Innovation is important in an holistic sense, in that developers need to be innovating in a number of ways to keep moving the video game artwork forward. But for any individual game innovation isn't necessary. If the base formula of the UC franchise is solid for UC, then deliberate attempts to innovate might be detrimental. Where expectations for innovation should come in is for the next new IP ND moves to. If they drop the UC franchise but create a franchise that effectively reskins the UC formula then that would be bad. But for UC 4 tweaking of the formula is as much as they should be expected to do. Therefore in the case of this particular game deducting marks because lack of innovation is wrong and not a valid criticism unless you actually have specific suggestions for how you were expecting the game to innovate.
“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.” - Bertrand Russell
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
Jimi Hendrix
