I agree with the first two points, the game has a lot of bugs. Not many of them are a big deal, you can complete the game basically no matter what; only had two crashes and one of them was caused by a bug with GA that was fixed while I got it, and the crashed just prompted me to update. The quests are definitely some of the bigger issues, many of them don't progress in their intended way, which is especially annoying when they're companion quests. Fane and Beast both get theirs partially softlocked, which probably contributes to them not rewarding their achievements appropriately. You can softlock several others, and while this rarely presents a gameplay issue there's always that sickly feeling where you spend a lot of time wondering what you've done wrong or what you've not done at all, only to realise it's because the developers just didn't finish the quest up properly. (Cattle, Mother's Worst Nightmare, etc.) I swear if just the quest logs were updated more consistently to close when completed, and lock when broken, I would be far happier.
THAT SAID, LET'S GET TO THE MEAT AND POTATOES. Point three... Surely we should all just laugh derisively for a good long 30 minutes? There's just something inherently wrong with dogging a type of game for being like their archetype. It's like saying the Uncharted games are too linear: well duh, of course they're linear, they are intended to play in a linear progression of events. Maybe if you aren't familiar with pure open world games the idea of negative consequence seems a bit tasteless? I know the Elder Scrolls series has a big deal where there are very few quests that interconnect, and you don't really have to worry if doing X will lead to Y not wanting you to complete his quest.
But, you know... That's the point. You're supposed to be worried if you're burning bridges and getting the most out of the situation. I sure didn't play Gothic back in the day, the game about being a convict in a camp full of greasy miners whose mere social structure institutionalises exploitative prostitution, murder, and extortion; so I could play the game where everyone is just generally fair and cool about things. They're not supposed to be fair and generally cool about things, that's the whole reason they exist, it's to be super uncool about everything.
In fact I think that third point is so silly that I don't believe you've conveyed it properly. I'm sure if I read the actual review, which I might, the point will be a little more complicated than it not shying away from breaking entire quest lines. Now if she means you can literally softlock your game to the point of not being able to complete it, now then we're talking. But as far as I know even Malady is expendable and she, minor spoiler, is your cab driver through the acts. But maybe she's the one essential character to the game? Maybe not? Who can you even kill that breaks the game?
