Tweaking and streamlining were atop EA Sports’ list this year as the long-running dual-analog setup has been retooled to remove the swooping motions necessary in previous years. Now punches are executed with a flick of the right stick, allowing for more punch types. There are a dozen directional possibilities, each of which can be modified to a power shot (hold down R2) or body blow (L1).

Runic Games handles the always iffy proposition of transferring a PC setup to console nicely as combat is second nature and item management works well enough. Each character has a basic melee attack (X) and a button to pick up items (A). Beyond that, you’re able to map four spells/abilities to the remaining triggers and face buttons — press the d-pad up/down for two sets totaling eight slots. The camera is fixed, leaving the right stick to zoom in and out only.

Whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle, the fundamentals are well covered. Melee combat consists of using just two commands (attack and dodge) and is easy to pick up. Your camera (used to gather evidence as well as identify animals) is straightforward enough early on, though once you obtain a disc launcher, having them both work out of the same first-person view is somewhat awkward. Piloting your hovercraft can be a little temperamental in tight spaces, but is fine otherwise.