I'm on my way to finish the story, I guess there are 5 chapters left, so I think I can say what I think of it:
- the world is simply amazing, even though the game is quite linear you feel like you're in a open world, a lot of details on the environment. bizarre characters and creatures, weird weapons, everything you could ask in a unique setting.
- the melee combat works. sort like punch out, with a few problems regarding targeting. you have a weak (and fast) punch, a strong punch, block, dodge and counter, deflect, guard break and a run and hit move too. when you're one-on-one the defense moves work, but when you're surrounded it's tough to concentrate and dodge correctly.
- there's more gun combat than I expected. in almost every fight there's one gun on the ground (or you're carrying it from the non-fighting sections). it feels kinda cheap, especially because the melee combat is really the best part.
- in each chapter there's at least one interaction sequence and a fight. sometimes you fight then interact, or there are multiple (easier) fights and interactions between them. there are a few interesting "twists" in fighting, but there's no surprises regarding the structure of the chapters - and I don't mind, it works. the interaction sequences have some easy "puzzles" but I'm also OK with it, because the game punishes you in combat.
- the music is amazing, but the actors not really. Ghat (the main character) is kinda OK, Deadra, the companion, is just awful. boring, but the character's face at least is also boring. the other characters IMO are great. but Deadra is always with you, so it's really terrible.
- there isn't really a variation in combat styles. some characters are "smarter" than the others but the moves are the same for everyone. that could be improved in future games, but at the same time it doesn't really get old because the enemies (most of them) are unique, birdmen and all.
- apparently the challenge mode is very hard, I will play it after I finish the story.
I think it's worth $20, much more than Braid's $15 anyway.
the words above were backed by NUCLEAR WEAPONS!
