Recent reviews by Sophia Ferddinand

🐎 Ghost of Tsushima — A Tough Love Review (But Still Love)
⚠️ Note: I’m still finishing Act 1 and just about to start Act 2. I might update this review as I progress — but I already have thoughts.

Let’s get one thing straight:
It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the game — I actually loved it. I’m having a great time, and I definitely plan to see it through to the end.
But… since this is a big-budget AAA game, I found myself disappointed with some of the systems, which felt too simplistic or lacking in variety.

That said, let’s start with the good stuff:

✅ The Positives

🎨 1. Visuals
Right from the beginning, the game is visually breathtaking. Forests, plains, snowy mountains — all incredibly atmospheric and beautifully crafted.
The mix of color, lighting, and weather effects makes it feel like you're wandering through a living painting.
Easily one of the most visually stunning games I’ve ever played.

🗡️ 2. Combat
The combat is fluid, satisfying, and intuitive.
Sure, I have some issues with enemy AI (we’ll get to that), but slicing through enemies feels amazing. It even made me consider signing up for a Kenjutsu class just so I could swing a katana like Jin Sakai.
The swordplay is so enjoyable that I rarely ignore enemy encounters while exploring — they’re just too fun to skip.

🎭 3. Story
While the story is pretty linear for an open-world game and offers little in the way of real choices, it’s still engaging.
I can feel the emotional weight of war, the character dilemmas, and their personal struggles.
It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s solid and well told.

🎌 4. Cultural Respect
I’ve read the valid critiques about romanticizing samurai culture and the lack of Japanese creative leadership on the dev team.
But for what it is — a game, not a documentary — I felt the developers handled the cultural elements with genuine care and respect.
As someone from Brazil, with little knowledge of Japanese culture, the game made me curious about it — and that, to me, is already a big win.

❌ The Criticisms (a.k.a. My Samurai Scroll of Complaints)

🔁 1. Lack of Variety
Don’t expect much variety — in anything.
Houses all look the same. Loot is repetitive. There are like… six types of animals?
And hunting? You can hunt like two useful species, and the rest is just murder for fun.
It doesn’t need to be Red Dead Redemption, but come on — if you’re going to include hunting, give it some depth.

🐴 2. Weird Animations & Camera Angles
Some animations are just... off.
Calling your horse sometimes looks like it's having a mini seizure.
Dialog scenes? The camera angles are so weird it’s like they tried to make it look cinematic but ended up filming a samurai-themed episode of Where’s Waldo.
Characters are so far away, they look like ants arguing.

🗣️ 3. Language & Lip Sync Issues
I started with the Japanese dub — because duh, it’s Japan.
But then I realized the game was made in English, and all motion capture was synced for English only.
No Japanese lip sync. That’s a bummer.
Worse: after hours of getting used to Jin’s Japanese voice, switching to English felt like someone had possessed his body.
Not bad acting — just super jarring.
Also, some ambient NPC conversations lack subtitles, which hurts immersion for non-Japanese speakers like me.

🏞️ 4. The World Feels Empty
You ride across vast landscapes and see... enemies. Only enemies.
Everyone’s either fighting or waiting to fight.
Yes, there are peasants working in the fields and merchants in villages — but they’re almost always stationary.
No one’s out traveling, moving between towns, or hauling supplies down the roads.
I know the island is at war, but come on — people still need to get from one place to another, even if it means risking their lives.
So where are the food carts? The supply wagons? A single person making a delivery? People still have to eat.
The world feels a bit too static, and it could’ve used more signs of everyday life beyond just the combat.

🧠 5. Combat & Stealth AI
Combat is fluid, stylish, and honestly a lot of fun — slicing through enemies as Jin feels amazing.
But… the enemy AI doesn’t always keep up.
Mongols. Dismounting from horses. Just to fight on foot.
Really? You’d think the fearsome warriors who swept across continents would want to use their biggest advantage: mounted combat. But no — they hop off like, “Let’s keep it fair, Jin!” It’s a bit immersion-breaking.
Archers politely shout before shooting. Enemies often come at you one by one like they’re lining up for their turn.
And stealth? I could walk straight through the front gate in bright armor, get spotted, sprint away, loop back from the side… and somehow everyone’s forgotten I was ever there.
It weakens the whole “honor vs. survival” conflict when the stealth mechanics feel so underdeveloped.

🔂 6. Repetition
You’ll get serious Ubisoft déjà vu.
Go to location A, kill Mongols, rinse, repeat.
Side activities feel cool at first — until they don’t.
It’s a common issue in open-world games, sure. But here, they didn’t solve it — they just made it prettier.

💨 7. Wind (A Personal Pet Peeve)
I love the idea of using wind to guide you instead of a mini-map.
But after 20 hours of nonstop gales — sun, rain, snow — it’s like Tsushima is secretly the Island of Eternal Tornadoes.
Also, funny how the wind always blows in my direction. Jin Sakai: samurai, ghost... and meteorologist?

🎯 Final Thoughts
Okay — this may sound like I hated the game.
But I didn’t. I’m just being super critical because I really like it and can see how it could’ve been even better.

I’m genuinely invested in Jin, the island, and the story.
I’m having a good time. I want to finish the journey and see how he drives the Mongols out.

My score? I’m torn between a 7.5 and an 8.
There are definitely oversimplified elements that feel like missed opportunities — but at the same time, I’m enjoying it enough to keep going.

So after being a grumpy gamer for like 10 paragraphs, I’ll be kind in the end.

Final score: 8/10

🌌 Stellaris – Review
★ Rating: 7/10

🌠 A True Sci-Fi Sandbox

An entire universe to explore. Diverse alien races. Narrative-rich events where your choices matter. Full empire customization. Want to be a beacon of liberty? Go for it. A tradition-bound slaver empire? Sure. A hive mind bent on galactic genocide? Absolutely. Stellaris offers a true sandbox sci-fi experience from one of the best grand strategy developers out there: Paradox Interactive.

♾️ Limitless Replayability... Almost

Stellaris had everything to be that one game I’d always return to—experimenting with different builds, testing new empires. The replay value is absolutely massive. But there's one major issue:

🐌 Performance Drag That Ruins the Experience

It doesn’t matter how high-end your system is—the amount of insane real-time processing this game demands becomes unbearable late-game. Expect severe lag, especially during the late stages of a large galaxy playthrough. The only viable workaround right now is to play smaller maps or use mods to limit AI behavior, like preventing them from spawning dozens of hybrid species (which is a huge performance killer). Don't turn on Xeno-Compatibility, a feature that enables inter-species breeding... Your system WILL suffer.

💀 Another way to handle the lag? Well… mass genocide.

Sure, that works if your playstyle leans toward ruthless domination. But if you're playing a peaceful, pacifist species? Yeah, doesn't make much sense.

💻 A Painful Upgrade That Didn’t Pay Off

I used to run Stellaris on an old, dying gamer laptop. I finally decided to invest in a powerful gaming desktop—partly to enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 on ultra with ray tracing, but mostly to fix Stellaris lag. Cyberpunk? Success. Stellaris? Barely any difference. That’s... frustrating.

🧩 DLCs, Subscriptions & Sticker Shock

Another issue? The final price of the game with all DLCs is absurd. Yes, Paradox consistently updates their titles and delivers quality content. But as someone living in Brazil, the complete package can cost nearly a full month’s minimum wage, even with a 20% Steam bundle discount.

Thankfully, there's now an Expansion Subscription option. You buy the base game and pay a small monthly fee for all DLC access—great if you’re a “play for a few months” type of gamer.

💸 Ownership vs Access

But I’m someone who likes owning the games I love (even though, yes, we’re technically just licensing them on Steam—every gamer’s nightmare is the day Steam crashes and takes our libraries with it). For those like me, completing a Paradox library is a costly ordeal—and a real hit to the wallet.

✅ Final Thoughts

If it weren’t for the performance issues—especially the absurd late-game lag—this would easily be a 9/10, maybe even a perfect 10. The DLC pricing is less of a problem now thanks to the Expansion Subscription, so it doesn't weigh heavily on my score. But I simply can’t overlook how unplayable the game becomes on larger maps. So despite loving the game’s ambition, I can’t fully recommend it in its current state—you’ll be limited to smaller galaxies or reliant on performance-enhancing mods to have a smooth experience (or, arrrrgh, just kill everyone.)

🟡 I’m giving it a 7/10 — and honestly, that’s me being generous.

Still, the game is sensational and incredibly ambitious. It’s like Europa Universalis or Crusader Kings… in space. What’s not to love? But Paradox Interactive needs to fix their game ASAP, and I say this on behalf of all die-hard strategy and sci-fi fans out there.

🎮 Borderlands 3 – Review
★ Rating: 8/10

🎯 A Game I Didn’t Expect to Enjoy

Borderlands 3 genuinely surprised me. It’s not the kind of game I usually go for—first-person loot shooters aren't my thing. I prefer RPGs and strategy titles. I only picked this up during a massive sale that included all the DLCs at a great price. What started as a casual playthrough turned into a surprisingly fun experience.

🤪 Don’t Expect a Serious Tone

Borderlands 3 makes fun of everything—literally everything. Every conversation, every line of dialogue is a setup for a joke. Some are goofy, others genuinely funny. But that’s the tone the game embraces, and honestly? It pulls it off really well.

🎨 Style That Matches the Chaos

The cartoonish art style is striking and fits the game’s over-the-top personality. But what really hooked me was how chaotic, unpredictable, and dynamic the combat can be. That’s where the real fun lies—especially with its procedural weapon generation system.

🔫 A Billion Guns? Technically, Yes.

The game proudly boasts "a billion guns," but what that really means is: roughly 300 base weapon types, and an algorithm that mixes and matches weapon parts to create insane variations. Each weapon feels distinct, and adapting to your loadout becomes part of the fun. Enemies can use wild combinations too, which keeps fights feeling fresh.

💥 Combat Is Where This Game Shines

The wide variety of weapon effects makes combat feel like controlled chaos. You'll need different strategies for different weapons—and since you’re constantly switching them out, there’s always something new. That unpredictability is what makes every encounter fun and rarely repetitive.

📚 Story? It’s... Serviceable.

The narrative is straightforward and very linear. Don’t expect dialogue choices or branching outcomes. The only RPG-like element here is skill customization. For those who enjoy gameplay over story, this works great. For narrative lovers, it’s more of a light background.

🧱 Inventory Frustrations

One major gripe: for a game that drops loot constantly, inventory space is limited, especially early on. You’ll frequently have to backtrack through cleared areas just to sell items. And yes—enemies respawn—so you’ll be refighting your way back. Not ideal for players who like to loot everything.

🎒 The Weight of Carrying Everything

While the game never takes itself seriously (and neither does its logic), I still prefer when games offer in-universe solutions to inventory overload—like horses, cars, or magical storage (Solo Leveling style). Borderlands 3... doesn’t. So if you're a loot hoarder, prepare to be picky.

✅ Final Thoughts

Borderlands 3 managed to win me over despite not being my genre. That’s impressive. It’s chaotic, colorful, and hilarious, and definitely worth checking out—especially on sale.

🟢 8/10 – A wild ride that’s worth taking once.

I’m almost at the end of the game, and yes, I had a great time. Would I replay it? Maybe not. But I’ll definitely be checking out Borderlands 4.

🎮 Mass Effect Legendary Edition – Review (3rd Playthrough, Full Trilogy)
★ Rating: 9/10

Before anything else, let me just say: this is a classic action/RPG that had a real positive impact on my life. I’m now heading into my third playthrough. The first time, I played the Original Trilogy. From the second on, it’s been all about the Legendary Edition.

🕰️ The Remaster – A Necessary Move

We have to remember that the original Mass Effect was released nearly 20 years ago. In some aspects, it hasn’t aged particularly well. That’s why the decision to remaster it was spot-on. It made replaying it feel worthwhile, even after already finishing the original version.

But it’s not a perfect experience. There are still bugs—some of which BioWare never had the decency to fix even after all these years. For example, the Pinnacle Station DLC for ME1 isn’t included due to a lost source code. And issues like the awful auto-cover system in ME1 are still present.

🪛 Don’t expect a completely bug-free ride.

Some of BioWare’s decisions are questionable. Personally, I don’t mind it too much because I’m an advanced user and can fix a few things with mods. But for casual players who want a plug-and-play experience, this might cause frustration. Some issues—like the terrible anti-aliasing implementation—can’t even be properly fixed through mods. Still, considering the engine limitations (UE3), it’s somewhat understandable.

🕹️ Gameplay – An Identity Crisis?

One noticeable thing is that over the course of the trilogy, Mass Effect goes through a bit of an identity crisis. ME1 starts off with strong RPG elements, but by ME3, it’s become far more action-oriented. The developers should’ve had more faith in their original vision. That said, a number of gameplay mechanics were definitely improved over time.

📖 Story – The Beating Heart of the Trilogy

Here’s where Mass Effect shines brightest. The story is nothing short of phenomenal. You WILL get immersed. The characters are deep, companions are compelling, and the voice acting is top-notch. Your decisions matter across the trilogy—something you did in ME1 may echo in ME3. There are some inconsistencies, sure, but there’s a strong sense of continuity that makes this universe feel alive and reactive.

⚠️ Mass Effect 3’s ending?

Yeah, the controversy is real. The criticism is valid. The original ending idea—teased as early as ME2—was allegedly scrapped because some players predicted the twist. BioWare changed it, and it shows. It was a poor decision.

👽 Worldbuilding & Missed Potential

There are parts of the lore that personally bug me. For example, the Asari—a mono-gender species with fascinating reproductive biology—are reduced to being a sexualized, feminine-looking race. The concept had real potential, but it feels like a missed opportunity for deeper narrative complexity. It’s frustrating when you see what could have been.

A developer once admitted they became increasingly corporate as the trilogy progressed—pushed by management to cater to market trends rather than creative vision. It’s noticeable. The game does lose a bit of its soul in the process.

🎭 Still… It Holds Up

Despite all this, the story holds up. I’m being critical not because I didn’t love the game (I’m on my third run, after all), but because I care about it. Games like KOTOR, Oblivion, and Mass Effect changed my entire approach to gaming. They made me care more about great storytelling than flawless mechanics. This game left a mark on me—and I hope it leaves one on you, too.

⚠️ Important Note: Some scenes include NPC harassment toward your character. These may be triggering for some players. There are mods to fix this (PC only), but they require a bit of technical know-how.

🛰️ Looking Ahead – ME5 Rumors

With rumors swirling about Mass Effect 5, I felt now was the perfect time to revisit this trilogy. If those rumors are true (and given BioWare’s recent struggles, I’m cautiously pessimistic), many players may dust this off for another go—or finally play it for the first time.

🧭 Final Verdict

I give the full trilogy a solid 9/10. It’s not a perfect journey, but it’s one that’s absolutely worth taking. And if BioWare had stuck the landing, it might’ve been a 10.

🎮 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) – Review
★ Rating: 10/10

This is, without a doubt, the first 10/10 review I’ve ever written on Steam. KOTOR isn’t just a classic—it’s a game that helped define an entire genre. It holds a permanent spot in my Top 3 of all time and gave life to my favorite character in the entire Star Wars universe: Darth f*&!@#! Revan.

“Who’s my favorite Jedi? Revan. Favorite Sith? You guessed it—Revan!”

Everything about this game is epic, badass, and iconic. Yes, I’m fanboying hard while writing this review—and yes, I’m blasting Revan’s theme while doing it. Ironically, I only played KOTOR for the first time a few years ago.

🎯 Okay, fan-mode off—let’s get serious.

I’m not exaggerating when I say the storyline in this RPG is phenomenal. It plunges you into a darker corner of the Star Wars galaxy, one that’s morally grey, nuanced, and full of twists. Without spoiling anything: the story centers on a character who has already crossed the line between light and dark—and can find redemption (if you follow Revan’s canonical path). But as a true RPG, it also gives you the freedom to fully embrace the dark side and become a true Sith.

📖 This is easily one of the greatest Star Wars stories ever told.

It’s a shame that when Disney acquired the franchise, tales like Revan’s were pushed into non-canon territory—something that could be reversed if the KOTOR Remake ever sees the light of day. Sadly, the remake’s future grows more uncertain by the day. Regardless, KOTOR remains a story that challenges what Star Wars can be. It’s traditional in style, but deeply reflective in tone.

🌌 Worldbuilding? Characters? Narrative?

All top-tier. But instead of telling you—just play the game. If you’ve never played KOTOR, trust me: you won’t regret it.

⚔️ The Gameplay – It Shows Its Age

Of course, KOTOR came out in 2003, and it shows. The gameplay and engine are long outdated. Combat isn’t nearly as exciting as what you'd find in modern titles—but that’s expected from a game that’s 22 years old. I’ll be honest: I’m usually not a huge fan of older games. I prefer modern graphics and immersive tech. Not because old games aren’t amazing (many of them are), but simply as a matter of personal preference.

📅 But none of that matters with KOTOR.

Because despite its limitations, the story is so powerful that it carries the game entirely. Even in the age of high-end visuals and cutting-edge engines, it’s rare to find stories this rich, emotional, and well-structured—with meaningful plot twists and arcs that truly resonate.

🚀 Final Thoughts

I won’t drag this out. KOTOR is a must-play. I hope these heartfelt words convince you to give it a shot if you haven’t already. It’s a 10 out of 10—not just for what it is, but for what it represents.

A game that needs no introduction. Just play it. You’ll understand.

#MakeRevanCanonAgain