Cool. Sounds like you're finding the groove in this game now. I'll have to take a closer look when I want another game.

update: Installed a small mod that changed the ugly 'cross-hair' and another mod that makes the merchant richer.

It's actually becoming a lot of fun; hunting boar or deer, sneaking, hacking and slashing bandits, silently killing enemy soldiers with either a knife or the bow/arrow, wooing the ladies, fist fighting, gambling, eating, drinking beer, picking herbs ..okay that last one isn't much fun but making potions sure is cheaper than buying them.
Did I mention I have a horse now? Beats walking by 1 hp. The bleeding is still not fun as it bleeds over the screen, I know there's a mod for that too.. but meh. Distant wounding them is more fun and than killing them off with a sword is easy. Also won't blunt the sword too much.

On to scoring; If they manage to get rid of the few bugs and glitches it will be a solid 9.5/10. But for now I have to give it a 8.5/10! Mos def one to have!

It is. Not only is combat difficult. You also gotta think about eating, sleeping, and not drinking too much otherwise you can become an addict. There's the wounding system; don't treat a wound means it will fester which means you'll die (quicker). You gotta be careful to not slide down steep hills as you can break your ankle(s), which means no more running only walking which is slooow.
I also discovered that if you eat too much, you'll become bloated which means less stamina for a while.
Horse riding is somewhat easy but you gotta be careful in corners especially if there's a river or bridge in the bend. If you ride your horse in the river there's no way you can out until you see a bridge and only then the horse can get out..not fun when there are bowmen behind you using you as target practice.

Currently lock picking and sneak is tremendously difficult to almost impossible, but luckily Nexus has mods :D

2 mods are essential atm; easy lock picking, and save whenever. Without the save mod you could only save in an owned bed or when you drink schnapps (alcohol). Which meant if you were about to be killed and you didn't save for 2 hours or so, well though cookie. Did I mention that if you drink alcohol you feel more confident which can also be a problem? And the addict thing of course.

Game is still pretty buggy too, it's becoming the new standard. Nothing game breaking atm, just NPC walking through object that the player can't walk through. Some missing audio or lip sync issues.

Despite the bugs the game does run smooth on my 4790k+1080Ti@1440p with very high settings at around 60 to 80 fps. Cut scenes are a different matter; anything from 23 to 144 fps. Still smooth though (G-sync prolly).

Looks interesting, but sounds kind of hardcore (in an RPG way)

Oh and you can kill chicken in the town!

Pretty town, just the smells :O

I play as Henry, a smith son, son. I yield to no-one and blades. Ladies love me and men smell me.