First of all, Ryse is amazing! There's just no way the reviewers played the same game Craig and I are playing... and thoroughly enjoying. This is what I wish God of War was like. Pure action, lots of sword swinging, and buckets of the red stuff spewing everywhere. And best of all, I'm not pushing any stupid ass boxes! Dare I say, Ryse is almost console-buying worthy. This is the most fun playing I've had in a long time. The voice acting is superb and the story is very engaging. I don't get why this game has been universally panned. No, the combat doesn't change much, but performing execution moves to gain XP, health, etc, never gets tiresome or feels like a chore. The combat is quite good and demands you to master the art of blocking and attacking, which is very rhythmic and rewarding.
And allow me to gush over the graphics for just a moment. The environments are so real looking, it's impossible not to immerse yourself in the cinematic setting. And every chapter that I've played (about 5) has been a different, stunning setting. Oh, and cut scenes are generated with the in-game engine. The detail in character faces is uncanny... in a good way. This game definitely looks like next gen, and if it's any indication as to what's to come, I cannot wait for the next Fallout or Elder Scrolls. Holy shit will they be jaw droppingly gorgeous.
I know not everyone is ready to jump on the Xbox One train, but when you do, do yourself a favor and ignore the review scores for Ryse. You won't be disappointed.
