The Cub Review (PS5)

More than 20 years ago jump and run games enjoyed a popularity that faded away somewhat inexplicably. From titles like Prehistoric or Jazz Jack Rabbit to Aladdin, Lion King or the masterfully crafted Heart of Darkness, these games challenged our reflexes and offered a sense of satisfaction and pride for completing the most devious platforming sections. The Cub seems to be a throwback to this era.

But there is a twist, that comes in the dystopian setting. Instead of underdogs facing unsurmountable odds to become heroes, The Cub tells a story of a kid raised by the wolves that tries to survive on a barren planet left behind the humanity who bailed to Mars. Although the backstory is somewhat similar to Kipling’s best-known novel, the rest of the game presents a scenario that tackles more current geo-political issues.  

It is no coincidence if this sounds somewhat familiar, since The Cub is a sequel to Golf Club: Nostalgia. We see from a different perspective the rich who managed to escape to Mars and return to Earth in order to use it as a really challenging gold course. The Cub presents an alternative perspective that makes the issues of the rich and carefree even more ridiculous in the face of someone who struggles just to survive.

The Serbian developers from Demagog Studio seem to be steadfast in building an overarching setting, supported by games belonging to different genres. Next to Golf Club: Nostalgia we also have to mention the prequel, Highwater, that was turn based game set before the departure of the Muskovitch rockets to Mars. The three games, although very different, tell the same story from different perspectives and different points in time.

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Throughout the entire game there are not so subtle references to tech giants that ended up in ruins like Fakebook or Google. Even the character Muskovitch seems to be modeled after a real-life billionaire fascinated by the idea of conquering the red planet by putting his cars in orbit around it. This dark side of humanity is balanced out by the symbiosis of human and feral distilled into the Cub.

Our hero is the representation of ant consumerism and everything that comes with it. The game uses its gameplay mechanics to show the struggle of survival, stripping it down to the bare minimum necessary to understand what is going on. There is no health bar, no impossible jumps to reveal hidden areas, and the only collectibles are written testimonies presenting the setting of the game.

The Cub itself is very short, about 2 hours long, if you are a master of precision jumps and figuring out the various environmental challenges. But since most of us will die quite a few times while we realize how to advance, we can add a couple of hours to the timer. Fortunately, there are plenty of checkpoints and most levels are engaging enough to motivate you rather than frustrate you.

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But next to the platforming areas there are the stealth sections that will put your patience to the test since it makes it hard to determine what your enemies see or not due to the fact that they often leave the boundaries of the screen. Also, their reaction speed seems to vary often spotting you from a mile away, but other times reacting weirdly only when you are near them. This aspect throws you off your game and breaks the pace of the events.

Another aspect that could be improved is the animations that often feel chunky, like when climbing a ledge or landing. Also, towards the end of the game the character building and story progression feel a bit rushed, the essential information being reduced to a handful of graffiti. All these shortcomings are not really aggravating, but they break the fast pace of the game and the illusion of urgency that the developers tried to build into the atmosphere of the game.

Visually, The Cub is pure wonder and a masterpiece that will draw you in thanks to the detailed hand drawn characters and backdrops. The dystopian Earth, although ruined looks somehow beautiful and despite the seldom chunky animations overall it looks polished. We also have to give special kudos to Radio Nostalgia, that mixes exceptionally well atmospheric tunes with the stories of the humans returning to Earth to play golf.

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The Good

The Bad

Conclusion