With every aspect of Blackwind comes a new laundry list of issues big and small that make it feel like it should have been incubated a while longer.
Based on its premise, Foreclosed should be a lot more interesting, but it doesn’t have the balanced gameplay or nuanced story to even crack that conversation.
The unwavering cheerfulness that permeates every ounce of Balan Wonderworld can't overcome the shallow gameplay and questionable design choices that come every step of the way.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood feels like an expansion on a single, promising idea whose repetitive combat, underwhelming presentation, and confused story take away from what makes the original idea interesting.
Despite some rewarding moments coming at the end of long tracking sequences, Hunting Simulator 2's lack of meaningful progression and long stretches of emptiness make it miss its mark.
NASCAR Arcade Rush could have been an interesting real-life inspired take on a Mario Kart-style racer, but it doesn't have the ideas or the content to pull it off.
NBA 2K24's lack of meaningful updates and continued overwhelming presence of microtransactions make it feel like it's going through the motions and doesn't have anything to say.
I found myself more enamored with the idea of playing Source of Madness than I did with the game itself.
What works about Winter Ember is almost entirely overshadowed by the frustrating moment-to-moment experience that never settles into a true, precise stealth game.
You might want to play CrossfireX to understand what’s so popular around the world or have a dash of mindless fun in the campaign, but there’s little else here.
Biomutant works best on paper, but it has too many derivative elements for anything alone to stand out.
Outside of nostalgia, G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout does not stand apart from the generic third-person shooter, and its inconsistent gameplay and repetitive missions further mute its impact.
The complex systems at Port Royale 4's core never flourish under the weight of its uninspired moment-to-moment gameplay and lack of structural balance.
Rugby 20 has a passable foundation for rugby gameplay, but repetitive and barebones modes make it last much shorter than its potential.
A roguelite FPS, Gunfire Reborn takes good and bad from both genres, making for a somewhat frustrating and inconsistent, though intermittently fun experience.
Assetto Corsa Competizione is a game made only for those seeking a full, unquestioned simulation, and its inconsistencies and lack of structure leave little room for error and a lot of room for frustration, even with the upgraded performance on the new consoles.
Rainbow Six Extraction has some good foundational ideas that aren’t able to flourish in their own game due to its extensive repetition and misaligned progression system.
Override 2: Super Mech League has many of the pieces that would make it work as a full package, but when the oversized mechs actually go to battle, it becomes a shallow, unrewarding shell of its potential.
Call of the Sea's intriguing piecemeal story and beautiful setting falls to the wayside when its lack of signposting and overall artificially obtuse puzzles take center stage for much longer than acceptable.
Torchlight III is an imperfect but endearing action RPG whose great boss fights and enjoyable special skills clash with the noticeable relics of a freemium experience.