Still in love with the series.
There are some types of quests that would be repetitive and boring, but they are really aren't. It's big fun to hunt down packs of named animals, especially since they are very difficult even at the end in packs. So you must strategize and sometimes lure them one by one. Im very curious how the magic will make it easer, since for this first time I went with pure melee + archer character. Archery (or crossbow) is almost a requirement, since you will have some trouble with the wild animals especially in the beginning.
As for melee: as I said I loved G2's fight system, but this one was greatly enjoyable too. It feels real good to see your enemies fly and die in a circle around you. It has weight and reall feel to it. The music is great as always, I was a bit annoyed by the not so well implemented grunts and growls of fighting but soon I forgot to pay attention in the heat of the battle.
The three main parts of the land was done in great detail, sometimes I felt as I was freezing in real when in Nordmar, and almost sweating when down in Varant, and I couldn't help say "home sweet home" back in the Midlands.
The castles, the towns has this real gritty, worn, medieval feel to them which I loved in G2 and love more here. Oh, yeah, don't expect Oblivion like hand-holding and built-in GPS. You will have to really walk around and explore. But it's really great fun. As for joining factions. They are in fact connected, as I said your actions will actually define your reputation and/or your infamousness in the whole land. On smaller scale if you steal you will be probably caught, if you steal in sight, you will be slapped around for good, if you do bad for the Orks/Rebells/Nomads etc., they won't be so nice to you. There are real options in completing quests how you do it, and each way has it's consequences. There was some incredibly funny and shocking consequence of one of my activities (won't tell, because it would be a spoiler) The people here are living, breathing. They do not stand around staring at walls watching paint dry. They cook, sleep, cut wood, yawn, scratch their butts, dance, drum... The landscape...it doesn't look like it's computer generated. There is no identical small crevice here. There is no random computer calculated slopes. It's beautiful.
When you will look down a mountain after you climbed on it, you will be afraid. Afraid truly you will fall down. :D
This game still needs a few patches until the regular non-fan folk will really appreciate it, but if you have the patience you will truly enjoy this game. Just try not to develop affection for the NPCs as I did. It will be really painful killing them, and sometimes you will need to, to complete some of the quests. All my respect goes to Piranha Bytes.