Jennifer Wharton

I really enjoyed playing this game. Finished the game in about 40+hrs but have plenty of things to still do post game. Pros: 1. Gameplay - The best thing about this game is the gameplay! Enjoyed switching magic types and traveling/climbing with magic. 2. Open world - The world is expansive with many places/areas with enemies to practice your magic moves and complete the magic upgrade tasks. 3. Storyline was satisfying and engaging. Between the lore you discover throughout the world, you begin to understand the storyline. The “plot twist” that you could literally see coming if you found enough lore and paid attention to it was so well done in my opinion that it still stunned me even when I was expecting it. They also tied up loose ends very well. Watch the post credit scenes and see Cuff and Frey’s witty banter bring the storyline full circle. 4. This is controversial, but I quite liked the dry, deadpan, and sometimes funny dialogue between Cuff and Frey. Made it feel like you were not traversing the big open world just by yourself. Cons: 1. Unnecessary pauses between each character’s dialogue as they were talking; did not make for smooth and natural conversations. 2. I hate to be that person, but there was way too much profanity. Got used to it after awhile..I also think it tapers off as the story moves along. But at first it felt like I was listening to one of those C/D+ movies that shove the F-word down your throat thinking that would make the movie edgy or something. 3. I agree with other criticisms about the fade to black on almost every cutscene…overdone but not really a turn off. 4. Some of the magic effects made it hard to see the enemy and how to move. Not a deal breaker though. 5. The world being expansive is not only a pro but also a con. The world is almost too large. Despite it having plenty of buildings/combat areas, they were pretty generic or repetitive. Things were so spread out that only using the magic to parkour all over kept me from burning out. I would rate this game a solid 7out of 10. I would move more toward an 8, but was disappointed with the character graphics and cutscenes to a certain extent (I’ve been totally spoiled by Horizon Forbidden West). I didn’t have a problem with Frey’s character, her attitude and personality is refreshingly realistic for her background and circumstances. I am glad she had some character growth toward the end.