Demagog Studio and Untold Tales launched us to a desolate earth ripe {for golfing} with Golf Membership Wasteland Nostalgia, they usually’ve introduced us again to discover it as one of many final remaining folks of an inhabitable world in The Cub. This free online game adaptation of The Jungle E book retains the environment of their earlier sport and builds upon the world with a platforming twist. In my assessment, I’ll see if The Cub is price one other tour of the lonely Earth.
Raised by Wolves
Unable to avoid wasting their planet from the Nice Ecological Disaster, the wealthy have fled to Mars, and left behind Earth to the beasts and flora. We play because the titular Cub, a human little one raised by wolves, who has in some way tailored to the earth’s new environment and has develop into one with nature itself.
On a recon journey to Earth, the now Martians spot the Cub, do what most people do, and attempt to seize it. The Cub’s escape and finally outwitting them utilizing their adaptability serves as the principle stimulus of the complete story.
Many of the lore you collect in regards to the world comes from newspaper clippings, messages, and movies that you could work together with as you make your method via the wasteland.
The fast story of outwitting the Martians is the larger draw for me, and whereas a few of the notes you discover could be a bit fascinating, I nonetheless choose the sport’s environmental storytelling elements greater than the “cease and skim” moments.
Run, Bounce, and Slide
The Cub is essentially impressed by SEGA platformers of the late 90s, together with Lion King, and Aladdin in addition to current 2D journey video games like INSIDE, and Limbo. In the identical spirit, you’ll run via completely different environments, bounce over obstacles, and hold on ropes to push your self ahead. It’s a reasonably commonplace platformer for probably the most half, and there aren’t many surprises that break the mould of the video games it’s impressed by.
A couple of difficult sections require exact inputs, however for probably the most half, you’re both operating away from an enemy through the use of your parkour expertise, or hiding from them until they avert their gaze. You die by taking a single hit, which makes the character really feel susceptible regardless of their traversal talents. Close to-instant respawns assist with this, and also you’re inspired to maintain going due to plentiful checkpoints.
General, I feel the gameplay is serviceable, however doesn’t do sufficient to face out from the numerous related 2D journey video games the place a baby has to face unattainable odds, and dies in ugly methods. It feels a bit performed out at this level, and I’m ready for a sport that takes the premise a bit additional. The Cub is without doubt one of the higher ones, however in the event you’ve performed one earlier than, you’ve performed all of them.
Presentation
Arguably the strongest a part of The Cub is its presentation. The sport seems improbable and jogs my memory of the numerous hand-drawn Disney motion pictures of the late 90s and early 2000s. Its stylized look, wonderful use of colours, and hand-drawn animations make it a pleasure to take a look at and discover.
The world is stuffed with particulars that you could admire, and infrequently stroll you thru the moments of catastrophe now coated with flora, and inhabited by all types of wildlife.
Like Golf Membership Nostalgia, the customized soundtrack due to Radio Nostalgia From Mars is a spotlight, and it’s quite a lot of enjoyable listening to quite a lot of tracks that usually complement what’s occurring within the sport at any given second. The tunes make the journey all of the extra particular, and I’ll be listening to the soundtrack for some time.
Verdict
The Cub doesn’t overstay its welcome and manages to ship a fascinating expertise all through its quick runtime. The world is superbly crafted with tons of particulars to understand, and the soundtrack is as catchy as ever. Its gameplay is a bit simplistic, and there aren’t many surprises in that division, regardless of just a few difficult sections. I like the sport extra when it’s utilizing the world to fill within the gaps reasonably than counting on notes to spoon-feed tales of the world left behind.
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This assessment relies on the PC model of The Cub. The important thing was offered by Untold Tales.
