Good indie games are few and far between. Though the internet is stuffed with indie games, many of them were long forgotten by their developers or broken horribly. Luckily, Assault Cube fits into neither of these categories. It’s fast-paced FPS action that simplifies options can be a refresher from the overcomplicated modern shooters.
Assault Cube is not going to blow you away based on its graphics. It’s much more likely to punch you in the face with mediocrity on your first look at a screenshot, but sit down with the gameplay and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. AC comes with 26 maps that aren’t dramatically varied, though they aren’t necessarily repetitive either. It feels as if the graphical limitations hold back what could be a much more interesting looking game.
Despite its graphical flaws, the maps can be quite interesting to play on. Other than the 26 maps that the vanilla game offers, Assault Cube also allows player-created maps with the in-game map editor/creator. You can create or edit maps by yourself or online with friends or strangers. The maps I’ve played on made by players were not without their surprises and balancing issues yet the immediate head jerk reaction is worth it.
Gameplay revolves around the classic fast-paced shooting action of a game like Quake (though not quite as fast). Instead of kill streaks or even teamwork, you will be instead forced to have lightning fast reflexes and solid aim. The mayhem is played over 12 different possible modes and a slightly disappointing 5 weapons. The game modes range anywhere from Deathmatch to Pistol Frenzy, though you will likely keep to the several modes you enjoy as a FPS fan. As for the lacking armoury, it is strange that a FPS would only contain 5 playable weapons, though they do cover a wide range of weapon types. A sniper, assault rifle, carbine, shotgun, and sub machine gun are all present, and I have no doubt more will be added. Assault Cube doesn’t pretend to have the selection or action of Black Ops while instead focussing on shooting at the bad guys.
Singleplayer and Multiplayer are both available in Assault Cube with the singleplayer being watered down to simple bot matches. They act only as a training ground for multiplayer and can very easily be dismissed. The multiplayer is a great diversion and throwback in a genre being mixed into others constantly. It is a FPS and no more, and for that I can respect its vision. Online is almost entirely player controlled. Servers, game modes, maps, and any other element are changed and edited by the players, or on the rare occasion, the administrator/host of the game. This allows you to, at any time, cast a vote to kick a player who may be team killing, vote a new mode or map, or simply shuffle teams in order to keep the game fair and balanced.
Assault Cube is a fairly expansive game with all the maps and modes available. Elements such as the player created mode titled “Gema” are other interesting aspects of a rather simple looking game that are there for you to discover on your own. Though it’s not near a perfect game and will most likely not replace Battlefield 3 or Modern Warfare 3 for shooter fans, it may be worth taking a look to both support the developers and to have some nostalgic fun.
If you want to learn more or download the game to play yourself (for FREE) click here.
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