I just completed Ryse last night. It was my first next-gen game on my new XBox One. It wouldn't have been - but due to a defective disc drive Advance Exchange deal with MS, I chose to pick Ryse as my free consolation game as we already had been given Forza 5 by a relative.
I have to say, Gamespot's review to me does not do the game ANY justice. This game is a straight-forward hack-and-slash, yes - but it has aspects that set it far and above a lot of other games. It gives the player a great insight (albeit a bit fantastical) into life in the Roman empire, and what Rome was like in its heyday. It's graphics are absolutely nothing short of STUNNING, and that is coming from someone who is VERY critical of graphics. And - perhaps most importantly for me - is the voice acting. There was not one weak voice actor in this game. I don't know who they got to voice Marius (the player character), but he was SPECTACULAR. He had presence, nuance, emotion and sensibility. What an awesome job by this guy!!
My personal score would be 8/10. Oh - and the multiplayer is pretty awesome, because they took out PvP because it "wasn't fun". So - now we're just left with the great fun multiplayer co-op in the Colosseum - what a great format!! I am really enjoying another multiplayer where I can work WITH other players, and not against them!!