I'm really liking the game so far. I'm playing on hard and the difficulty feels just right. I'm trying not to abuse quick save too much, but I'm glad the option is there because sometimes it's just really fun to try out different things and see how they work out. Case in point: ambushing Granny's Gentlemen Callers. I set up a bunch of different traps/ambushes for them and tried a few times until I executed it flawlessly. Why? Because it was damned satisfying to do.
I'm really early in the game so I don't want to give it too much credit yet, but I'm pretty damned impressed so far. Linearity in terms of story keeps things focused and prevents the game from devolving because of too much filler content. Runes/charms encourage me to explore my environments. Stealth/assassinations feel rewarding, and when things do devolve into combat, combat feels fantastic and satisfying. Oh, and despite lower resolution assets, the game more than makes up for it with it's gorgeous pastel art style.
If I had to make any complaint against the game, it's that it really fails at making me care about the characters or the story. I really don't feel any connection to the Empress, her daughter, or the rebellion. I'd say animation/modeling is one of the larger culprits here. A big reason why I cared for Alyx in HL2 is because she felt real. I really don't get that feeling with any character from this game.
