I have finished the game now. And do not plan to touch it again.
My rating is:
5/10
And this is generous. Actually it's more a 4/10. Maybe I could have enjoyed it a bit more, if I had a good computer and ultra graphics. For the benefit of doubt I gave it a 5th point. That said, I think ratings from 4-6 are honest.
What really annoyed me:
- Too many dumb, repetitive puzzles. It often feels like they didn't know what content to put in, and then always decided to put yet another puzzle in. Clearly a sign that the game should be shorter.
- Ridiculously, artificially stretched leveldesign (especially Forest of Inshriach, but also ruins at Castle Langskaal). Clearly a sign that the game should be shorter.
- Always the same enemies, always the same fights. Clearly a sign that the game should be shorter.
Imo inXile‘s slogan „underpromise and overdeliver“ went the wrong way. They should have stayed at „underpromise“ (which was an announced 20-25 hours gameplay at the kickstarter. The game probably had a healthy size back then, but then they decided to bloat it with annoying fillerstuff, so it reached 40-60 hours… /facepalm. It's exactly like felipepe mentioned in his review: they had content for a good 10-hour-game (ok, let's say a 20-hour-game), but then broke it by stretching and exaggerating it with that fillerstuff. And you really feel that in the game. This undermines the whole gaming experience. And I also agree with him that this can't be fixed by simple patches anymore.
Various notes I took:
- Went to the optional Dwarven Mines and saw: puzzle platform, puzzle platform, block puzzle platform… kthxbye
- Was really annoyed that the skill "Last Breath" did not work correctly (allowed a fighter to instakill an enemy below certain healthpoints). The threshold grew with strength and I could sweep enemies with 70 healthpoints - except that I couldn't. It was disabled for the first 2 rounds or so. When the skill eventually activated, the battle was already decided.
- I could skip 2 puzzles in the game due to a bug. It was that puzzle with mirrored blocks that open a hole in the ground (almost at the end). After reloading the game (don't remember why I did that) the puzzle froze in midair and the hole was open for access. I was glad.
- After all the praise about the soundtrack, I'm rather disappointed: I found only 1-2 songs enjoyable. One of them was the one starting with "Skara Brae is burning" sung by Rabbie, but most others like ambient music, battle music are while ok rather forgettable. And the washerwomen- or sailorchoirs are just "bleh".
- Briefly tried out gridmode: works, but does not really fit into this environment, does not really make sense, just feels wrong.
- Combat animations „decoupled“ from player input? Nah. Didn‘t feel like that. Peculiar delays and then suddenly all play at once.
- I was following mostly the guidebook, because I had no patience for these puzzles anymore. However the description is sometimes sparse (and even wrong), so you have to get your mind sucked into various puzzles anyway.
- Fuck these unskippable video sequences and boss babbling. Almost wants me press Alt+F4.
- Party banter was ok
- Wait... wasn't there something about puzzle weapons? I solved one at the beginning of the game, but then totally forgot about them.
- All these shrines where you can make offerings using the codewheel I have ignored. What for anyways?
Notes about my party configuration:
Eventually my exchanged party (2 fighters, 2 rogues, 2 practitioners) gave me some enjoyment. Mostly because it made fights easier and let me finish the game quicker (it still took me 41 hours according to the timestamp). And yeah, I have used that "Infiltrator skill" for the Rogues. Even though you need now 2 Rogues (instead of 1 before the patch) to be fully stealthed, it's worth it. You really need that first round being stealthed for "Meditating" and "Razor Strop". Otherwise you're just not ready for battle. Makes me think how party configurations play out without this? Possibly crap.
Btw I exchanged my whole previous party at Level 16. It was already possible then to give the Rogues that "Infiltrator" skill. And fighters could already be skilled to „Guardian“ and had an Ancestral Plate Armor equipped by default. Also stripped all other possible recruitable members naked and took their precious equipment for my custom party. Needs none of these other characters anyway. Party was a breeze compared to my previous one.
Notes about experimental, exotic party configurations:
- Full Trow Rogue Party: All start stealthed. All attack and then immediately hide again. If someone lands a kill, party gets opportunity back. Sounds funny, doesn‘t it?
- Full Battlemage party: All concentrating on physical damage spells and melee attacks. The melee attacks could break enemy armor, and the additional physical damage spells could produce area damage. In my party above I only concentrated on Mental Damage spells (like „Mind Jab“) however. I found Physical Damage spells not appealing. That‘s because almost all of them (Warstrike and Summoning) require prior channeling. Channeling just takes too long to get going in the heat of a battle. Maybe however it‘s different, when your Practitioners chooses the meditation skillpath with „Quick Thinking“? Maybe then he can cast „Warstrike“ immediately? Anyone knows?
I will not try these out soon though (if ever). The thought of dealing with all the bloated crap in the game again kills it for me. Which is sad. Because the party- and combat-mechanics are somewhat interesting.
I tried that, but couldn't even kill his spell bubbles quickly enough. He still got me in the 3rd or 4th round. Even though I made it through all the battles in the game successfully. Like I said, it's hilarious how badly you can skill your party even though you think it's decent. It's that "skill-puzzle" you have to solve too... 
