other neat non-spoiler stuff: whoever thought to use tracks in this game for specific machines is a genius (I assume it was Oleksa Lozowchu, but it might've not been the composer directly) because it is so. CLEVER. IT IS SO CLEVER. hearing a theme at a muted distance and going
I encountered one specific machine WAY earlier than I should have so when I was doing a quest and heard it spooling up as I put stuff in place, chills instantly ran up my spine like
(also fun fact about the Slaughterspine theme that again is SO GODDAMN SMART: when it charges up its ultimate attack, the track in game will actively 'skip' in real time to the spool-up portion of the song)
it's definitely got its flaws and I'm not anywhere near done, like I said I'm just punching things 20+ levels higher than me like an Victorian Gentleman in a Rick Yancey book but some things are so lovingly done (also, do recommend doing all ur cauldrons early and going machinist, it rules)
it is! a lot of the mechanics are smooth, like for climbing or swimming you can usually just hold a direction and she will Go (even up or down, and especially while swimming, etc; don't even bother using other buttons like square, directional is infinitely better)
also combat is clunky UNTIL you level up and get better weapons and upgrade them, so I focused on melee first when I used my skill points, then a little archery for stamina (and I like sniping/shooting) then fully went for machines and did every single tallneck/cauldron to unlock combat buddies
(where if you don't do that stuff or set the game to an easier difficulty— which is valid— I think some fights can feel a little brick wall-ish and not fun, but not impossible)
oh, and this is present me speaking to future you, but get the spike thrower from the machine skill tree as early as you possibly can, it's a free 1-hit kill on some enemies at low levels
me: I will go here right now and you cannot stop me
it did stop me