Note:
I was not an alpha player. This review is specifically about how this game stands currently, with no comparison to the alpha.

I currently have 30+ hours with this game, and I have to say I enjoyed most of my time experiencing what this game has to offer. There are several problems with this game, granted, but the time has been well spent.

So, the gameplay? You get thrown right into it. No tutorial. No explanation of the levelling system. Nothing about quests. Nothing about villages, bosses, or anything. Just go explore and learn everything as you approach it.

The first objective was to find a village, people along the way and literally talk to everyone who wouldn't attack you. Not an exaggeration. EVERYONE. If you didn't, you would probably miss out something important. This could be hidden areas, items, bosses... So yea, talk to everyone. There's no indication of what they may tell you, you just gotta suck up the painful dialog.

Along the way, I advise killing very weak things. VERY weak. If they aren't the same class as you, RIP to you, Sir. Even if they are.. probably RIP still. They may drop leftovers or items that'll be of use too, so that's a bonus. They may even drop types of food which you can use to get pets which attack, and you can ride them later once we find the reins (have fun with that).
I also advise getting as many Shrines along the way, just so you aren't forced to walk all that way again.

So, you talk to people. Some of them may tell you where to go to find some things. Some may tell you about areas you can attack, or find a gnome that needs saving. Cool, ay? Yeah, but chances are you've talked to many people and only found very little. But no bother.

The next thing you'd want to do is find something that'll allow for easier travel. So, if you've found someone that tells you where the glider, boat and/or reins are, great! If not, well too bad buddy.

So, maybe ya got some things. Maybe you don't. Probably the latter. It's time to do some of those mini-quests that the people probably gave you. If they're all too high of a challenge level, then you'll have to go exploring. Check your map to find areas that look like they will house some enemies, hopefully within your range. First of all, you should be trying to go for White/One star areas as these are the easiest. Completing these will allow for easier progression. Along your explorations, take out some low levelled mobs and hope for some equipment.

Let's say you've followed the intended progression and have now talked to many people within the map. You've got great equipment, and are now ready to face on the biggest dungeon to get the artifact everyone has been telling you about. Exciting, right? A permanent perk that will help you with all your future journeys, an awesome boost! Yeah. Ok.

You blast your way right to the very end. Maybe there's a chest at the end of a castle, perhaps. You go up to it. Open it. Amazing, you found it! You found er..

DIVING STAMINA

AMAZING

Yea. Ok.

So, you've now got a brilliant perk that'll help you with your future endeavours. Awesome, time to grind some more to keep boosting up your stats.

Next Biome.
Everything in your inventory disappears. That boat you were using to travel to the biome: gone. You're in the middle of the ocean. Your currently equipped items are useless within this area. Yikes.

Have fun doing it all over again, with such amazing perks.

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In all seriousness:
The perks in this game are utter garbage, of course they are. Losing the boat, glider and reins suck more than anything. But the feeling of being able to completely grind biomes constantly, always having some sort of goal throughout the game is actually great fun. I enjoy constantly being able to repeat what I enjoyed within the game. The progression, exploration and boss battles. It's awesome. The only things I can actually advise this game doing is:

Unlocking a way that allow for the special items to be constantly available throughout the game
Better artifects. The current ones feel so worthless that it's incredibly disappointing when a biome is complete. A lot of build up and grinding for something that is this bad ruins the moment of finishing a biome.