This seems to the most divisive game in memory.
My wife and I have been waiting for this game for a few years now since it was first announced. Even the day before release I couldn't tell you what it was really about.
My personal experience with the game was the first 10 hours are frustrating. It is only when you get to Chapter 3, that the game and world become more fun.
You get upgrades, weapons, roads, and start to connect (make "strands") with other players in a meaningful way. This type of asynchronous alternative to MMO games is actually quite fun and I think could be the start of something.
I will wait to give my final review of the title when I complete it, but I can't debate the first 10 hours of the game. I was ready to quit myself when I was left wondering "if this is all there is, this just isn't fun".
I am definitely having fun with it now and look forward to returning to it every day. I believe my final opinion of the game will be quite high, with some remarks for how it started.
The production of it is first rate, this is a AAA release. It's just too bad it is so divisive and didn't ease people into the world better. I can't blame the gamers.