no spoilers here so u can read it
19 hours in, completed the first starter area and the next one which is basically the first real big area. ( hard mode, as nightmare is locked until u complete hard mode )
Experience so far:
- Story is great, doesn't overstay its welcome and doesn't hinder exploration. The dialogue that does take place is short and snappy and that's how i like it. Gameplay in this game comes first that's for sure.
- I like the base where u upgrade and level everything in, absolutely lovely made isn't in the way and in someway is basically a mini vallhalla settlement camp with all the stuff that u need close together. really reminds me of that.
- The game is basically a mix of different games:
Here's a list of what i reminds me off.
-- kingdom hearts: the character kind of animations really look like that same as with dialogue, maybe even the fight style of it ( never really played the game much myself so yea can't say for sure )
-- zelda breath of the wild: map shows the idea, the stamina meter, the upgradeable weapons, no leveling, climbing, swimming, gear kinda and to some limited extent shrines. however one difference tho, far better worked out in immortals, its straight up a evolution of it. It will be hard going back to breath of the wild after this game
-- Older zelda's, bigger dungeons ( puzzles, encounters, puzzles, end boss, meaningful item out of it ), more puzzles and actually solving stuff with limited tools but combinations of them to move further with it. keeps it simple but still interesting.
-- ac odyssey, map design ( layout is botw ), with teleporting, icons on the map, etc etc but enhanced ( no longer u gotta synchronise with 70 teleporters, only 1 for each area so that's probably 5-6 total for the entire game, the teleports unlock the moment u in a new area or near a objective that u can teleport towards so no hassle here anymore
-- ac valhalla, settlement, kinda quest system.
-- kid icarus, never played the games but flying around kinda feels like that game.
-- ragnarok online, proc on weapons anybody? that's how my bow feels right now with its armor.
Example of it in gif style: ( grouping mobs up was never as fun as what i got going on right now )
Lots of things are fine tuned like.
- simple upgrade system ( u upgrade for example bow mastery at a armory kinda, and if you hit level 4, all bows no matter which one u pick up will have there second bonus 4th skill unlock unlocked. So u can swap gear whenever u want and not be holded back. ( big issue in valhalla where leveling is done on the gaer itself which locks you into choices and simple endless upgrading of gear or simple u can't because no materials
- talents that are interesting instead of bloating shit that nobody cares for like 1% hit, 2% dmg x400. ( didn't like the system in valhalla on this front oddysey and origin where better on it ). This game takes it to the next level, just 3 bow skills 100% headshot, guided arrow, mid air jump done. Want more? the bows themselves u pick up have all there own 2 skills with it which still makes the experience deep but more about finding gear etc instead of sitting in boring talent tree's.
- Over the top attacks. But not to much. Feels really like kingdom hearts kind of something but fun. here's a example in a gif. Would never work in ac games but in this game absolutely and makes fight that otherwise would be more of the same really interesting because it all depends on how the enemy stands and what compositions they have to what attack u will be launching or try to launch. Gives it a bit more depth something i missed with ac games.
- puzzles, lots and lots of puzzles holy shit. From bigger puzzles to smaller puzzles to whole area's that are engulfed into one massive puzzle. Absolutely like it. It's something i missed in breath of the wild the shrines got old fast and this game is packed with them with all kinds of different ones. The rewards are also interesting something with zelda and oddysey often could be argued really.
For example after doing one dungeon i got a armor and it changed my fight style completely because of the bonuses. no upgrading or leveling needed just equip the armor and go and adjust.
- map is packed with content, but unlike odyssey which is riddled with marks everywhere same for valhalla ( vallhalla is fine tho they pruned it a lot ) this game has puzzles everywhere, u turn your ass around there is something. the world is far far from death like breath of the wild was. Its probably the most tightly packed content wise game i ever played. And none of it is boring but actually interesting because it keeps you thinking and unlocks more powerful skills + get gear that can make your playstyle completely different a hour later ( for example i was shooting boring arrows that just did dmg this morning its now one big explosion lightning show when shit procs lol what i got going on right now so good ).
- Bird is far from useless like in ac games and actually adds towards the gameplay now in a meaningful way i like it that u get a different skill from each bird and basically can really add it towards your gameplay.
- Game is hard. Really really hard in lots of encounters i faced. I got my ass handed to me so hard i simple just bailed on it until i get stronger lol. Mythical fights are insanely hard ( wind island ). But also some mobs have endless health to the point they hit u once u get combed or just instant killed while u gotta raid that boss for 10-15 minutes lol.
Example: ( i got basically deleted instantly ) and this is not a rare sight i get smashed a lot. The game is pretty darn hard in fights as u need to keep your surroundings in check.
Mobs HP pools are also something else, in ac valhalla u can pretty much same with origin and odyssey 1 shot people, here sometimes u gotta 100 shot a mob because they ain't going down and they hit like trucks here a gif ( ending milisecond get deleted instantly "hard to see but cant find the fragment anymore in my 12 hour recording and its late u get it )
Also fun fact, was a 10 minute fight so yea.
conclusion.
Got a absolute blast so far, hope the game keeps up and the content keeps up, cant wait to jump in it tomorrow again.