Maybe it's a little unfair to propose that Kunai's weaker spots are a result of the high bar games preceding it have set.
You could very well copy-paste the conclusion to our Strange Brigade review when summing up the up-and-down nature of Zombie Army 4: Dead War and in one respect that does draw attention as well to this game's general relevancy.
Fans of Vertex Pop's previous efforts will be serviced best with Super Crush KO, and while the execution could have excelled a bit further in regards to level design and pushing players more, that's not to say that the end product falls completely short.
Whether you're jumping directly from XCOM, or jumping in completely oblivious to what the genre entails, there's a lot to like in Phoenix Point's pleasant assortment of boots-on-the-ground tactics and overhead, commandeering strategy.
Like a lot of middling and so-so titles in years past, the "so-close" conclusion that something greater, more impactful — or at least enjoyable — has gone horribly amiss is always far more regrettable than an otherwise rotten-to-its-core excuse for a game.
Even with these unfortunate and evident shortcomings on the technical side, The Outer Worlds is a rewarding and ultimately intriguing adventure to partake in.
The only real fault you can attribute to Trails of Cold Steel III is how it doesn't quite match the lofty heights the previous two titles deservedly reached.
Delightful a package this ends up being — with a surprising glee to be had when it comes to fiddling about with the many game-altering tonics on show — it's by no means an argument for Playtonic to ditch altogether the idea of revisiting traditional 3D for a hypothetical "Twooka-Laylee" follow-up.
In many ways, The Surge 2 does come off as a significant step-up from the 2017 original — Deck13 offering proof that they're listening to feedback and critique prior not only exists but has been implemented more importantly.
It would be misleading to ignore the many borrowed ideas and means to appease long-time fans of past WRPGs and current action RPGs alike.