I knew I was probably going to enjoy this game, but I didn't expect to enjoy it to the level that I did. The combat is so fluid and fighting enemies is a lot of fun. You hit the nail on the head when it came to dodging, slow-mo impacts, and difficulty. By the time I reached the end of the game I desperately wanted there to be more so I could keep fighting Machines. The game is gorgeous, and the atmosphere you've created is fantastic. I always like games where I show up to a dark and murky atmosphere, kick the bad guys butt, and have the atmosphere do a quick 180 and the zone becomes beautiful. And you did a fantastic job at that.
I don't know if I just sucked at getting the story, but I wish there was more to it to get me hooked. The machines were voiceless, and while the lorebook helped give me background, it didn't instill any urgency into saving the forest. I felt like the bad guys were more like punching bags then actual villains/bad guys.
This is probably knit-picking, but the Forest Spirit deer's animations aren't great. Specifically the motion of his head going up and down. In comparison to the rest of the game this one stuck out like a sore thumb, and because of that I felt like I should mention it.
Overall I had a lot of fun with this game, and your message wasn't lost on me. I look forward to seeing what else you guys put out!