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.
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.
8 Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot
Fans have played through the story of Dragon Ball Z countless times over numerous tie-in titles. Kakarot attempts to add some novelty to the experience with its open world and RPG mechanics, but unfortunately fails 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, Kakarot showcases 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 gives FighterZ a run for its money. Sadly, these are too few and far between to recommend over simply watching the show.
7 Final Fantasy XIII
This title seen as the black sheep of the series for a reason. Final Fantasy XIII takes a hatchet to the turn-based strategy and role-playing aspects of past titles and replaces 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 bring Final Fantasy to seventh-gen consoles in spectacular fashion. At its core, however, it's only a shell of its former glory.
6 The Order: 1886
This seems like one of those bare-bones "tech demo" titles meant to show off a new console, except it came two years after the PS4 and Xbox One launched. Unfortunately, it still has the generic gameplay expected from such a cash-in. The Order: 1886 is 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.
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.
5 Assassin's Creed III
The Assassin's Creed series 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 III dumbs 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 the Assassin's Creed style of traversal, and the result is a new era that trips at the start line.
On the upside, the folks at Ubisoft don'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 in the superior sequel.
4 Medievil
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 experience Medievil in 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.
3 Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017)
Fans panned the Star Wars: Battlefront reboot for many reasons, most notably its lack of a Story Mode or any other interesting content. EA and DICE tried to amend this in the 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 has Star Wars ever looked this good in a game.
The problem is that this is only surface-level praise. On a gameplay level, Battlefront II suffers 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.
2 X2: Wolverine's Revenge
The X-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 the X-Men mythos. Granted, labelling this as X2 is false advertising since it 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.
1 PlayStation Move Heroes
Bringing Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet & Clank together 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 Heroes tries 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.
