Recent reviews by Sun Tin Wong

TLDR: I cannot recommend because this is NOT ROLE PLAYING GAME (Go get Baldur's Gate 3 instead). This is a linear 3rd person fantasy action game with loot/gear progression and skill trees.

After watching and reading many reviews from various sources, I thought to myself "hey, it can't be that bad, it's a bioware dragon age game!". So, I waited a month after release and grabbed it when it was on sale. I've struggled to progress through the game since. I've played multiple play playthroughs of the original dragon age games, along with other bioware RPG titles - KTOR, Jade Empire, Neverwinter nights, and Mass effect series to name a few.

I'm so disappointed with this game's 'story' and lack of role-playing-elements. Nevermind it's not true to the Dragon Age lore or tone of the original series. Dialogue for your party members feels like it was written for a tick-tok teenager: shallow, cliche and cringe. SWTOR, bioware's MMORPG, has better dialogue and choices than this overpriced game.

That's the core reason why you'd get a bioware game - their hallmark party banter, and player choice.

But, you've got to give this game some credit. No microtransactions, the best action combat so far for bioware, little-to-no bugs, and optimized for performance. The vistas and enviorment is beautiful to look at.

It's just not for me. I can't finish the game. I'm 40hrs in, and It's boring slaughtering braindead humanoids that spawn out of thin air and charge at me, while my invincible party members chip-away-at-them from a distance. It's boring staring at your mini-map trying to collect every chest/pickup as you grind away your reputation for each of the factions.

Time for me play BG3 again. Sorry Bioware, I gave you a second chance after Andromeda (let's not talk about Anthem), but I think it's time for us to part ways. It's you, not me. BYEEEEEEeeee.

For the price point, is a great turn-off-your-brain game with a fun game loop.

I played exclusively on Steamdeck. Low spec requirements meant I could run this game for hours unplugged, using their default controller setup!

GOTY.

After decades of waiting, we finally get AAA story-driven RPG with fun mechanics.

I logged ~30hrs on release. Was not worth the $70 price point.

It's been a year later, and I gave the game another shot. While Bethesda hasn't made any huge improvements since, the modders have. Using mods to fill in gaps where Bethesda couldn't significantly helped improve my experience, and made it more enjoyable.

Starfield tries to do too many things, without excelling at any in particular. Bethesda's core trademark: hand crafting maps, levels, and missions is half there - a significant amount of content relies on randomly generated levels. Anything handcrafted is OK-ish, while everything else is boring.

It's hard to immerse yourself in this game when so much is half-baked.

Besides that, Starfield is a step-up from their previous games. Companion mechanics, interacting with NPCs, and gun play is 'better' than fallout 4.

But for $70, there are just sooo many better options out there.
Want a game with great companions and story? Play BG3.
Want real FPS gunplay with over-the-top-set-pieces? Play the latest COD.
Want an immersive world? Play RD2. Or cyberpunk. Or Skyrim (lol).
Want to explore randomly generated planets? Play No Man's Sky.
Want spaceship sim game? Play Elite Dangerous.

I'd recommended only if you can buy this on sale, and you're not afraid to mod the game from the start.

Otherwise no, it's not worth $70. Go play something else.

Great colony management sim. Think Sims ( minus nonsense fluff) + Scifi + combat focus. Amazing modding community for added replay ability.

Great game, can't wait for the DLC!