Not exactly sure what you mean about playing the "same game". I assume you mean that some people didn't love every plot development that's happened in more recent chapters. Readers have taken exception with different issues, so it's also hard to address generic "complaints". I didn't find anything unavoidable that ruined the game for me.
Kinks that I'm not into, such as traps and femdom, are totally avoidable and doing so won't block you from anything other than those kinks/characters. Some white knights don't like that the Captain is a human with flaws that can make suboptimal choices and may behave in a way that the player tells themselves that they wouldn't. Particular complaints I've read in that avenue are about the Captain and crew having to take some losses on their journey, as well as the Captain not always treating Lym like the precious pretty princess that those readers want him to. Also, some fragile players with expansive definitions of NTR (like another male character having ever spoken to "their" LIs) have baseless fears of new male crewmember.
Cryo's writing an actual story with plot developments that build tension and force characters to grow through adversity. That will naturally lead to characters doing things to which some Armchair Captains would think, "I'd never do that! I'd just Karate Chop every bad guy, and they'd all explode, and then the universe would be saved, then I'd kiss the girl(s), then the Galactic Council would unanimously vote me Emperor for Life, then I'd take my harem back to the palace and bang them forever and ever." If you like seeing characters overcome challenges that don't just resolve themselves, then you'll like what Cryo's doing. I think some of the reviewers that are complaining were hoping the entire game was just gonna be cruising around to different planets impregnating aliens like Cap did with Dragon Mommy.
You should play. It's even better than before.