How this game changed from early access to release is IMO a testemony of how you improve your ideas by carefully considering feedback.
Somewhere during early access I just stopped playing because I could not stand the annoying combat anymore and I basically did not like any of the characters - be it companions or NPCs.
I just had the feeling that everyone just distrusted and hated each other. This was IMO far too close to the real world, and I like to use computer games for escapism.
After the relase I thought I could give this game another try and checked what changed.
Basically my jaw dropped to the floor and I still was not able to get it back in its place.
The story team and writers did an amazing job to balance the good vs. bad options. Things can still be rough and sometimes desperate, but there is always at least that silver lining on the horizon that keeps me playing.
How this was done with some subtle and sometimes not so subtle changes does not stop to impress me.
Quite an achievment and IMO worth every bit of the praise it gets.
