When I bought H:ZD, I didn't have many preconceptions. I knew that there is cool robot monster combat and a beautifully crafted world, and those were definitely the relevant selling factors for me. The game delivered on both of these things, for sure, it's beautiful and fighting robot animals is pretty exciting. What I hadn't considered was that I was actually playing Assassin's Creed or Far Cry in another wrapping, how could I? The prologue was free from radio towers and exterminating bandit camps with optionally stealthy approaches, at least during the narratively strong prologue. Incrementally expanding inventory size and finding random small damage boost modifications made me suspicious of some AAA-gaming formula being injected here, but I wasn't worried quite yet, even as my inventory continued filling up with more and more random, seemingly important junk. But then the prologue ended somewhat unceremoniously. Promising story complications resolved via a disappointingly simplistic "go forth and explore the world now." Previously interesting characters responded to technological mysteries that affected the very core of their faith with bored ignorance, All of the relevant plot was paused so that the player could run around and deliver plants to basically nameless NPCs. Two steps out of the prologue and the side quests started piling up. Not exactly the most exciting side quests, either: Follow a linear trail for half an hour (press forward) as Aloy interprets all findings to you immediately. Complete Assassin's Creed-style timed challenges. Wipe out a bandit camp (optionally stealthy). Climb radio towers (they are walking this time around). I have gameplay issues as well, mostly that melee feels bad and aiming on a gamepad is annoying while playing the game on keyboard+mouse is strenuous, but neither of these issues are as problematic to my continued playthrough as seeing the bland AAA-formula behind every facet of this beautiful world.
