Map design is a nice change, and the gameplay is solid. Battles are tense, but not annoyingly so like other games that try to take the difficult route. The story is great and is a good jumping on point to the next installment. The storytelling does a good job at making each character distinct and relatable, and the stakes are laid out so well that you just want to keep playing to learn more about the world and these characters and how far everything will go.
Rock solid game! Can't wait for more!