As tough as it may be for some to believe, I’ve been very busy lately with a slew of games I need to review.  The term “swamped” seems very appropriate here.  However, one game that’s been on my radar the last couple of months has been Kyub, a block puzzle game that is a lot more interesting than I just described it.

I was sent a demo build of the game on PC recently and I have now just finished my time with it.  I spent a good 2 hours fooling around in the 4 levels that were included, and I’m still keeping this game on my radar.  Here’s some of what you can expect should you want to take a look at the game when it launches on Xbox One July 13, 2016.

 

 

The first level out of the gate was a tutorial level.  “No sweat” was the first thing I thought while hitting the A button to start it off.  I soon found out that the words should have been “I’m going to sweat” instead.  This tutorial was tough.  I had to learn the controls and how the game worked, and even once I thought I figured it out, I apparently didn’t.  The levels are timed and I was showcased a recommended amount of deaths and time you should take to beat it right on-screen the whole time.  Well, I’m embarrassed to say I shattered those records in the worst way possible.  On the tutorial.  No worries.  Now that I knew what I was getting myself into, I could easily tackle the “Easy” level next.  How do you think that turned out?

The next level was set during “Spring” and as I said, was the easy level (then medium, then hard).  I was doing the same things here, but once again, the level design, control scheme, and goals were kicking my ass.  And I was loving it (while hating it/myself).  I couldn’t believe just how much of a wuss this game was making me feel like.  Make no mistake about it, this demo was an ass kicker, and I can’t imagine the full game not taking that to the highest degree.  So what do we actually do in this game?  I’ll try to explain.

 

 

You play as a little cube, looking to make it to the end of the stage.  Nothing too demanding on the surface, but the way to do that is anything but.  Using the d-pad or left stick moves you to the next available open spot that isn’t blocked off, and it moves you in a very methodical way.  You’re rolling the cube one space at a time, but you can hold the direction down to move faster and further, so you don’t have to wait until you set yourself to keep going.  Which you will need, of course.  The right stick moves the camera in 4 directions to give you a better view should you need it, typical in a game of this nature.  You also need to use the face buttons in some sections to move yourself up and/or around obstacles, and it feels really smooth.  You’re doing this, mind you, all while half the time trying to bring a block with you through certain sections of the level, and your physics work exactly as you’d expect.

If you’re carrying a block on the side, you can’t roll up the block, you have to roll sideways.  Same if you’re carrying it above you.  Sometimes, you need to carry the block through lasers, and you need to figure out how to get you and it through in 1 piece.  On the Medium level, they had you needing to change the color of yourself and the blocks to be able to cross through some opposite colored obstacles.  It’s all so technical and precise.  The Hard level was even crazier, and I couldn’t push myself through it in the alloted time I had to play (my set timer, not the game’s).

 

 

The small team at Ninja Egg is looking to have this physics-based puzzle game be not only a fun romp, but also one that puts all your skills to the test.  Trust me, it will.  I’m not saying I’m a wizard at puzzle games, but if you’ve been following the site for the last year, you’d know I play and have completed plenty of them.  Kyub’s demo kicked my ass, and I can honestly say I still had fun getting that beating, even though I couldn’t complete the Hard final level.  It’s definitely one you should keep your eye on if you love a challenge in your puzzle games, and I know there’s definitely a group out there that does.  This game is looking like it’s right up your alley.

If you’re intrigued at all, and hopefully I did a decent enough job explaining Kyub, you can take a look at a trailer for the game below, and also check out the various sites/social media of the game itself with the links after that.   Finally, there is a 25% off pre-order discount if you’re already on board with the game.  I would jump on that soon if you think this is for you.  You don’t want to miss out on savings, puzzle fans!!

 

 

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