The Cub

Release Date: January 19, 2024

Adventure, science fiction, platformers, post-apocalypse, 2D, indie games, side-scroll, action adventure, singleplayer

7.5

OpenCritic

83%

Steam

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Platform game, developed by the authors of the warmly welcomed Golf Club: Wasteland. In The Cub we play as a child who wanders the postapocalyptic Earth escaping from scouts who hunt him down.

Plot
Game mechanics
Technical aspects

The Cub is a platform game inspired by the classics of the genre from the 1990s, led by the games from SEGA's catalog. It was developed by an indie team Demagog Studio and published by Untold Tales.

Plot

The Cub takes us on a journey to the post-apocalyptic world which we had a chance to visit in the previous project of Demagog Studio, Golf Club: Wasteland. After the global ecological catastrophe, the Earth is no longer habitable. The richest managed to escape to Mars, while the rest were left to the mercy of fate. Among them was a small child, who by some miracle managed to adapt to the conditions prevailing on the (once) blue planet. Decades later, scouts from Mars arrive on Earth and set off in pursuit of the hero. Our hero has no choice but to run away...

Game mechanics

The Cub is a side-scrolling action game. The adventure leads us through various locations, among which we can find not only the ruins of old civilization, huge blocks of flats, abandoned laboratories or gloomy wastelands filled with wrecks of vehicles, but also picturesque forests and grassy ruins.

The child we play is incredibly agile; he can jump great distances, grab hold of dangling ropes and swing on them, as well as slide under obstacles. Using his skills, he dashes ahead, jumps over platforms and dodges numerous dangers. Among the dangers lurking in front of him are mutated animals and plants that overgrow the visited locations. Besides, he' s being followed by scouts who won't stop at anything to catch him.

The gameplay is very dynamic, so we have to show a lot of agility and reflexes. From time to time we also have the opportunity to stimulate our brains, because the game is varied by creative environmental puzzles. Our actions are accompanied by the Martian Nostalgia Radio, where apart from the climatic music we can listen to interesting broadcasts, which are a valuable source of information about the presented world.

Technical aspects

Graphics in The Cub is in a colorful, cartoon style, referring to the animated films from the 90s of the 20th century.

Videos and Screens

[2:44] The Cub The Cub - Launch Trailer

[1:25] The Cub trailer #2

7.5

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 60% of Critics. There are 35 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

GamingTrend: 70 / 100 by Corvo Rohwer

The Cub is a functional platformer, but not a flashy one. Movement can feel stiff at times, but the colorful landscapes and levels will still carry the experience. If you're a big fan of platformers, you'll certainly find some enjoyment within the approximately four hour experience, even if it can feel less than ambitious at times.

Full Review

Checkpoint Gaming: 7.5 / 10 by Elliot Attard

The Cub is a fascinating romp through post-apocalyptic Earth. Balancing dark themes with delightful levity, the game finds a way to showcase both the best and worst of humanity with biting wit, vivid visuals, and impeccably implemented audio. It's all let down somewhat by gameplay sequences that can't maintain the same quality as the game's other elements. However, even with that rather big caveat, The Cub still manages to present a lovely package worth opening.

Full Review

COGconnected: 80 / 100 by Jaz Sagoo

The Cub is a delightful adventure that develops Demagog Studio’s universe in new and interesting ways. As a platformer, it’s solid. The movement is fluid and responsive which allows you to effortlessly traverse the environment. Each step has been animated with flair and helps to enhance the beautiful backdrops that accompany your journey. Combining this with the slick beats that blast through the radio station makes the overall presentation both unique and unforgettable. While the game is on the short side, taking only around 2 to 3 hours to see the credits roll, each part of that is meticulously designed to create a truly memorable experience.

Full Review

83%