Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Surprisingly good"

I decided to edit my review after getting to the 40 hour mark on this game. It continues to be a great experience. I can't begin to tell you how large the world is. If you stop playing in Chapter 1, you have barely touched the surface. If your the kind of person who loves exploring terrains with grasses over your knees, bending as you walk, this is the kind of game for you. While I can't give this a 9.0 simply because the storyline and characters aren't on par with some of the best RPGs being made today, the other elements of the game are excellent.
There are definite issues with respect to frame rate, tearing, and the occassional path issues. That said, this is a bunch of fun if you like Oblivion sandbox style RPG playing. Flexible character development, spell system, and alchemy system with loads of weapons types make this a great romp.

The spell system and alchemy system are particulary fun. Rather than a fixed set of spells, you get cards which act like components that you can combine to create and customize your own spell system. The alchemy system is similar to what you would find in Oblivion, but with the greater range of ingredients, it makes hunting and collecting and experimenting a bit more fun.

For those who played "The Witcher" on PC, a lot of the dark humor and vulgarity in that game are present here as well. For me -- I like this. But probably not appropriate for pre-High Schoolers. Its like an R-rated movie rather than PG. Curious about whether this Polish psyche or what. Being of Polish ancestry, I am proud.

Quite frankly, I'd encourage people to buy this game for the fun *and* to encourage these guys for a next version with a better underlying engine. Bethesda can only get better if there is a viable competitor. And thats good for fans of the genre.