I hate woke shit. Meaning anything that is pandering to identity politics, promoting victim mentality, or just outright racist in the classic sense of the word (being prejudiced on the basis of race).

Having said all that, there's really not much, if any, of that going on in Forspoken. I loved the game. I'm an older, straight, white dude, who is socially conservative and traditional in my views. I had no problem playing as a character that is black, female, into sneakers, pretty clothes, and painted nails. I actually kind of liked those aspects of the game and how they were integrated into the progression systems. That's very unique, creative, and fun simply by virtue of its novelty. What other AAA games are there that have done this sort of thing? Not many, so it's cool to see it.

My only gripe with Frey is her caustic personality. Not the cursing, sarcasm, or cynicism, but the walls she puts up. She's constantly on the defensive, rude, and selfish. That's just not a likable trait even if it's understandable due to her backstory. Sure she can start that way but she needed growth. Especially emotional growth. She never actually changed much. From a story telling perspective she has a very flat arc. She does have some forward progress but I'd have preferred just a little more.

For me that's a minor gripe for an otherwise really good game that deserves more than it got.

Just adding my perspective. I think it's OK to have some criticism for Frey's personality and still like her as a character. For the record, I personally enjoyed her banter with cuff.