So I'm about 4 hours into HZD and from a game-play/visual standpoint it's incredible!  I love the crafting system and the combat is exactly what I was hoping it would be after seeing the original game-play trailer.  

There is, however, one thing I'm having a hard time getting past and it's the story.  The cut-scenes/dialog are really wearing on me.  Normally I love this stuff in RPGs but the All-Mother/Native narrative it follows just isn't my cup of tea.

It's corny and over dramatic (IMO) and it really takes some of the enjoyment out of the game for me.  I do love the Sci-Fi aspect of it though.

As I said, I am about 4 hours in and just became a Seeker but if it's going to continue to be heavily story driven I might just stop playing and occasionally boot up the game to kill some low level robots.

Does it open up now that I have become a Seeker?  Does the story spread out and allow the game to focus more on combat, crafting and progression or does it continue to have a lot of cut scenes and dialog breaks?

Any input from someone who is further along would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Can you still progess (from a crafting/combat standpoint) the same way as you would by following the story?

Okay, awesome.  Thank you for your help!!!

The combat/crafting system isn't very complex and is mostly linked to collectables and resources found from enemies and animals in the world. There certain items though that are linked to the side stories.

Once you become a Seeker the game isnt as story-driven as it was. I mean, it is if you stick to simply following the main questline, but been that you can do all sorts of side-quests and collectibles, you might as well not.

The main story isn't really that good, the game is filled with exposition dialogue and good 'ole soundbits and journals left around to reveal plot outlines, it uses most of the cheap tricks in the book and then some.
The charm of Horizon is in the hunt and becoming stronger and getting better gear, but it has one huge weakness that I've found; you're completely overpowered at the beginning and then the challenge rises in the middle part only to fade again closer to the end and you're back to becoming overpowered. I've maxed out two skill trees completely and have another 6 skills on the third and I have 8 or 9 spare points, but I can't see any skills I need any longer, and there are no challenging enemies left in the world.

Story is not a huge thing in Horizon, do side quests, Cauldron's and clear out Corrupted land, ride tallnecks and hunt as much as you can, that's what the game is for!