Get Even falls short in a number of places such as its gameplay and its technical performance. The only saving grace of the game is the unique, well-told story but that can only carry it so far.
If it weren't for the game's varied levels and quirky scenarios, it's likely that I Am Fish would sink under that weight, but thanks to excessive charm, it still manages to get enough right to justify a look from anyone with enough patience to appreciate it.
Super Rush is fun, but leaves a lot to be desired.
For Madden NFL 21, the only one that's going to be affected by any sort of Madden Curse is EA themselves. While it can initially get by with some fun gameplay, there's little here to justify playing this for an entire year until Madden NFL 22. For a game that's supposed to be the start of a new-generation of Madden, it lacks severely.
LA Noire: The VR Case Files is a great sample of some of the best missions from Rockstar's cinematic period piece but it comes at a cost. While it excels in being the best at traditional VR gameplay like gunplay and driving, it fails at what makes LA Noire original and unique. It turns the intimate detective experience that was previously filled with "Aha!" moments into one of frustrating grunting and annoyance due to stubborn mechanics and some poor tracking.
Borderlands 3 sometimes struggles to earn your time commitment. Whether that's testing your patience with a plentiful supply of bullet sponges or quests that outstay their welcome, it's difficulty lies within wanting to continue playing it. To play Borderlands 3 is a true test of endurance that may cause actual fatigue and exhaustion after a few hours. While it reaches a lot of highs in gunplay and progression, this long-awaited threequel may not leave people instantly begging for more like they were after Borderlands 2.
These games are not bad games, that should be made clear, they're just games of their time. Holding them up to the light reveals many flaws, especially when held up next to their current iterations in the series. IO Interactive hasn't done enough to make these games worth revisiting in their current state, had they given Blood Money the full remake treatment, there is extreme potential for this collection... but alas, they have not.
As it stands, Days Gone isn't some abomination but it's not up to par with what we expect from a Sony first party game. It has significant redeemable qualities to be found in its story but still fails to deliver a tight, focused narrative without loads of extra fat or a compelling enough gameplay experience.
Although it boasts an impressive story and immerses you in the cockpit of a large mech, Archangel fails to be a memorable on-rails shooter in VR due to its lackluster gameplay.
Far Cry 5's not a bad game, it's just a disappointing one with squandered potential.
The Flame in the Flood has a unique premise and does a great job of establishing the world. Sadly, the game fails to click due to its repetitive nature.
Dead Island 2 may not always make full use of its promising setting, but it may be the most fun I've had killing zombies in quite some time. The combat is deliriously fulfilling and will likely be further heightened in co-op when players can ping-pong zombies off of each other with their drop kicks or whatever other hijinks the community can come up with. It's an artful display of zombie violence and mayhem, which is an achievement in of itself given how saturated this genre is this many years after the first Dead Island.
The Xbox Series X|S and PS5 versions of Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online are good, this isn't a bad game, it's just not as impressive as one may hope. It has some flashy new graphical effects, a menu redesign, and the 60FPS mode is remarkable, but it's all marginal. For newcomers with little to no experience with the game, this is going to be an absolute treat. For veterans, this may ring a bit hollow. It's worth picking up if you want to keep up with GTA Online and have the best possible version, but otherwise, there are no enhancements that demand you replay the story once more.
Marvel's Avengers only just staggers its way to being a game worthy of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. An incredibly compelling story, rich characters, and some moments fans have always longed for only carry it so far. The competing visions for an online and single player game make for a confusing, uneven experience.
Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated definitely shows its age in this "remake". It has a weirdly structured story, a few poor boss fights, some bizarre bugs, and some other elements that could've used some proper touch-ups. That said, it still delivers on being a fun and easily accessible platformer that captures the heart and soul of the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon.
Tropico 6 continues to excel in being a series that oozes personality but can struggle in its efforts to be a fairly balanced sim. Its frustrating lack of sometimes easy to understand problems and communication can make for an experience that will cause permanently raised eyebrows. If you're looking for a new city-building sim, you will still enjoy Tropico 6 but at the expense of sometimes being easily confused or having your progression halted.
Does Madden 19 feel as significant as Madden 18? No, but it builds on the layers EA Sports has created over the years. While it doesn't always feel successful, the core Madden 19 experience is more refined than ever and feels like EA is taking the right steps to continue innovating on the long-running sports franchise.
Onrush delivers a sense of thrilling arcade action in a way no other game is doing but the awe-inspiring moments of epic proportions quickly become old as they happen so rapidly.
Jurassic World Evolution is by no means a bad game, it can be enjoyed, it just can't be enjoyed for very long. Despite its efforts to try and have a progression system that doesn't unlock certain features until you go to a new island, there's not enough to keep the player filled with an urge to want to progress. It's clear there was a lot of passion and effort put into this game, just not all of it pans out into something totally worthwhile.
While there are issues big and small with The Crew 2, it's still a lot of fun thanks to its varied content offerings and massive world. It almost comes close to meeting its full potential but it's still an enjoyable follow-up to Ubisoft's first entry in the racing franchise. There's clearly a foundation for something much grander and I hope Ivory Tower can learn from their shortcomings here and deliver the ultimate racing game that rivals the likes of Forza Horizon with The Crew 3.