I have no Zelda background whatsoever. So this game was a pretty fresh experience to me. Game design choices that strike as a homage or rip-off or whatever to other people, to me felt novel and surprising. Because of that, I am in no position to judge whether Vigil Games succeeded in their objective. However, even if they failed at that, they crafted a damn fine game that balances action and adventure elements in a great way, with a combat system that makes you feel like a badass without having to burst an aneurysm trying to pull insane combos ala DMC, and very well done puzzles that become increasingly difficult and engaging.
I loved the characters. Samael is a fucking pimp, War is uncapable of showing any emotion, but since he isn't exactly the chatty kind, it's easy to bear with and even like, the Council spy and Volgrim are awesome, and Ulthane is, hands down, the most memorable of all. I didn't find any character that I disliked, one of the reasons I stuck with the game until I beat it. Story is nothing to write home about, but the way cutscenes are presented more than makes up for the plot. The nature of the puzzles surprised me. Each one of them ramped the difficulty in a considerable way, something that almost made me quit on the game since I'm not familiar with this genre. By the time I reached the portal puzzle, my brain was already bleeding.
The characters, hands down, made the game great. All of them. The Zeda qualities shone the brightest as well. I loved the puzzles, especially the Black Throne. My god, that one can hang with any Zelda game. I truly wasn't expecting it to be the doozy it was. Using your newly acquired item to progress was also fun. Am I the only one who heard Zelda treasure chest music whenever I found something new?
The bosses were all unique and fun, but what the hell is up with the difficulty? Seriously, Tiamat was the hardest one by a country mile. Even the final boss was a pushover compared to her. I think I enjoyed the sandworm battle the most, though it was really long. It certainly had an epic feel to it.
War was certainly a badass and I liked how the game allowed you the freedom to pulll off combos if you wanted to. Or you could just press X over and over.
Also, what do you think the sequel holds?
Possible multiplayer....New protagonist(s).
Also I want to tell developers to please lay off the fucking fetch quests.
aspro said:Also, what do you think the sequel holds?
Multiple characters to play as, which lead to all new skill sets for each. I expect an actual overworld this time with lots more exploration.
What happens in this game with the other horsemen of the apocalyse? Maybe they'll be in the next game?
Jumpin the gun a bit, Prince Aspro... Play the game! 
No, I gave up on it. I'm now in a gaming funk -- playing Serious Sam 2 fer christs sake -- serious slumming.
If you've now beaten the game, talk about it here without worrying about spoilers. What did you like, what surprised you and did Vigil Games pull off the "mature Zelda" game they were hoping to make?