Dry Drowning's premise of chasing a serial killer holds a certain morbid allure, but odd choices just make it frustrating to play at times
The Padre is a great idea, let down by a lack of proper direction and some frustratingly obtuse puzzle design.
Despite giving the player an excess of control over shots themselves, the movement in order to set up those shots is almost completely absent. Add to this a list of unrecognisable names and you've got a tennis game that feels pretty darn hollow.
While it certainly improves upon the original in many ways, The Crew 2 is a step backwards overall. Its rubberband AI is some of the worst in recent memory and its version of America feels empty, not at all like Forza Horizon, the game it really wants to be.
Just like Rogue Trooper Redux and the recent Age of Empires remaster, the focus has been almost entirely on upgrading visuals instead of the gameplay. As a result, Battlezone: Combat Commander still feels like a game released nearly 20 years ago.
While possibly catering to fans of the sport in terms of content, the overly aggressive AI and unnaturally twitchy handling mean that Monster Energy Supercross just isn't that fun to play.
Digital tabletop games are a great idea, but Ogre is simply too harsh for anyone but the most stubborn of players, thanks to some of the worst RNG I've seen. When played with friends however, it shows how good the game could have been.
If 2Dark’s tone was in line with its subject matter, it might have been something worthy of recommendation. But its story is almost nonexistent and nothing quite works as intended.
Divide could have been an interesting, indie sci-fi game, but poor design decisions hold it back.
Yooka-Laylee could have been the start of a new generation of 3D platformers, but its design leaves it firmly stuck in the past.
Calling All Units is a fairly basic expansion to The Crew, offering very little in the way of content. But its new PvP chases help turn it into the MMO it was originally meant to be.
If it was structured more like Universe Sandbox, or if the world behaved more consistently, Birthdays: The Beginning would have been a far more fun and educational experience, instead of a dull and frustrating one.
From its late 90s cockney gangster routine to its poor visuals and AI, Filthy Lucre is a game out-of-time.
Perhaps given another few months, We Happy Few could have been great, but as it is it's simply a missed opportunity.
[Greg Bailey separately reviewed the PC (7.5) and Switch (4) versions. Their scores have been averaged.] While far from perfect, Monster Energy Supercross 3 is an exciting slice of dirt bike racing fun, packed with content.
Despite some of the same issues of other versions, MX vs ATV: All Out somehow feels at home on Nintendo Switch.
NASCAR Heat 5 is a step backward for the series, but still delivers some tense and rewarding racing.
TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2 is still a good game, but some twitchy handling and framerate issues somewhat compromise the Nintendo Switch experience. [OpenCritic note: Gary Bailey separately reviewed the Xbox [7] and Switch [5] versions. Their scores have been averaged.]
Someday You'll Return has some incredible atmosphere, but ultimately fails to scare due to some poor, forced stealth sections and tiresome crafting mechanics.
Antares is an impressive feat for one person and its gameplay loop is quite addictive, but it lacks polish in some areas and it takes the shine off an otherwise atmospheric, sci-fi horror.