The Cub is an indie casual adventure platformer that blends classic 90s SEGA platforming with a post-apocalyptic setting. Players control a young survivor known as The Cub who navigates the overgrown ruins of Earth after a Great Ecological Catastrophe. The game draws visual inspiration from late 90s animated films and the series Primal while incorporating parkour mechanics that echo titles like The Jungle Book, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
Gameplay
Core movement focuses on precise jumping, climbing, and traversal through crumbling urban environments reclaimed by evolved wildlife and hybrid plants. Levels incorporate environmental puzzles that require observation and timing to solve, often involving interactions with the surrounding flora and terrain. Chases add tension as hostile humans pursue the protagonist in a safari-style hunt across depleted mines, abandoned labs, and battlefields. The narrative unfolds through scattered clues in the world rather than direct exposition, revealing details about humanity's fall and the ultrarich who fled to Mars. A custom radio soundtrack plays throughout, mixing chill apocalypse-wave tracks with survivor stories from Mars that provide atmospheric context during exploration.
Game Modes
The experience centers on a single-player campaign structured around sequential levels and areas. Each section builds on platforming skills while introducing new environmental challenges and story elements. Progression involves escaping capture, exploring ruins, and piecing together the world's history without branching paths or alternative modes. Achievements track completion milestones and specific feats within the levels.
Story and Setting
Decades after the catastrophe, recon teams from Mars spot the immune child and launch a pursuit that drives the journey through brutalist tower blocks and overgrown battlefields. The setting emphasizes nature's reclamation of human infrastructure, with each area offering environmental storytelling about the events that led to collapse. Radio broadcasts from Mars serve as both background audio and narrative device, contrasting the grounded survival on Earth with distant perspectives from the elite.
Visuals and Audio
Stylized 2D animation captures the look of classic hand-drawn features while adding modern detail to character movement and environmental decay. The audio design stands out through the integrated radio system, which layers music and voiceovers to enhance the mood without interrupting platforming flow. Sound effects support the tactile feel of traversal and encounters with the changed ecosystem.
Is It Worth Playing?
The Cub suits players who enjoy deliberate platformers with puzzle elements and atmospheric storytelling. Its Very Positive reception on major platforms highlights appreciation for the art style, soundtrack, and nostalgic mechanics updated with fresh ideas. Released in January 2024, the game remains a complete single-player title with no ongoing seasonal content. Fans of 90s-inspired platforming who appreciate thoughtful post-apocalyptic themes will find its focused campaign rewarding, while those seeking multiplayer or expansive open worlds may look elsewhere. The emphasis on precise controls and discovery makes it a solid choice for short sessions or full playthroughs.
