6/10
If I had played this in 2019, I probably would’ve hated it — partly because of my emotional stance toward the series at the time, and partly because the game’s design just wouldn’t have clicked with me back then.
Did I absolutely love it today? Sadly, no. But I did enjoy it enough to notice the beauty hidden in the mess.
The character dialogue, the somewhat engaging story, the variety (despite the otherwise standard gameplay), a sense of progression, and the sheer amount of content — all these things came together to give me just enough fun to keep going.
Considering where the series stands, it’s easy to see why it’s drawn so much hate, but I don’t think it falls behind its peers in the same genre — at least not in a way that justifies all the negativity.
7