Where Forspoken should've been a striking and appealing fresh start for Luminous Productions, the end result sadly is a game not only bland and unpolished, but deprived of a reason to care for its unfolding mystery.
Sequels that don't quite match the lightning-in-a-bottle status of its originator are nothing new.
Coming at arguably a fitting time of the year, The Block - simple and small in scale it may be - makes for an adequate palette-cleanser of a release.
Cleverly-orchestrated, if sadly a little on the abrupt side due to its short run-time, Melatonin's way with visuals is matched only by its delightful and genuine sense of challenge across its myriad of rhythm encounters.
Confused, contradictory and all too reliant on what came before, fantastic visuals that may stand as one of the current-gen's best can't save what's a terribly underwhelming release with The Callisto Protocol. A game that tries so desperately to be acknowledged for its own identity, all while relying on its most blatant and obvious of call-backs.
In all its tricks, turns and trials to overcome, A Little to the Left succeeds on the basis of its charming and relatable premise on the obsessive nature of order and sequence.
It's hard to recommend Somerville purely on the basis of what loosely-tied and ultimately lacking material its narrative provides.
As ridiculous and as unruly as it's ever been, the five year wait for Bayonetta's third outing ends on a predominantly satisfying high.
What feels like the foundation for something ideally more substantial lying in wait, Arkanoid – Eternal Battle can only muster up a competent, but unimaginative, spin on the Taito classic in Battle Royale form.
On providing a premise far removed from the regularly harrowing and oppressive tone we're used to, you can't fault developer Over the Moon Games' more satirical intentions.
In 2019, Asobo surprised us all with a game that found a way to utilize AAA tropes in the pursuit of a compelling narrative.
Though Trails' usual splendor of combat options here should come as no surprise, what's striking with this year's remastering is how well this once portable-only entry has translated across to more modern-day portable screens alike.
Early on in one's adventure it's clear the tone here is one of a passive, laid back approach to challenge and accomplishment, but that direction in no way diminishes what ends up being one of the most delightful and well-curated IPs in this genre for some years.
Even with these blemishes and moments where the admiration for what's come before gets in the way of basic consistency and much-needed fluidity, OverBorder Studio have at least landed in a much better position with a foundation that's challenging and entertainingly so.
Hard as it may be - and only increasing in difficulty the further the years rolls on - to truly stand out in a crowded and competitive market that is the glaze of Souls-like appeal, where The Tarnishing of Juxtia may not be scoring high on originality, it just about makes up for in heart and dedication.
Without digging too deeply into the real reasons behind Interior Night's choice of aesthetic and presentation, As Dusk Falls is one of those cases of a solid foundation let down one too many times by its execution.
Redout 2 is the kind of game I so desperately want to speak nothing but praise for.
In fact it's that humble acknowledging of what it's demanding of the player - let alone all the fine details to keep track of - that Card Shark successfully side-steps as a result.
While a few issues remain that hamper the experience, it's a no-brainer to proclaim Sniper Elite 5 has taken everything that made 4 as great as it was and improved it.
Even occasional bugs and minor inconsistencies on challenge do little to sully a terrific first try for straka.