The combat handles absolutely beautifully once you get the hang of it, and new mechanics are added at just the right pace to keep things interesting. The environments and creature designs are just gorgeous, and so perfectly tailored to my specific tastes. I wasn't even paying attention to the story, really - just enjoying being able to exist in that world for a while.
I will say, I found the music lackluster. A banger soundtrack is important to me in a game like this, and a generic blockbuster orchestral score doesn't really do it for me.