The Cub is a side-scrolling post-apocalyptic platformer from developer Demagog Studio published by Untold Tales and Gamersky Games. Like Limbo and Inside, The Cub is a platformer focusing on beautiful art direction and engaging levels filled with danger for the game’s young protagonist. It’s a short game that takes around three hours to finish, but given the low price tag and intriguing story, it’s hard not to recommend this beautiful indie gem.
Story
The Story of The Cub is told through narration, collectibles, and the environment. The main character will narrate the story events between chapters, seemingly directly addressing some unknown person. Humanity has abandoned the planet after a combination of war and environmental catastrophes. The only humans left on Earth are orphaned children raised by wolves, one of whom is the main character.
While billions died on Earth, the remnants of humanity fled to Mars, only venturing back to run experiments and play golf. Players familiar with Damagog Studios’ previous game, Golf Club Nostalgia, will quickly notice that this game takes place in the same universe, with the player’s perspective switching from the Martian golfers to the feral earthlings.
The tale maintains a light tone, commenting on the consequences of corporate greed and humankind’s reliance on technology. While you travel and explore, you’ll listen to a Martian radio broadcast as they play music, complain about life on Mars, and reminisce about the Earth. Many of these broadcasts will feature interviews with Martian listeners and give insight into human society after the collapse. Questions like who precisely these humans are and why they’re so interested in capturing the main character are answered as you jump and dash through a new, hostile world.
Art Direction
The game’s art style combines soothing neon lights, pastel 2D backgrounds, and models with a fantastic soundtrack that makes traversing the world visually and audibly engaging. The menus are also charming, with some screens having crude cave drawings, bringing life to what is usually a purely functional part of a game.
The music of The Cub mostly comes from the main characters’ stolen Martian helmet, which will pick up radio broadcasts anytime you are above ground. The music can range from thumping club songs to sorrowful vocal tracks as you progress through the story and learn more about what happened to the planet before humanity abandoned it.
While the environments are colorful, they never shy away from showing you that this is a post-apocalypse as you find the remains of people who weren’t lucky enough to get on the ships to Mars. The tone stays light throughout, but there are moments when you, as the player, face the reality that humanity now likely numbers in the hundreds and not the billions. It’s a tricky balance, but The Cub shows humankind’s desperation in its last days without being a downer.
Gameplay
The most important part of a pure 2D platformer like The Cub is how it controls. Luckily, the game’s movement is responsive and effortless, with jumping, dashing, and sliding all flowing together. The level design is also straightforward, with objects in the foreground and background easily distinguishable, so you always know where to jump. Seeing a clear path is vital as the main thing you are doing in the game is running away from Martians trying to capture you as you navigate a hostile environment full of giant snakes, thorn bushes, and electrified plants.
Similarly to games like Little Nightmares, the fact that you are playing a kid won’t save you from being eaten by a crocodile or falling to your death. Your journey will take you into various environments ranging from a dangerous jungle to an abandoned killer robot factory and even the rooftops of a destroyed city, all of which present new platforming puzzles to figure out, with many of them having more than one solution or route to take.
Summary
While The Cub is a short game, it’s a great one that delivers an interesting story and engaging gameplay that’s well worth the time and the price. Its ability to keep a light tone while dealing with dark subjects is impressive, but it never breaks the mold set by similar games like Limbo, sticking close to the formula. In that sense, the game’s short length is an asset, not wasting the player’s time, and it ends right when the gameplay loop grows old. It’s a beautiful, concise experience worth its cheap price tag.
The Review
GREAT
