I’ve been enjoying the game and seem to be close to the end. I actually like that it is not overly complicated. Makes it easier to pick up for an hour or two and just play.

My problem is the inconsistencies. At times it acts like it wants to be a deeper game and at times it is just mindless action. Feels like they cut a lot of planned content and just smoothed it over. For example, both unique weapons and armor can be upgraded with materials you find and purchase, but only weapons allow upgrading the unique stat itself, and its only a single choice between two options. It seems almost pointless. They should have just dropped that system entirely or expanded it to be more meaningful.

Late in the game are two choices that feel meaningful and appear to influence the map and story. Great, except, where was this for the entire first half of the game? So many choices just seem to be for flavor that when one actually has consequences it is jarring.

Then there is stealth. The game has a stealth mechanic and skills to buff stealth attacks. However, the moment you attack from stealth, every enemy in range is aggro’d to your location and stealth is no longer possible. Stealth is effectively just a first hit damage bonus. Again, it seems like they planned to make stealth a thing, then either cut it or could not make it work, but left parts of it in the game.

Illusions… The game has several, fairly trivial elemental obstacles. Most can be dealt with in several ways. Tangled vines can be burned with fire skills, certain throwables, or a companion ability. Same for electric switches, freezable bars (to shatter them), etc. All except illusions. Those can only be cleared by a specific companion ability, which means late in the game you are either forced to use that companion or give up on anything behind illusions. There is even a spot in the throwables UI that looks like it could be for an extra item type, but I’ve yet to find something to fill it. Maybe in the last area…

Overall I do like the game, but no way is it worth $70.

Regarding the lack of romance mechanics, it just seems like they dont know how do romance then? Why would a character have to suddenly become a “yes man” once romanced? In any case, does the game really need such mechanics to begin with?

I havent played it but from what I’ve seen, it looks like an action RPG - action first with some rpg mechanics. This is a safe genre to invest in, especially to offer on a subscription service because it is casual friendly. The drawback being it polarizes the more hardcore crowd and leaves them wanting more.

I managed to make it through the first area before the lack of gameplay depth bored me to disinterest in the game.

Take that as you will, but to me it’s not a good game.

doesn’t have a really firm metric

Translation: Numbers look like shait otherwise we’d brag about them.

It’s always a bit of a letdown when you see a character who has a clear personality, and goals and interests, and suddenly, in the service of this romance that the player has embarked on with them, they now become the player’s yes-person

Looks at Dragon age Origins and Morrigan… How do these people, with 0 knowledge of the actual medium they work in, get to leadership positions? Was it a tokenism thing? To see how the brilliant Avelone got pushed out years ago, and clearly incompetent people are now promoted is truly baffling .