I've kinda flip flopped all over regarding the first game, in some regards it's pretty interesting with the lengths they went to recreate accurate medieval architecture (actual churches with mosaics and frescoes as well as peasant homes not being shit hovels). On the other side it did have a lot of features that were frustrating and could have likely been done smoother (still love that you start out illiterate and require around a week of in game time to learn to read). The story itself is neither bad nor good and honestly the side quests were far more interesting (going on a drunken bender with a village priest was a highlight quest).