I've only ever had pho once and I didn't like it, I'm hoping it's just because of where I got it from because it smells nice when I've seen it in other places
This definitely, vr is a lot of fun, especially with friends (in the game or sharing a headset while we all sit in the same room). But it isn't worth setting it all up (especially if it is pcvr) when I could just play one of the 100s of pancake games I have collected over the years.
I don't think it's a scam but I agree with some of these points, cig can't be trusted with a deadline, you are setting yourself up for a disappointment if you think something is being released on time.
They have some obvious cash grabs, like the atls, which takes the tedium out of the newly tedious cargo update. But that purchase isn't necessary and was made possible to buy (for very cheap) with in game money in the patch that released yesterday.
I haven't played rise of nations but from your description, you might like the core paradox games (crusader kings -> europa universallis-> victoria -> hearts of iron) despite their shitty dlc model. Currently, eu4 is on sale with all its dlc for ~£40, dlc isn't very necessary for the other games. They are more grand strategy than 4x. You can use mods to convert saves and carry your campaign through the games. All together, they can cover all of human history (European, North African and West Asian medieval history and then the rest of the world from 1444 onwards). If what you like about rts is the unit micromanagement, you might want to go with victoria 2 rather than victoria 3, you will need victoria 2 dlc and it is a lot older.
If you want a 4x rts, stellaris is very good, but it isn't based on human history.
Tldr: They've been going through this cycle of consecutive huge successes and consecutive flops for decades but this is the worst series of flops in the company's history
I've only ever had pho once and I didn't like it, I'm hoping it's just because of where I got it from because it smells nice when I've seen it in other places