For what it's worth, here are my feelings on the game after 6 hours. Spoiler free.
Context: I am burnt out on open world games, am not a big Zelda fan, and prefer stylized art over photo-real graphics any day.
In my opinion, this is the first new feeling Zelda game since Ocarina of Time.
Flat out, the game is charming, fun, and polished to a mirror shine. It's a completely fresh take on Zelda in nearly every way. Some aren't going to like that, but for those with an open mind this game will be an absolute joy.
The world is large and has a sense of scale that is rare in open world games. Mountains feel gigantic and long bridges built hundreds of feet above a lake give a nice sense of height and danger.
Density of "stuff to do" strikes a good balance in my opinion. I always had an excuse to poke around and find side-quests, shrines, loot, and cooking ingredients hidden around the world. It's a joy to just walk around in.
Combat is hard, and the controls aren't very intuitive. But death isn't that punishing and reloading always happens within 10 seconds. There are a lot of ways to approach any combat scenario, most of them rewarding and fun. Although I can see this being the first thing about the game that wears thin after 20 hours.
The "tools" you get are usually physics based (or at the very least based around interacting with the world in an interesting way). The shrines all use your tools in unique ways, which I appreciate. They are a joy to figure out and complete.
People from certain boards throw around the term "comfy" to describe a game you can chill out and immerse yourself in, and BOTW fits that to a tee. From the atmospheric sound to the relaxing "play at your own pace" design. If you're down to relax and just enjoy something while wrapped up in a blanket burrito, BOTW has your back.
Summary: It's good.
