HZD has one of the most masterfully crafted open world maps from a AAA developer since...well, ever. If you ignore Zelda: Breath of the Wild at any rate. Still, the extreme beauty of the world and small variety of challenges works together to leave an impression.

It's a little undercut by the fact that the game is far too bloated and the inventory system is a mess. Plus, the constant collecting of herbs and slaughtering an entire jungle's worth of animals to stay alive got old 20 hours in. Constantly switching between weapons and armors gets old after 40 hours of gameplay and I found myself uninterested in tackling The Frozen Wilds expansion if it was just going to be more of the same but harder.

I would rather end the game on a high note than continue and have it become a seemingly unending grind.