Finished. Hit multiple significant bugs toward the end of the game on 1.3.1 that made it frustrating at times. but powered through.
The difficulty curve falls off at about the 30 hour mark and never figures out much of a way to introduce new challenges after that. Traversal eventually becomes something of a chore as you bounce around the settlements constantly, but I think the recent patch tones down the survival requirements a little to compensate for the upkeep you have to manage.
The later big battle set pieces don't often require you to face off against enemies directly, either, and you end up just flanking the battle lines and smashing people over the head repeatedly while they look the other way, which doesn't often give the combat system room to shine. It also gives you perhaps too many opportunities to wait for the critical path to open back up so that you can tie off any loose ends, but for me that meant a bunch of 24 hour waits to move things along.
Still, not unsatisfied. It's a beautiful hand-crafted world, the coming of age story is done justice, the world is impressively reactive and offers different angles to approach most scenarios but makes you earn each option through practice and mastery.
By endgame, you've seen and done so much, your friends and neighbors from back in your quiet life in Skallitz can elicit an "oh...oh, hi...err...oh, right, we grew up together" from you when you cross paths, rather than being at the center of your little world way back in the prologue. The game acknowledges that it's only been a few weeks, too, but what a few weeks for Henry! That patient, earned progression over the course of the game's journey lends itself to some somber moments when you step back to look at your friends and neighbors with "nary a pot to piss in" by comparison. Maybe you're doing small favors for them if you choose to help them off the streets while you strut around as hot shit, and the whole personal vendetta that's been your driving force from the start all seems very small and inconsequential as the world opens up with its political intrigue and much higher, adult stakes you must come to terms with as you begin to approach it all with maturity.
Even so, you have ample opportunity to help just about all of your Skallitz peeps over the course of the game if you so desire. There's no grand reward at the end of the line, just a shred of honor for yourself and dignity and a fighting chance for your neighbors. It's all so very grounded, and that may enthrall or frustrate at any given time.
KC
excels at the small, personal moments, especially with Lord Radzig having taken you under his wing. There are a few poignant scenes throughout that all hit their mark, but it rarely gets bogged down in sentiment or melodrama, to its credit.
Take more cues from Mount and Blade in the sequel, I think, when the big battles must come. Punctuate with more duels rather than messy large scale set pieces otherwise, since that's where the combat system shines.. Figure out mounted combat and more weapon styles. Take Henry out of his very established comfort zone of KC
's setting by the end of it and into some serious intrigue and culture shock as he sees the greater world and starts his involvement in the game of Bohemian thrones.
This is a really solid and refreshing first entry that I'm looking forward to the devs building upon next go around.