A sad fact is that many games disappoint in one area or another. The ideas they bring don’t translate well to the mechanics due to budgetary limits, time constraints, misguided decisions, or sometimes just plain ineptitude. That said, some titles are difficult to dismiss outright, as they may excel in some noteworthy aspects.
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One of these aspects is the cutscenes. In attempting to be more marketable and respected in certain circles, many games seem dead set on being movies nowadays. The developers place a high priority on cinematic presentation. The downside is that the gameplay frequently falls by the wayside. However, there’s no doubt that the visuals and impacts of the cutscenes are impressive.
8Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Fans have played through the story ofDragon Ball Zcountless times over numerous tie-in titles.Kakarotattempts to add some novelty to the experience with its open world and RPG mechanics, but unfortunatelyfails miserably in the process. The former is utterly lifeless while the latter is a shallow, number-based exercise in tedium. These only cement the crushing repetition of retreading the same tired narrative for the millionth time.
Then again, between flat text boxes and static side quests,Kakarotshowcases what today’s technology can do for the presentation. Pivotal moments get flashy cinematics with animation so fluid and expressive that it not only puts the anime to shame, but even givesFighterZa run for its money. Sadly, these are too few and far between to recommend over simply watchingthe show.
7Final Fantasy XIII
This title seen as the black sheep of the series for a reason.Final Fantasy XIIItakes a hatchet to the turn-based strategy and role-playing aspects of past titles andreplaces them with an automated systen that saps any player agency or urgency. Those sensibilities apply to the game as a whole, which fixes players to a linear path of progression and navigation that resents the very idea of freedom. It’s all to service a boring, nonsensical narrative, but at least that narrative is well-presented.
The game maintains the high production values fans have come to expect from the series. Sublime graphics, beautiful music, and exhilarating action combine to bringFinal Fantasyto seventh-gen consoles in spectacular fashion. At its core, however, it’s only a shell of its former glory.
6The Order: 1886
This seems likeone of those bare-bones “tech demo” titles meant to show off a new console, except it came two years after thePS4andXbox Onelaunched. Unfortunately, it still has the generic gameplay expected from such a cash-in.The Order: 1886is a third-person shooter slog through limited environments and uninspired scripted sequences. These don’t require much engagement or skill; they exist solely to get gamers to the next cutscene.
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The cutscenes themselves are indeed impressive. They’re about as close to photorealism as the industry has come. The textures, shadows, and nuance here put modern games to shame. The real shame, though, is that it doesn’t amount to much in the long run.
5Assassin’s Creed III
TheAssassin’s Creedseries was riding high after the Ezio trilogy, and the next mainline entry amplified that excitement with a fresh time period and new protagonist. Tragically, in its attempt to both streamline and expand,Assassin’s Creed IIIdumbs down the franchise’s gameplay with parkour and combat requiring minimal input from the player. Couple this with an unlikeable lead and a setting not suited to theAssassin’s Creedstyle of traversal, andthe result is a new era that trips at the start line.
On the upside, the folks atUbisoftdon’t skimp on the visuals. Thanks to the new engine, they can showcase everything they learned about cinematic presentation from past entries. As a result, the dynamic direction and subtle facial expressions look straight out of a movie. These refinements don’t go to waste; they’re just put to better use inthe superior sequel.
4Medievil
Whether it’s the original or the remake,Medievil’s biggest strength is style. This creepy caper boasts an amusing mix of gothic horror and quirky comedy, and that atmosphere comes out in the cutscenes. As players navigate this haunted kingdom, they run into a slew of snarky creatures. Every one of these things seems to have a witty soliloquy to berate the unlucky Sir Dan and enhance the storybook presentation. Players will wish they could just experienceMedievilin that form.
Once they start controlling Dan, they’ll find that the game itself is an awkward mess. Inconsistent hit boxes and stiff platforming lead to numerous undeserved deaths. The remake could have fixed these issues, but no. Alas, a new generation of gamers likely quit in frustration before experiencing the cult creativity on display.
3Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017)
Fans panned theStar Wars: Battlefrontreboot for many reasons, most notably its lack of a Story Mode or any other interesting content.EAandDICEtried to amend this inthe sequel. The resulting Story Mode has all the high production values that gamers would hope for from such experienced companies. The cutscenes expertly render all the exotic aliens and locales down to the smallest detail. Rarely hasStar Warsever looked this good in a game.
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The problem is that this is only surface-level praise. On a gameplay level,Battlefront IIsuffers from run-of-the-mill shooter mechanics, clumsy melee combat, and an egregious abuse of loot boxes.Some of these issues have been patched out, but the narrative flubs are here to stay. Underdeveloped characters, rushed pacing, and intrusive fan service cripple an intriguing premise.
2X2: Wolverine’s Revenge
TheX-Men’s clawed killer has sliced his way through several games, and most of them have ranged from serviceable to good. Sadly, this solo venture suffers from a fundamental issue: Wolverine isn’t fun to play. This issue mostly comes down to misguided mechanics, as the unwieldy stealth sections are entirely out of place. The beat-‘em-up stages should be better due to the character’s penchant for brawling, but the game fumbles this formula as well. The hero’s strikes lack any impact while seemingly everyone can put him on the ground in a single blow.
Thankfully, the title represents the character better in other areas. The appealing art style is straight out of the comics, and the journey is a love letter to those comics as players make their way across the Canucklehead’s corner of theX-Menmythos. Granted, labelling this asX2is false advertising sinceit has nothing to do with the movie. Don’t expect to hear Hugh Jackman’s voice. Mark Hamill instead takes on the role, which is an unexpected treat. His gruff tones sell the rugged wanderer well, and he remains one of the better voices for Wolverine.
1PlayStation Move Heroes
BringingJak & Daxter,Sly Cooper, andRatchet & Clanktogether should have been a recipe for success.All three of these series were beloved icons during the PS2 platforming era. They enchanted a whole generation thanks to their smooth gameplay, spirit of adventure, and infectiously witty characters. Well, at least the last one is preserved here. Watching these characters bounce off one another is endlessly entertaining. The cutscenes capture each of their quirks with skill and charm, and some of these contrast with amusing results.
The kicker is that they don’t feel right to control. As the name suggests,PlayStation Move Heroestries to push the motion controls of the PlayStation Move. That means painfully uninspired levels involving puzzles, shooting, and beat-em-ups. All the fun that the cutscenes generate is instantly sapped when actually playing the game.
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