This might sound unoriginal, but the stories attached to them make every town, kingdom, dungeon or island unique and memorable.

When entering a new area, the party learns about the quirks of the inhabitants, discovering a dangerous, local problem that eventually leads to a boss fight. There is a linearity of narrative here, new companions appearing after important events, but the exploration is free-form – enjoyable and rewarding, as the game just keeps doling out new story and gameplay content even after dozens and dozens of hours. All this is done with visuals, pacing and a level of polish that's fairly impressive by today's standards.

The tropes and clichés presented here might be considered quaint, but in a market now saturated with darker role-playing games, an uplifting and heroic presentation somehow feels refreshing again. There is also a deeper layer underneath the more immediately visible features and beats, as the story touches on melancholic, existential themes in its later stages.

Perhaps because of its massive length, few reviewers pointed out these more subversive elements of the hero's myth. The end-game portion not only adds new story content, but it also asks the players to re-examine their journey so far, to contemplate concepts like choice, loss, the true meaning of sacrifice.