointment.
“Obvious comparisons will be made to the Portal franchise, but for players who have never played those games, it offers a fresh, new dimension to physics-based puzzling. In terms of the story, it presents a more mature and serious narrative throughout.”
“The story is deep, the mechanics are well thought out, and the graphics are simple – the ending is the only real downer in this game of many high points.”
“One thing missing that was a key component to the success of Portal is charm and wit; this game can be very dull because of how sterile and desolate the setting is and how dry the story can be.”
“[Some of the hidden puzzles are too hard, no real story]”
“The ending is the only real downer in this game of many high points.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance immersion, coming alive at key moments and complementing the environment effectively. Additionally, the sound effects are well-executed, adding depth to the gameplay experience without feeling repetitive. Overall, the combination of music and voice acting contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“Just looking at beautiful or ruined environments doesn’t make a game good; the music and the creation of sound to make you believe you’re in a real place is first-class.”
“Music often comes alive at the appropriate times, and the sound effects react really well in the rooms, so it never comes across as bland sound effects for the same switches.”
“The music and voice acting are great, and the puzzles are clever.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its depth and well-designed mechanics, offering a diverse experience despite simple graphics. However, some players find the ending disappointing, which slightly detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“If you can look past this cube's jagged edges, then it's well worth a look for the sheer variety of gameplay alone.”
“The story is deep, the mechanics are well thought out, and the graphics are simple – the ending is the only real downer in this game of many high points.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is noted as a strong point, offering a polished and complex experience that encourages players to revisit its puzzles, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights of genre-defining titles like Portal.
“The director's cut does very well for a game in a genre perfected by Portal. While it's not quite at that caliber, it's a polished, complex, and enjoyable puzzler that has great replayability.”
“Each playthrough offers new challenges and surprises, making it hard to put down.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two runs are ever the same, keeping the experience fresh and engaging.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The graphics are described as simple, which contrasts with the game's deep story and well-thought-out mechanics, but they do not detract significantly from the overall experience.
“The graphics are simple and lack detail, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“While the story is engaging, the graphics feel outdated and uninspired.”
“The visuals are underwhelming and do not match the quality of the gameplay.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is hindered by glitches in the physics engine and challenges with camera angles, which negatively impact puzzle-solving and overall gameplay experience.
“Glitches in the physics and difficulties in working camera angles and timing elements into puzzle solving definitely detract from the experience.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
“I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted gameplay, causing me to restart levels multiple times.”
Critic Reviews
Q.U.B.E Director’s Cut PS4 Review
A brilliantly constructed if slight first-person puzzler, the new narrative in Q.U.B.E Director’s Cut serves to elevate an already entertaining yarn into a near-essential prospect.
80%Q.U.B.E: Director’s Cut
Just looking at beautiful or ruined environments doesn’t make a game good, the music, the creation of sound to make you believe you’re in a real place is first-class. There are moments that seem in complete silence, but if you stop to listen, you’ll hear the room, nothing specific, but you’ll hear ambiance. Music often comes alive at the appropriate times, and the sound effects react really good in the rooms, so it never comes across as bland sound effects for the same switches.
80%Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut Review
Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut is an excellent physics based puzzler that offers enough variety and challenge to its puzzles to satisfy even the most lateral of thinkers. Obvious comparisons will be made to the Portal franchise but for players who never played those games it offers a fresh, new dimension to physics based puzzling and in terms of the story, it offers an altogether more mature and serious narrative throughout. At the price, it's a must-have for any puzzle fan.
80%
