That same distortion and monstrous-like exaggeration of previous may be out in full force once again, but Little Nightmares II succeeds on its bolder and more refined continuation from the 2017 original.
In a game that bills itself as a choice between stealth and combat, it doesn't take long for the deceit to reveal itself and you realize this is ill-suited and insufficiently-handled for either one of the two gameplay styles.
Olija doesn't do enough to be regarded as generally good, but at the same time doesn't frustrate to the point of truly damaging the experience.
Despite its narrative leading to little in the way of a noteworthy tale, TOHU manages to gracefully side-step such an omission through wise understanding of its scale.
Not the first game to focus so literally on the contrast between light and dark, Morkredd isn't brimming with aesthetic originality, but its puzzles make up for in plentiful amount.
Without a key mechanic to keep gameplay fresh, or even a story that's both fleshed out and well-structured, Twin Mirror fails to find any kind of hook beyond the fleeting intrigue in how it all ends.
Whether fans of Remnant: From the Ashes will see it as a comfort or disappointment depends entirely on their personal investment in the 2019 game's lore, but Chronos: Before the Ashes is in no way an essential addition to those already familiar with Gunfire's sci-fi/fantastical premise and one whose own dispensable tale will barely feel relevant.
With the brilliant heights that remakes of Resident Evil 2, for example, achieved last year, it felt inevitable that a remake like XIII would stand as the exact opposite result in that regard.
Though it may harbor the same delightful and immersive single-player offerings as the 2018 original, there's no doubting that the online and competitive expansion to Tetris Effect has only heightened Resonair's work evermore.
Even with these minor annoyances - not least those carried over from previous games in the series - what brief frustrations that do surface are quickly and easily eclipsed by everything else going on in Like a Dragon. Or more appropriately, by the sheer scale of deviation and conviction that this year's entry shows in proving that this genre of gameplay - this more classically RPG-centric approach - is an unquestionably excellent fit for the series.
Though it may feel like a case of "more of the same" as opposed to some grand, fourth-and-final leap forward, Trails of Cold Steel IV just about manages to achieve success in maintaining that kind of familiar yet high standard the saga has satisfied long-time fans with.
Like any roguelike, Noita's - as much as the player's own - fortunes can falter in that they're heavily-reliant on the luck of the draw.
Though the story elements won't be to everyone's taste - and as such, the efforts the game makes to inject a sense of drama and interpretation stakes can fall flat and veer into being completely off-putting - the sheer breadth and scale that Genshin Impact offers means that the brief lows in no way impact on the many lofty highs offered up.
For all its familiarity and how little the experience has changed - at least in a way that feels beneficial, most of all - Kylotonn still manage to make WRC 9 shine where it matters.
For those who can forgive the confusing online component, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 stands as another well-crafted and well-realized remake of an old favorite.
There's a certain level of disappointment to shed with Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions. As much as it meets (maybe even exceeds) expectations set earlier this year - which in of itself is a notable accomplishment for any form of adaptation - the lack of care and polish on the PC side of things at present can not go unnoticed.
It's evident, even from as early a point in what is a dismally short but unsatisfactory game as this, that Gleamlight is both unpolished and unfinished.
While it's a shame that Gunfire Games haven't worked out the best method in presenting a character-led story in this formula of game, it doesn't tarnish too much how enjoyable and tempting Remnant is to go again at its campaign efforts over and over.
If there were any doubts in people's minds that games sporting pixelated or "nostalgic" aesthetic were somehow immune from being rotten or otherwise bad, The Revenant Prince finally puts that great myth to bed once and for all.
While Relicta does at least try to put in the work to help bolster the scale of its world with a story to support it and characters to refer back to, the end result is far from one you can take seriously.