Cube

Overview

Cube stands as a remarkable achievement in freeware gaming, delivering a fast-paced FPS experience that punches far above its weight class. This open-source powerhouse combines Quake-inspired action with groundbreaking real-time map editing, creating a playground that feels decades ahead of its time. While its single-player campaign shows some rough edges, the sheer joy of its multiplayer and deathmatch modes – coupled with its revolutionary editing tools – cement Cube as an essential download for any FPS enthusiast. It's the kind of game that makes you double-check it's actually free, with visuals and mechanics that rival commercial titles from its era.

This really is a first person shooter that can stand up confidently against the likes of Quake, Unreal Tournament, etc. As a freeware game it is brilliant.

Wierdbeard

A Freeware Revolution

Cube redefines expectations for non-commercial gaming, offering triple-A quality in a free package. The open-source nature invites constant community improvement, with mods and custom content expanding the experience well beyond the base game. What astonishes players most is how such a compact download delivers such rich content – no bloated installs or disk space hogs here. The complete engine accessibility allows tech-savvy gamers to peek under the hood and create their own variations, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of player-made content.

This generosity extends to gameplay as well. Unlike many free titles that feel like demos or tech demos, Cube delivers a fully-featured FPS package. The inclusion of both single-player campaigns and robust multiplayer modes gives players substantial content without demanding payment. It's a masterclass in efficient game design that respects players' time and hardware, proving you don't need massive budgets to create compelling shooters.

Visuals That Defy Expectations

Cube's visual presentation consistently shocks first-time players with its sophisticated lighting, particle effects, and environmental design. The clean geometric aesthetic creates distinctive arenas where gameplay readability never suffers for artistic ambition. While weapon models occasionally show their age, the overall visual package maintains impressive clarity during intense firefights. Environments range from stark industrial complexes to more organic alien landscapes, all rendered with surprising detail for such a lightweight engine.

Performance remains generally solid on supported hardware, though the OpenGL requirement creates barriers for older systems. When running on capable machines, the game maintains buttery-smooth framerates even during chaotic 30-monster deathmatches. The engine's scalability shines through console-adjustable speeds, allowing players to fine-tune the experience to their preferred intensity level. It's technical craftsmanship that prioritizes playability above all else.

Deathmatch Dominance

Where Cube truly excels is in its pure, unadulterated combat. The deathmatch modes – particularly the single-player variant against waves of enemies – deliver white-knuckle action that rivals any commercial counterpart. Weapons pack satisfying punch, from rapid-fire chainguns to explosive launchers, each with distinctive handling and tactical applications. Movement maintains that perfect Quake-style balance of weight and agility, enabling skilled players to chain jumps and strafes in beautiful combat dances.

The single-player deathmatch mode emerges as an unexpected star, pitting players against increasingly aggressive AI opponents across diverse arenas. This mode understands Cube's greatest strength lies in its combat flow, stripping away pretense to focus on target acquisition, movement mastery, and weapon efficiency. The difficulty curve provides genuine challenge without artificial inflation, rewarding players who invest time in mastering the mechanics.

Then I did a single player deathmatch, and it rocked. You just gotta play it.

Brickman

The Editor's Playground

Cube's most revolutionary feature remains its real-time map editing system, a tool so seamlessly integrated it becomes part of gameplay itself. Pressing a button mid-match transforms players into architects, allowing instant terrain modification, texture changes, and geometry adjustments. This isn't some separate mode buried in menus – it's an organic part of the experience that encourages creative problem-solving during gameplay.

The implications are staggering. Players can dynamically alter cover positions during firefights, create new pathways around obstacles, or completely redesign arenas between matches. While this freedom does enable potential cheating in single-player campaigns, the community largely views it as an empowering feature rather than an exploit. The editor's intuitive controls lower barriers to level creation, resulting in a constant stream of player-made content that keeps the experience fresh years after release.

Single-Player Growing Pains

Cube's traditional campaign mode emerges as its weakest element, particularly when compared to its stellar deathmatch offerings. The levels feel more like combat gauntlets than cohesive missions, lacking narrative motivation or environmental storytelling. While technically functional, these sequences struggle to justify their existence when the deathmatch modes deliver superior combat scenarios without pretense.

The campaign's structure shows growing pains too, with abrupt starts throwing players directly into levels without proper menus or context. Difficulty spikes create frustration, compounded by save system quirks that occasionally force full-level replays. These shortcomings become particularly noticeable because the rest of the package shines so brightly – a reminder that Cube's heart beats strongest in its pure combat experiences rather than its attempts at traditional FPS campaigns.

The campaign is the area where the game is slightly lacking. The levels are short, and there isn't any motivation other than to kill.

The True Gamer