All the style in the world doesn't make up for missing gameplay elements, like an attack cancel button, or a way to replay side missions without having to go back to the overworld, or an overworld that's actually interesting.

Why does this series still take place in America, it clearly wants to be in Japan. Unless Suda gets off on Americans talking endlessly about Japan, which I could see. It's like a Yakuza game where Kiryu exclusively talks about American pop culture.