the first two acts of this are the highest highs in the series. the shift in the status quo almost makes it feel like a whole new series, there's a ton of new enemies and weapons all of which are cool, and the level design is clever and inventive. there's stalks bursting out of the ground and leaving a menacing presence even after you kill them, individual locust jumping out of the sand at a perfect arc for a bayonet charge, you've got gunkers filling the entire screen with an explosion, you've got all manner of strange new creatures and biohazards.

unfortunately, the anvil gate to mercy to char segment is filled with repetitive levels that drag on too long and have bland encounter design even to the point of "zombies rushing at you". the docks and azura bring it back a bit, but it never quite reaches those highs of act 1 and 2 again. also the dialogue is the worst it has ever been.

but! damn those new monsters and weapons are cool, and many of them never appear again in the series. this is certainly a unique entry, and it feels more different from what came before than 4 and 5 do.