Sunk about 50 hours into BOTW. Its purpose of existing is, to show a mainstream audience what Morrowind did in 2002. While Morrowind did the better job.
BOTW is essentially about environmental story telling. So that famed 'Miyamoto found a cave as a child' moment and the feeling of it. As such its actually crafted quite well. So there is enough "regional mystery" in it to go out and discover memorable moments on your own. Then there are the parts where it falls down completely.
- The weapon break cycle is atrocious.
- The physics stuff is gimmicky and always feels like a layer.
- You have no impact on pretty much anything in the world.
- Every problem of any townfolk is about as meaningful as getting 'just the right cake for a birthday party' - there is no gravitas at all
- The Korok collection loop is even more senseless, but at least surves the purpose of getting you distracted and drawn into different directions.
- There is no world politics, meaningful story, character development, love interest storyline, ...
- The puzzle dungeons in the end where forgetable and interchangeable.
- And the "real dungeons" are too short.
So it naturally got 97% reviews because the designer followed the principle of designing the feeling of it all feeling homely and meaningful (
http://www.romajidesu.com/dictionary/meaning-of-ぐっとくる.html) when none of it actually was.
But at least many kids experienced environmental story telling for the first time.
BOTW was rightly championed for not doing quest markers and compass in your face stuff.
But Morrowind 2002 did everything BOTW did in most regards, but better. They even stole entire conceptual experiences (build your own house, sneak in ninja suit, get your first mount...). Morrowind did environmental storytelling by littering every place with meaning. Books and notes lying around, having actual artefacts in many places that dont break forever and foster character development. Having politics, having intrigue, ... BOTW had none of it.
Best summery of what BOTW was in the end can be had by consuming Joseph Andersons analysis:
Reviewers will not agree, but most of them arent proper critics anyhow...