Here I am, re-re-rewriting this review for the third time, and that's after completing DC, original and 10th.
QUBE (not to be mistaken with Q.U.B.E., that's a different game) 10th anniversary is said to be "entirely rebuilt", "ultimate celebration" with "refined visuals" and even have a "new whole chapter". If you start reviewing the ultimate celebration with the original, you will notice that they lied to you from the very beginning, the menu is 1:1 copy of QUBE2 with blue instead of white. It wasn't rebuilt, because it's based on EVERYTHING QUBE2 had, same gloves from the "Classiс Gloves DLC" or whatever it was, same visuals that were promised to be "REFINED", but they are NOTHING like the original, and the whole new chapter? Forget it, it's Lost Orbit, just titled "Sector 8" to make you believe they gave you a sector, but instead it's another damn EXTRA level from QUBE2 you wished never appeared in the first place. They could've brought back insanely fun and good Against The Qlock, especially since they changed to delay between extrusions, but nope, no fun allowed, go solve Lost Orbit for the second time.
Oh boy, visuals. Can you actually believe Lost Orbit, and because for that, Sector 8 looks CLOSER to Q.U.B.E. than THE MAIN STORY??? Q.U.B.E. NEVER had orange outlines, or black cubes, you can't defend that forever, Valve Fanboys, because who if not them says it's the best game 10/10 and the original sucks? And, surprise surprise, the same gamma issue is here as well, Sector 5, remember that? Forget it, it's now SLIGHTLY dark! And because it's not dark, the puzzle with switches is now gone, just like 75% of original mechanics, remember lasers that were colormixing? Forget them too, instead go play with new magnets and praise Toxic Games for rereleasing QUBE2 with Q.U.B.E. levels to grab more money!
They allow you to change versions. When you start a new game, you can choose between Director's Cut and Q.U.B.E., the difference is in soundtracks and dialogues in the first. What's the point of this "selection" between nothing and nothing with dialogues?
And oh boy, Tough Going. Just a reminder, Q.U.B.E., the original, had Tough Going pt.1 and Tough Going pt.2.. In the Director's Cut, Toxic Games removed Tough Going pt.2 because of bad physics. In QUBE 10th, you complete the original game, and strangely there's no Tough Going... until you beat the game. Tough Going is now a whole separate level, with Pt.2 back and even more bad levels that you want to forget like a damn nightmare, and you can't skip them if you want 100%, of course you can't, SUFFER!
Q.U.B.E. Create is not an excuse to recommend this game. It's laggy, and it was pushed inside 10th just to make it at least better, because overall it's closer to the second game, not the original, just like the whole "ultimate celebration", it's closer to the sequel, not to the original.
I bought the "Old and New bundle" specifically for Director's Cut, specifically for the original, the version I grew up with and the version I have the most of memories about. And Q.U.B.E., now QUBE series, somehow managed to go downhill with every game. Director's Cut was not necessary at all, introducing different music and dialogues with removed and sometimes revamped puzzles, QUBE2 was not even the sequel, more like a separate game about something else that looks similar, but is not the same. And QUBE 10th is just a money grab, just like all nostalgia-based Sonic games. Toxic Games released this game not to preserve history, no, they released this game so us, old fans that grew with the original, bought it and started playing QUBE2 again.
If you want to experience how it was, buy Director's Cut and play the original first, then DC. It's the only correct way. I'm tired of Toxic Games changing the original for the third time, just to be praised by Valve fans that scream "oh my god, it's like poortal but better!" for the third time.
I miss you, Quick Understanding of Block Extrusion. You were a great game.
