The elements which initially seem impressive in this game end up either tapering off or expose themselves for their lack of depth the more a playthrough goes one.

Combat which initially feels exciting with a variety of different combos and mechanics ends up boiling down almost entirely to using the perfect counter. Moreover the combat system makes it clear that it's designed around 1v1 encounters and that facing multiple opponents is a poor idea, yet constantly puts you up against several enemies at a time.

The story does a good job of grabbing your initial interest, but many of the plot threads which are set up in the beginning fail to conclude or amount to anything meaningful by the game's end.

Quest design occasionally offers unique scenarios with multiple resolutions based on your character build. More often though quest are linear and full of busywork that involves running back and forth between NPCs with little actual choice or decision-making.

The simulation and survival elements which initially draw you into the world quickly devolve into tedious upkeep. Resources are rarely strained due to just how readily they're given out.

This isn't to say the game is all bad, I generally enjoyed my time with it and if I had reviewed it at the 20 hour mark I probably would have given it a 4 star rating. Yet I found myself having less and less fun as I went into the second half of my playthrough and by the end I was thankful for it to be over.