Some beautiful landscapes in a reboot that feels a good bit like other games.
It can definitely be said that the developers did do their homework to make a solid entry in this series. From start to finish the game proceeds in ways that showcases some beautiful environments but also a well paced narrative. In fact, this game clocks in quite a bit longer than most games in this genre which was a surprise. While the latter part of the game does begin to get tiresome, particularly with tedious puzzle sections, it still puts things together fairly well from start to finish.
Interestingly, some of the biggest annoyances in the game come from the developers attempt to utilize camera angles in interesting and more cinematic ways. Unfortunately, at times, you can find yourself stuck with no idea what/where to go next, especially in the earlier parts of the game when you're getting your bearings, but as the game moves on you find yourself adjusting to how things are done and then the pace becomes more steady and less annoying.
For some, the somewhat challenging difficulty of the game at the early portion of the adventure might be a turn off. Being fairly weak in the beginning and then getting only half your health back if you die during a boss fight can be particularly annoying especially during some of the first chapters. However, with some intentional replay of these earlier portion to pick up items that you missed, the game's difficulty levels off quite nicely so that the remainder of the game, honestly, isn't all that challenging. For those that haven't played, press on and get those early upgrades. They can make a big difference!
Without getting into any spoiler material, the final sequence was disappointing. The final boss was, by far, one of the easiest in gaming history especially when considering many of the other bosses throughout the game who were a good bit more challenging. Yet, as the credits role and you see the post-game cinematic, a nice plot twist makes up for it. The sequel will definitely be something worth checking out!