Cubrick

My spreadsheet instincts fired the moment I clocked Cubrick's core hook: you control two characters simultaneously, and every level is essentially a constraint-satisfaction problem wearing platformer clothing. The Z key builds path segments, the arrow keys move both cubricks in sync, and the puzzle is figuring out which geometry lets both of them reach the exit without you tying yourself in knots. It is a compact, low-friction idea, and for the first dozen levels it works cleanly. The scope is modest and worth stating plainly up front. Fifty levels plus five hidden ones, a single boss stage, and a playtime the developer itself pegs at around two hours. There is no build variety, no unlockable mechanics layered in over time, and no procedural generation to stretch the concept. What you see in level one is structurally what you get in level fifty, with the difficulty ramped through tighter spaces and more demanding path-building sequences. For a strategy-oriented player used to systems that compound, that ceiling arrives fast. On the positive side, the dual-control conceit does generate a handful of genuinely satisfying moments where the solution clicks and both cubricks slide home in sequence. The controls are keyboard-only (arrows, Enter, Escape, Z), which feels deliberate rather than lazy given the grid-based movement. No controller support was confirmed at launch, and community threads from 2017 suggest that never changed, so factor that in if you play at a desk with a pad. The achievement list runs to 31 entries, and the community has posted tips pointing toward off-screen spaces and level-replay via O and P keys post-completion, which hints at a small but real layer of hidden content for completionists. The honest friction points are hard to ignore. The visual design draws obvious comparisons to Nintendo's BoxBoy, and the Steam community flagged that loudly at release. Whether that registers as inspiration or imitation is a judgment call, but it does mean Cubrick sits in the shadow of a more polished, more mechanically generous game. There is also no tutorial in any meaningful sense, and no escalating explanation of the path-building rules beyond trial and error. Newcomers to puzzle platformers will find their footing quickly enough given the brevity, but the lack of onboarding is a missed opportunity to build confidence before the harder levels. Who actually benefits here? Achievement hunters looking for a fast, low-cost completion tick will get through the content and the achievement list without serious friction. Puzzle fans who want a short palette cleanser between heavier titles may find the dual-control gimmick diverting for an afternoon. Anyone chasing depth, replayability, or a mod ecosystem should look elsewhere entirely. Cubrick is the gaming equivalent of a short short story: it states its premise, runs its course, and ends. Whether that is enough depends entirely on what you showed up for.

Diego · Scout Team

Strategy & simulation

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