Review @ 22 Hours Played:

This is the best turn-based rpg Ive played in years!

The exploration is great and satisfying (full of "secrets" to uncover), gives me Alundra / Illusion of Gaia vibes.
The combat is absolutely fantastic. It is fast paced, strategic and gives you access to all the info you need to make the correct decisions. Enemies keep you on your toes without being bloated HP-soakers. Using the right tactic can be the difference between dying or cleaning a pack of mobs without even taking dmg. There are several ways to build your team that works out well. So dont be afraid to experiment with different classes and gear setups. The combat mechanics manages to be deep while at the same time being easy to understand.

There are no random encounters, but some areas makes it close to impossible to dodge them (just pointing out that you can avoid most battles if you so desire).

I would reccommend going in without reading guides, as nothing is missable and you can make changes to everything (char names, stat-growth for min-maxing, char gender (gives minor stat variations)) later on. You can even "delevel" if you want to.

While I personally love everything about the game so far, the game may not be for everyone, as the game is extremely light on story. You will play this game for the exploration and combat, not the story.

Will update review as I get further into the game. :)


EDIT @ 100+ Hours played:

After playing to endgame I still consider this one of the best turn-based rpgs Ive played in years, and the points about the game written above still stands. If anything, the exploration aspect just gets better as you get further. Also, some seemingly difficult optional bosses can be beaten early on if you can think of some clever use of the games mechanics. I like that knowledge can give you big advantages both in exploration and combat if I decide to play a new save (or a NG+ if it gets added down the line).

Note:
I played the game "blind" without checking any guides or similar, and I think this helped a lot in keeping the the exploration exciting and added a layer of mystery to the game as a whole.

Review @ 22 Hours Played: This is the best turn-based rpg Ive played in years! The exploration is great and satisfying (full of "secrets" to uncover), gives me Alundra / Illusion of Gaia vibes. The combat is absolutely fantastic. It is fast paced, strategic and gives you access to all the info you need to make the correct decisions. Enemies keep you on your toes without being bloated HP-soakers. Using the right tactic can be the difference between dying or cleaning a pack of mobs without even taking dmg. There are several ways to build your team that works out well. So dont be afraid to experiment with different classes and gear setups. The combat mechanics manages to be deep while at the same time being easy to understand. There are no random encounters, but some areas makes it close to impossible to dodge them (just pointing out that you can avoid most battles if you so desire). I would reccommend going in without reading guides, as nothing is missable and you can make changes to everything (char names, stat-growth for min-maxing, char gender (gives minor stat variations)) later on. You can even "delevel" if you want to. While I personally love everything about the game so far, the game may not be for everyone, as the game is extremely light on story. You will play this game for the exploration and combat, not the story. Will update review as I get further into the game. :) EDIT @ 100+ Hours played: After playing to endgame I still consider this one of the best turn-based rpgs Ive played in years, and the points about the game written above still stands. If anything, the exploration aspect just gets better as you get further. Also, some seemingly difficult optional bosses can be beaten early on if you can think of some clever use of the games mechanics. I like that knowledge can give you big advantages both in exploration and combat if I decide to play a new save (or a NG+ if it gets added down the line). Note: I played the game "blind" without checking any guides or similar, and I think this helped a lot in keeping the the exploration exciting and added a layer of mystery to the game as a whole.