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.
While it's a slight shame that the series this year doesn't quite come out unscathed, WRC 8 is nonetheless a fun and well-crafted entrant in the World Rally Championship series.
Like Seraph before it, part of the enjoyment with Children of Morta lies not just in cleverly rampaging through wave after wave of foe, but also in the relief of surviving the ordeal through a measured balance of skill and strategy.
For those who are fans of this kind of colorful, semi-abstract, exaggerated style of visuals, Knights and Bikes lives up to the promise of reflecting both the silly as much the sincere side of two friends off on an adventure.
In one sense, Gunfire Games have seemingly achieved the impossible in providing us with a shooter-focused RPG whose gameplay loop is validated by its plentiful, challenging encounters.