While I enjoy the idea of dedicated co-op and I’m excited to see someone exploring the space, it doesn’t feel like A Way Out trusted itself or its players to do so – the gameplay is simple to the point of being bland, the script is too predictable, and its efforts to evoke emotion feel cheap. It might be fine to play with a friend over a weekend, but it will be forgotten soon after, and it’s a shame.

SNK vs Capcom‘s certainly not going to leave jaws on the floor with its technical prowess and it’s not as precise as many ‘serious’ fighters on more powerful hardware, but it’s a cute and immensely enjoyable blast from the past that’s certain to bring a smile to the face of fans at a price that’s tough to beat.

The box art might not be interesting (and personally, I think the title of the game is terrible) but once past those superficial elements it's impossible to ignore the superior design and technical mastery that's present in every minute of gameplay. Gurumin puts most of the PSP's library to shame without even trying.

On the other hand, the minimal number of changes made to this re-release likely helped keep the entry fee reasonable. As much as I loved Vanquish when it first launched, it was tough to justify paying full price for a five-hour title with no multiplayer, few extras, and little replay incentive. Now, PC gamers can finally get their hands on an overlooked gem from the last generation for a fair $20. It’s worth it for the nonstop excitement Vanquish still offers, and I’d have been far less eager to see cover-based shooters go if they’d all been this energetic.

Despite these flaws, Super Rude Bear Resurrection is not a bad game. The backgrounds are bright and each level is accompanied by a catchy, upbeat electronic grime soundtrack. SRBR takes the formula that began with Super Meat Boy and iterates on it in an interesting way. But, if Super Meat Boy is the Wii, Super Rude Bear Resurrection is the Wii U since it introduces a new way to play, but doesn’t fully develop the thought. Here’s to Super Rude Bear Resurrection 2 being the Nintendo Switch of masocore platformers.

Breath of the Wild succeeded because it instilled a sense of wonder in the player and inspired them to explore every inch of its landscape. While Age of Calamity doesn’t follow in those same footsteps, that sense of wonder and need to explore is present. This prequel is a love-letter to one of the greatest games of all time, and while it might not have been exactly what fans were expecting, it is a worthy addition to this storied franchise and a must-play for anyone itching to return to Hyrule.

Although Prototype sports several great ideas and a main character that wows, imagination, inspiration, and a strong guiding hand were lacking in every other aspect of the game.

Transcripted's mashing of genres does work despite its hiccups. As a game to play here and there, it is a nice distraction with plenty of ways to change how it's played.

While X-Morph: Defense may not reinvent its wheel, nearly every decision it makes is a smart and correct one, and this out-of-nowhere project with a dull-sounding title really hums. It’s fast and furious, yet this wonderfully-crafted tower defense/shmup hybrid does everything it can to be a welcoming, player-positive experience that doesn’t sacrifice the quality of its strategy or the intensity of moment-to-moment play. X-Morph: Defense might need to spend a little more on PR, but don’t let the lack of buzz disguise the fact that it is absolutely worth the of the price of admission.

Overall, Flashpoint doesn’t offer anything that will pull new players in — almost everything in this DLC is geared toward end- or post-game content, and this is its underlying problem. If all of these elements were mixed in with the single player campaign, they’d be nice flavor in the otherwise-dull side content. However, since this DLC seems tailor-made for people who’ve already finished the story (like me) there just isn’t enough to hold my interest.

Overall, what’s most amazing about the Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle is that even the titles I won’t go back to as often are interesting, good for short bursts of play between the more engaging offerings. Fans of the classic NES titles would be remiss in not grabbing this immediately, and I hope they bring on an SNES bundle!

Shady Part of Me is a bold and challenging title that uses style and story to complement its gameplay, and I walked away from this adventure reflecting on my own fears. If nothing else, it’s noteworthy for that.

In an industry full of people who fancy themselves master storytellers but can rarely back it up, it’s refreshing to play a title that feels well-studied in more traditional narrative forms. I hope Adios is successful, and that we’ll see more like it.

Let’s Build a Zoo is an entertaining little title that will be an enjoyable sim for any fan of the management genre. All the details and options afforded to the player show clear thought and care, and thanks to this quality, it’s quite easy to lose track of time while creating an ideal zoo full of cute crocodile-giraffe hybrids.

Remnant II: The Forgotten Kingdom worked for me because it’s more than a rehash. Between the standalone story for the jungle realm of Yaesha and a good chunk of new booms and buffs for the more mechanically-inclined, this expansion is certainly full of good reasons to return to these realms.

Another barrier to immersion was that the level of realism is inconsistent, and conveniently tossed aside when necessary.

Despite the small number of tracks, what’s on offer here is highly accomplished, and Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X’s attempts to bring something new to a rather static style of game are both successful and engaging. Players who can find something to love in Miku’s musical leanings will definitely want to check out their goddess’ latest incarnation.

Despite this slightly middling RPG addition, there’s not much to knock Granblue Fantasy Versus for. Purists may scoff at the low barrier to entry, and there’s not many characters to choose from without dipping into the DLC offerings, but it’s still a beautifully-presented fighter that holds its own. It’s just a shame there’s not more of it.

Proves that old-school gameplay isn’t dead and may still be able to teach a trick or two to the next generation.

I enjoyed Grand Kingdom quite a bit. On paper this game is everything I want in an SRPG, but it did leave me feeling a little underwhelmed. With a stronger narrative stitching everything together, I think it really would be the total package.

All in all, Dauntless is a good free-to-play experience that has the potential to become great. Its playful art style, streamlined combat, and rich progression system can provide hours of entertainment, and the fact that it features cross-platform multiplayer is a major triumph all by itself.

System Shock is haunting and lonely, has an expertly-crafted oppressive atmosphere, intense combat, and a strong sense of immersion. Unfortunately, the obtuse nature of the campaign makes it to navigate and generally understand what to do. Returning vets may appreciate the upgrade, but I suspect that new players like myself will feel excluded and put off by the steep difficulty.

Having not played wither Klonoa before this review, I was expecting a bubbly platformer that was a product of its time, but instead, I was floored by how beautiful Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series was, and by how strongly it connected with me on an emotional level. I hope see more of this in the genre.

Strong multiplayer options help lessen the frustration of a high learning curve in the arcade mode, but no matter a player’s skill level, this is a game that fans of fast-paced arcade action shouldn’t miss. Arriving a quarter century later, Windjammers 2 is a fantastic sequel.

Mind Control Delete ultimately feels like an arcade-mode add-on that should’ve been included with the original release. Although it’s novel, I value the original’s audacity in presenting a brilliant idea without wasting any of my time. Mind Control Delete feels like the antithesis of that – it’s a bloated diversion that exists to provide more hours of gameplay without any larger purpose. It’s just more for the sake of more, and after my time with it, I’d say it’s actually too much, too late.

Ultimately, the climax of the story was driven by the choices I had made along the way, and each stacked upon the other — by the end, I felt happy with where Maia landed, though I could see how other choices could have made a differences. The ending, like the game itself, felt short, but I found its worth replaying and it left me with strong emotions.

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy starts off as a celebrated adventure through the musical history of the long-running Final Fantasy series, and the fanservice is apparent and appreciated. However, after only a few hours, the nostalgia wears off and the experience loses its luster. There's just too little to drive this title forward, and without more substance, even the best fanservice in the world will start to lose its appeal.

I find that with League of Legends, Riot has cultivated one of the most unique spaces in gaming history—mostly for good reasons but also for some awful ones, and in the gaming museum of the future, League is sure to have its own wing.

In spite of the game’s issue with providing a good challenge curve, I enjoyed my time with Mechanicus. It’s a great way to experience this side of the 40K world, and it remains a solid tactics outing that delivers the power fantasy of ridding the world of evil, along with multiple endings to discover. While players who are more invested in the Warhammer universe may get more out of Mechanicus than I did, it’s still worth a recommendation.

Even with some minor quibbles about the puzzles, I can’t pretend Observer is anything but a brilliant accomplishment. It’s original, creative, stunning, creepy, and occasionally disturbing. It marvels at fantastic technology and wallows in brutal gore in equal measure, creating a hardcore sci-horror that must be played. This isn’t for the faint of heart or those prone to photosensitive seizures (there’s a lot of flashing lights!) but for anyone looking for a different kind of horror or innovative visuals, it’s a must-play.

For older gamers, the save feature means that they may finally get to experience those later levels that they never had the skill or stamina to reach back in the day.

Golf Peaks is small in stature, easy to grasp, and quite elegant in design — so in essence, it’s the perfect puzzle game to play on the Switch, and it’s one that I recommend without hesitation.

It does everything an RPG should do and does it pretty well, but the lack of innovation is a bit disappointing.

The Atelier series is the most consistently-excellent brand in the JRPG genre, and Atelier Ryza 2 is another big win for the developers, as each new iteration finds a way to keep the gameplay fresh and interesting. All the developers had to do this time was not drop the ball after the excellent Ryza 1, but by digging in and developing their wonderful cast, they’ve gone above and beyond in setting up a fascinating journey to come.

The combat also shows surprising depth, although the secondary systems don't quite measure up. It's not groundbreaking or deep, even in the context of its own series, but Tales of Xillia was engaging and satisfying.

Even though Lo Wang and his encyclopedia of offensive terms can get a little tiresome by the end of the journey, Flying Wild Hog squeezed a lot of play variety onto this disc. Deftly combining looting and RPG elements with speedy, accessible sword and shooting mechanics, they’ve created an unforgettable experience for fans of console first-person gaming.

Few developers would have the resources to portray this undersea world in all of its glory, but while Martin’s approach might have begun as a compromise, it’s executed with such confidence that In Other Waters feels like the only game he ever would have wanted to make. For those who like their sci-fi on the sophisticated side, it’s one of the year’s hidden gems.

Ultimately, Voyagers lands in a weird place for me as far as recommending it goes, and also with who I would recommend it for. The simplicity and repetition of the experience means it’s hard to recommend to older players who might be looking for a little more meat on the bone. On the other hand, it might not be right for a younger audience due to the execution issues with some of the puzzles. Despite landing in this mixed middle ground, I did have an enjoyable time with my wife, and we walked away with fond memories of it, so for me Lego Voyagers gets 6.5 stuck together bricks out of 10.

While Unravel might not be the deepest experience or present the most complex puzzles to solve, the impossibly beautiful presentation is overwhelming and Yarny is a character that's easy to love. This small-scale journey of the mind and heart had no trouble keeping me engaged until the last memory was found, and I look forward to what this developer does next, even if yarn isn't involved.

With its relatively short length, storybook-like progression and focus on a charming coming-of-age tale that offers surprising maturity, Candleman might be found sitting alongside Journey and The Unfinished Swan, although it’s lesser in scope. For Spotlightor’s first console outing, it’s remarkably sophisticated and tightly produced — I’m excited to see what they come up with next.

In an era full of triple-A self-seriousness and open-world games that feel like they’re little more than busy work, Criterion reminds us that we don’t all need to follow the same template. Over a decade after release, Burnout Paradise is still the king of open-world racers, proving that a simple gameplay loop is often the most effective.

The obvious incoherence of many of the design decisions allows the player to see past the realistic graphics and to observe the unrealistic logic that underlies the game.

Worth playing because its one of only a few videogames on the market that does not lead me from point A to point B and just flat out refuses to do any of the hand-holding that gamers are accustomed to.

While the criticisms are worth mentioning, anyone who’s a fan of Resident Evil and has somehow not played this pair yet is sure to enjoy both, although I still maintain that Revelations 1 is the better of the two. With an ability to sync save data between games and an emphasis on bit-sized gameplay sessions, these entries are near-perfectly suited for the Switch library.

I’m used to crafting-themed games being huge, sprawling, self-guided odysseys, so compared to them, Wytchwood is a bite-sized revelation. It’s bleak, it’s funny, and it has character for days. By focusing on the story and puzzles, it creates an item-focused adventure that rarely wastes the player’s time, and then gets out on one heck of a high note. This one is a truly charming adventure that’s as gruesome as it is sweet.

While I have my qualms with the way the graphical presentation is handled during gameplay, I have to commend Sonic Origins for delivering on its promise. It’s a great collection, and one that got me passionate about the series again — immediately after playing, I downloaded Sonic Mania, Sonic Colors, and Sonic Forces to keep riding this high. With any luck, Sega continues the trend with other classics.

As it stands, Forager is a wonderful reimagining of common concepts and systems that have grown stale… or at least it is until it falls prey to the very things it was subverting. It’s a shame, but hopefully it will get patched or rebalanced in the future. With just a few tweaks to its numbers, I’d happily return to this small-scale adventure and keep on crafting.

A slightly better than average game that coasts along on the fact that it tweaks the traditional RPG formula. The innovations in the title are a hit-and-miss affair that generally obfuscate the fact that the game is little more than a traditional dungeon crawler with a few new wrinkles.

Soul Bubbles is filled with unexpectedly sophisticated sequences like that, and they are a true sign that the people behind it not only know exactly what they're doing, but they also know what constitutes excellent game design.

Players who value length in a title might be disappointed, as it’s possible to get one of Calvary’s worse endings in about 15 minutes. Even diligently working through all the puzzles the “right” way won’t extend the campaign to more than a few hours at most, but to me, this matters little. The Procession to Calvary may not be an epic, but I enjoyed looking at it, playing it, and the things it made me think about. That’s more than I can say for many games that sustain whole weeks of playtime.

As an historical RTS, Praetorians does an admirable job of integrating its subject matter with solid gameplay, as opposed to simply using the historical period as a backdrop for a slew of war scenarios.

Revita is not one to overlook, especially for fans of this genre. Things feel perfectly balanced, the combat is satisfying and the platforming is smooth, the relics do a lot to keep each run fresh, and using health as currency all come together to make Revita sing.

Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is a welcome addition to the series. While it doesn’t add or change much when it comes to gameplay mechanics, it’s still enjoyable and challenging enough to be worth a look from anyone who likes an old-fashioned fairytale adventure with a twist.

Persona takes everything that made the original so memorable (the demon-fusing, the storyline, the atmosphere) and streamlines/updates it while restoring things that were cut from the original as well.

We both agreed that what the game achieves for kids is the ability to transport them into the world of Woody and the gang. For adults, it's a venture back to their own childhood.

Real talk, this entry won’t convert anyone tiring of EA’s approach to the world’s favorite sport, and longtime fans will likely feel the same frustrations they’ve felt for years. However, for anyone who still finds joy in a well-timed through ball or a diving header in extra time, it can deliver a good experience. It captures enough of football’s rhythm to be a good purchase for dedicated fans, but the execution just isn’t as sharp as I expected at this point.

As it stands, MYZ is an excellent game that carved off too much meat when trimming the fat. It’s a delicious dish, but it might leave one hungry for more.

This is definitely a title that fans of MMOs and Final Fantasy should give a shot, just not on the Playstation 3.

Chaos on Deponia has enough charm to salve the wounds of its worst design flaws (a delightful quest to hatch a team of platypus guardians is a great example) but there's no getting around its narrative problems.

Ashen now holds the dubious honor of being the first game I couldn’t bring myself to finish before posting a review. Well done, Ashen — you broke me. It’s just a shame you didn’t do it in a more interesting or cleverly-designed manner.

A little more challenge, depth, and length with the trimming of the lame on-rails levels would have made this one a near classic. As it is, though, it's an above-average shooter with just enough variety and charm to make the familiar trip worth your time.

This title has it all—engrossing and challenging gameplay, a plot that rises above the usual clichés of the genre, loads of depth and customization, great graphics, and some excellent audio. This is, hands down, the best RPG I've played in 2005.

While by no means a terrible game, and not even a bad one, this is a game designed to increase the overall amount of sadness in the world, and for that reason alone, and despite its many high points, I can't recommend that anyone play it. Ever.

Even so, it's well worth checking out for players who would be interested in a different spin on the Angry Birds formula.

Episode 4 might ultimately be more of the same, but this year’s episodic Hitman is the best the series has ever been, and I’m not complaining. However, with the United States and Japan chapters still to come before this season ends, I do hope IO Interactive has a few more tricks up its sleeve.

Dead Rising was never a great game — it’s perverse and didactic in equal measure, and an exciting concept delivered with almost no artistry or craft. Why not put in a little extra effort to fix it, rather that just running it on superior hardware? The sequels offer a clear roadmap for the experience that Dead Rising could have been, but apparently Capcom had no interest in following it. It’s too bad, because even as a budget title, this reissue is just too rough to recommend.

While I actually felt sympathy for the monster even though I didn’t doubt the girl’s condemnation of it, Lydia still manages to land a heavy emotional blow with admirable economy thanks to its expressive art and skillful storytelling. It’s a strong, sharp jab of a game, and well worth it for anyone willing to take the punch in the gut.

Mages of Mystralia is a pretty, polished experience bolstered by an excellent spin on combat. The world is bright and cheerful, the exploration of the land is rewarding, and the spell system is great. Chalk up another success story for the Canadian Media Fund and one for Borealys Games.

With some tweaking, Mothergunship could easily become a must-play. As it stands, only those with high-level twitch skills are going to have an enjoyable time. People like me might eventually get through the campaign, but I’m not sure I want to anymore.

Overall, The Foundation is a satisfying package that delivers more of what players got from the original campaign, and this is a good thing. The combat scenarios are tense, the locales are interesting, and it’s between four to six hours of new content for those looking to spend more time with Jesse Faden. It might not advance the storyline much and it doesn’t do anything radically different, but there’s no question that those who enjoyed Control should jump in and see what’s happening in the basement.

At first, I wasn’t sure what to think of this, but as it progressed, it grew on me since the dev does an excellent job of making each puzzle make sense. There’s no “moon logic” of the type seen in older LucasArts games or other classics. I was happy to find more realistic (although occasionally ridiculous) solutions and the character interactions they triggered. Apart from my issues with the lack of choice and nitpicks like a thin soundtrack and a confusing save system, I very much hope the developers at Serenity Forge create a sequel to Half Past Fate — with this initial foray into blending of genres, I’m hopeful for more!

There’s not much to complain about in Clan o’ Conall — the developers have successfully managed to put together a pleasing side-scrolling action-platformer that looks amazing, plays well and manages to implement a neat multi-character system. This one might not break new ground, but there’s no question that it’s a win.

Overall, Hell Pie is innovative in the platforming space, both in narrative and the verticality and mobility of its mechanical design. It might be flying under most radars, but to me this was one of the best gaming experiences I’ve had all year.

With its versatile upgrade system and clever boss design, Bat Boy stands out, even compared to the highest tier of NES-tribute platformers. I can’t pretend it’s perfect – a few auto-scrolling levels are cheaper than they have any right to be, and the last boss is a slog — but this is indisputably a great game whether one is a fan of its classic inspirations or not.

Dragon’s Dogma isn’t just a fantastic time, full of superb adventuring and uncharacteristically accomplished combat. It’s also one that’s stood up incredibly well over the years, feeling every bit as fresh and unique as when it debuted in the previous generation. It really says something that after hundreds of hours and dozens of completions later, I was more than willing to drop everything and get stuck back in to this remaster. It may have aged a little visually, but its combat and reward-heavy exploration have proven themselves evergreen, standing out from the competition even now.

As time goes on, I grow more intolerant of the extreme eleventh-hour difficulty spike found in so many games. Mushroom 11 begins wonderfully, with some striking 2D background art and a bounty of inventive puzzles in its earlier levels. I want to recommend it for that, but the unfortunate truth is that too much of my time with Mushroom 11 was spent writhing in fury.

Even though the spectacular combat in Dragon’s Dogma makes it seem like a successor to other Capcom fantasy beat-em-ups, the depth of its world design and surprising story twists make it one of the more fascinating games of its era. With a fantastic port for the Switch audience, it’s as if Capcom made a deal with a dragon and somehow came out the winner.

As far as handheld shooters go, Killzone: Mercenary is undoubtedly the new gold standard and, quite frankly, makes a mockery out of its handheld peers.

My Friend Pedro seems like it should be wall-to-wall adrenaline-fueled gunplay and spectacle — and it is at times — but it’s too frequently dulled by stretches of tedium, switch-flipping, misplaced platforming and visually bland environments. With that banana on board, it could (and should) have been so much more.

I really wanted to love Big Hops, since it’s clearly made by folks who share my fondness for the 3D platformer genre. But while that passion has birthed a terrific moveset, Big Hops is ultimately a selection of great mechanics in search of a tighter, more focused game.

Cosmic Star Heroine has the pieces in place to become a modern classic JRPG in the same way that Shovel Knight and Freedom Planet take their cues from old-school platformers. Given the amount of effort that went into the battle system, it’s clear that Zeboyd Games did their homework on the mechanics of their ancestors. However, while they definitely nailed the combat, the narrative is too rushed and the characters too shallow for Cosmic Star Heroine to reach the majesty of the games that inspired it.

Atelier Lulua is more than a case of ‘Gust has done it again’, although that’s obviously true. It’s a great game with a brilliantly-told story full of great twists. More than that, though, it’s notable because it takes the chance to question an element at the very heart of the genre — why is combat so central to the experience? Is it a necessary part of the story being told, or does it wind up limiting the kind of adventure that developers can to craft? There’s no clear answer here, but the fact that the question is being asked in such an interesting way deserves a huge amount of respect.

I think Demi looks like a cool character and I like the idea of using a rocketpack to dash through platforms in a kinetic flow state, but Super Cloudbuilt is too frustrating and haphazard as an experience. I’m sure the people who made it (and a handful of YouTubers) are really, really good at it, but thanks to a lack of polish and elements that never fit together well, I couldn’t understand what it was trying to be. I’m not sure Coilworks knows either.

Neither the storyline nor the final puzzles delivered the type of reward I enjoyed with similar titles. For fans of the genre there’s plenty of challenge to be had, but those seeking something that compares a little less directly to Portal should probably hold off.

The word "original" may not apply, but the level of production and care taken in crafting Crimson Gem Saga is certainly noteworthy, especially in conjunction with the pure, reductive nature of its game design.

The King’s Dilemma is the closest I’ve come to a regal advisor simulator, a position that has always fascinated me… although to be honest, this is one of the most underserved niche genres out there. While I appreciate that players’ lives are never at risk as they might be if they were manipulating things in the Game of Thrones world, it’s not perfect — but it is a good start. One can only hope that it leads to even greater attempts in the future.

With its fast pace and emphasis on explosive action, Jupiter Hell is a more-than-welcome addition to the ranks of the roguelike genre. Even without the nods to its better-known brethren, it still packs quite a wallop. It isn’t perfect, but I loved blasting demons and zombified minions too much to care. Now, where is that chainsaw?

For anyone even remotely interested in what might be like to survive the zombie apocalypse, State of Decay is an absolute must-play.

Regardless of the feature-light port and general sparseness of the package, Red Dead Redemption still earns its place as one of the finest games ever made. Even if its follow-up improved upon everything, this was a joyful blast to the past, reminding me that all greatness starts somewhere. For those looking to live out another cowboy fantasy before Rockstar decides to release Red Dead Redemption III, they can certainly do worse than this.

Under Night In-Birth EXE: Late[st], despite having a preposterous title, is simple to pick up, but deep enough to deserve dozens of hours of study. While dated, the art design is top-notch, and a few of the stories which I was primed to scoff at proved surprisingly interesting. I may never have the reflexes to excel at something like Under Night, but I can appreciate developers doing excellent work.

Perhaps all of the limp comedy wouldn't be so offensive if the game did anything new in the gameplay department.

Underneath its wisecracking exterior, Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention offers enough depth to keep a determined player occupied for over a hundred hours if they so wish it, while also entertaining folks that just want to play a game for its story and multiple endings.

While I don’t think Sonic Origins Plus will convince doubters of the initial release to convert and I still have my qualms over some of the presentation choice, there’s no doubt that Sega managed to make a solid package even better.

It might not be everyone's cup of tea and it's got a few issues, but despite all that, it's still a hell of a lot of fun and it scratches my strategy itch quite nicely.

Players in the target audience for these titles (like me!) who’ve been waiting for this storied series to come to console will find the package worth exploring even if there’s only one real reason to buy in.

Even with frustrating oversights, The Mummy Demastered is a fantastic example of its genre. There’s great creature and boss design, perfectly designed platforming sequences, and a wide enough variety in environments that it can offer unique visuals all the way to the end. As a tight, confident action title, The Mummy Demastered succeeds not just as a love letter to movie-inspired cash-ins from the ’90s, but also as a legitimately great action game in its own right. And, if that wasn’t enough to recommend it, it’s also a rare tie-in that ended up far better than the movie it was adapted from.

Between the fun I had playing it, the fitness boost I've gained from it (body fat now 13% and dropping if you want numbers), the awareness and discipline it's taught me and the sheer enthusiasm it's reawakened in me to turn on my PS2 for an hour almost every night, EyeToy: Kinetic distinguishes itself until it is, almost, virtually unassailable.

I can understand the logic in trying to craft a sequel that does more than its source material, but the end result is that Mercury Meltdown lacks the simplicity and clean design needed to establish itself as a solid puzzler.