[~4hrs in]
First impressions of this game are overwhelmingly positive. I have not felt so in awe of landscapes since the first time I played Horizon Zero Dawn. This game is absurdly gorgeous. The leaves... oh my, the leaves... the way they dance and flutter in the Winds, the whole forest breathing life around you. I've just passed through the Golden Forest, and the colours... I cannot do it justice. It's perfection. Unfairly so. Just walking patiently through the fields, the wind whispering past you, the sound of water flowing out of sight, birds fluttering above you. Immersive AF. You could remove the plot and combat and sell this as a Walking Simulator and I would still recommend it off my first few hours. Speaking of other aspects of which I've only scratched the surface; the plot is seeming decent enough although how quickly Jin abandons his Code of Honour was a little questionable. Combat seems very in-depth given the Stances and wider move-sets. Collectibles tying in to lore and culture work very organically. No complaints really so far, slow but very engaging.
[~18hrs in]
The environments continues to mesmerize me. I spend so much time in Photo Mode, just playing with lighting and angles. The breadth of content is insane in respect of Tales, Locations (Fox Dens, Hot Springs etc.) and Activities (Bamboo, Haiku, Shinto Shrines etc.), I am constantly drawn forward to new locations and experiences, further assisted by the fantastic design choice of using wind direction as your compass! The combat is satisfying (especially cleaving off limbs à la The Witcher 3), though at times frustrating if you are getting swarmed which occurs a lot of the times due to the inability to be stealthy since you are spotted so damn easily! I have just begun Act II and feel like I have barely scratched the surface. The scope of this game is huge and I am 100% here for it. One other note; I am not a fan of how the 'fog of war' removes so minimally even with Travellers Lv.3... I admittedly looked online and saw that clearing all the occupied Mongol camps will fully lift it, but I kinda wish it was done in territories with a smaller area clearing per camp rather than all at once. That's only a minor gripe though.
[~36hrs in]
If you are appreciating every aspect in it's entirety, this game is gargantuan. 36hrs in and I am still in Act 2 (of 3) and still have the Iki DLC to play. I still feel like there is overwhelming amounts of content for me to explore. The Tales (side quests) do not feel like typical fetch quests or trivial time wasting to beef up the playtime, each feels beautifully handcrafted, layered with depth and insight, and unique in content. In fact, thinking about it, there does not feel like much repetition in this title so far beside the combat (though even that is super varied using all the Stances and techniques). The Collectibles are not bog standard either; they are lore items, organically located, each steeped in lore which adds value to the experience. The Activities are little fun mini-games which you welcome rather than avoid. And the Shrines are some of the best level design I've ever seen; gorgeous little mini areas of parkour and exploration, isolated and preserved in their seclusion; utterly fascinating how they are structured in respect of traversal. The game continues to hypnotise me with it's refined beauty, and even now I still find myself stopping to just breathe in the scenery and bask in it's elegant splendour. This game is a true masterpiece.
[~62hrs in]
Just finished the main campaign and unlocked the Platinum Trophy. This game is incredible. Now eagerly jumping into the Iki Island content.
[~73hrs in]
This Iki Island expansion is solid content. The new activities and quests, the new environment (Senjo Gorge, Kidafure Battleground & Shattered Cliffs especially!) and the new combat mechanics are all great additions to the experience. The cherry on the cake so far however has been the Wind Shrine rewards and the Ghost of Iki cameo! Thoroughly enjoying this game still, it's not stale at all, even this far in.
[Finished 76hrs in]
Extremely reluctant to put this down, but it's time to move onto a new game after a month of playing this at every opportunity. Pretty much completed everything I possibly could besides a few Records, Vanity Items, and Banners. From a trophy perspective (as I do typically try to mop up as many as I can), I collected everything except those from NG+ and Legends (Online); frustratingly this meant missing the 'Common Courtesy Trophy' from the "Iki Island: Story" DLC set as it requires playing Legends rather extensively. Cannot recommend this title highly enough.
First impressions of this game are overwhelmingly positive. I have not felt so in awe of landscapes since the first time I played Horizon Zero Dawn. This game is absurdly gorgeous. The leaves... oh my, the leaves... the way they dance and flutter in the Winds, the whole forest breathing life around you. I've just passed through the Golden Forest, and the colours... I cannot do it justice. It's perfection. Unfairly so. Just walking patiently through the fields, the wind whispering past you, the sound of water flowing out of sight, birds fluttering above you. Immersive AF. You could remove the plot and combat and sell this as a Walking Simulator and I would still recommend it off my first few hours. Speaking of other aspects of which I've only scratched the surface; the plot is seeming decent enough although how quickly Jin abandons his Code of Honour was a little questionable. Combat seems very in-depth given the Stances and wider move-sets. Collectibles tying in to lore and culture work very organically. No complaints really so far, slow but very engaging.
[~18hrs in]
The environments continues to mesmerize me. I spend so much time in Photo Mode, just playing with lighting and angles. The breadth of content is insane in respect of Tales, Locations (Fox Dens, Hot Springs etc.) and Activities (Bamboo, Haiku, Shinto Shrines etc.), I am constantly drawn forward to new locations and experiences, further assisted by the fantastic design choice of using wind direction as your compass! The combat is satisfying (especially cleaving off limbs à la The Witcher 3), though at times frustrating if you are getting swarmed which occurs a lot of the times due to the inability to be stealthy since you are spotted so damn easily! I have just begun Act II and feel like I have barely scratched the surface. The scope of this game is huge and I am 100% here for it. One other note; I am not a fan of how the 'fog of war' removes so minimally even with Travellers Lv.3... I admittedly looked online and saw that clearing all the occupied Mongol camps will fully lift it, but I kinda wish it was done in territories with a smaller area clearing per camp rather than all at once. That's only a minor gripe though.
[~36hrs in]
If you are appreciating every aspect in it's entirety, this game is gargantuan. 36hrs in and I am still in Act 2 (of 3) and still have the Iki DLC to play. I still feel like there is overwhelming amounts of content for me to explore. The Tales (side quests) do not feel like typical fetch quests or trivial time wasting to beef up the playtime, each feels beautifully handcrafted, layered with depth and insight, and unique in content. In fact, thinking about it, there does not feel like much repetition in this title so far beside the combat (though even that is super varied using all the Stances and techniques). The Collectibles are not bog standard either; they are lore items, organically located, each steeped in lore which adds value to the experience. The Activities are little fun mini-games which you welcome rather than avoid. And the Shrines are some of the best level design I've ever seen; gorgeous little mini areas of parkour and exploration, isolated and preserved in their seclusion; utterly fascinating how they are structured in respect of traversal. The game continues to hypnotise me with it's refined beauty, and even now I still find myself stopping to just breathe in the scenery and bask in it's elegant splendour. This game is a true masterpiece.
[~62hrs in]
Just finished the main campaign and unlocked the Platinum Trophy. This game is incredible. Now eagerly jumping into the Iki Island content.
[~73hrs in]
This Iki Island expansion is solid content. The new activities and quests, the new environment (Senjo Gorge, Kidafure Battleground & Shattered Cliffs especially!) and the new combat mechanics are all great additions to the experience. The cherry on the cake so far however has been the Wind Shrine rewards and the Ghost of Iki cameo! Thoroughly enjoying this game still, it's not stale at all, even this far in.
[Finished 76hrs in]
Extremely reluctant to put this down, but it's time to move onto a new game after a month of playing this at every opportunity. Pretty much completed everything I possibly could besides a few Records, Vanity Items, and Banners. From a trophy perspective (as I do typically try to mop up as many as I can), I collected everything except those from NG+ and Legends (Online); frustratingly this meant missing the 'Common Courtesy Trophy' from the "Iki Island: Story" DLC set as it requires playing Legends rather extensively. Cannot recommend this title highly enough.