Originally I was going to not recommend this game because I had a rough start so I'll start with the cons and go from there.
First, some technical issues. Playing with a quest 3 via horizon link is... volatile, to put it lightly. Some days I can play all day without a problem and other times I can't go more then half an hour before meta crashes. It runs well enough (with my current setup) where I can play on relatively high graphics without much studder/jitter. I have not tried out multiplayer and don't plan on it anytime in the near future, so my review is solely based on my singleplayer experience. BBGSPG
The start was rough coming right from ITR 1. Yes, same name and concept, but very different games. ITR2 is very disconnected from ITR1, which isn't necessarily bad mind you, but it makes the story that you are thrusted into feel extremely off. The story in particular isn't anything to shake a stick at. The character lacks development in the beginning and even finding the little snippets of their story scattered through the game don't really help out paint a picture of who they are other then "I'm your friend". Luckily though the story is very minor road bumps in the overall game, even if they derail the immersion and genuinely fun gameplay loop.
For the general gameplay, it's extremely addicting. Going out to explore to find loot to bring back certainly will tickle an itch for many people. Mix in generally simple, yet hard to fulfill objectives further helps it along. Those who come from ITR might again, feel jarred by the subtle but crucial differences between the games, like how the tide (the way the game resets/respawns loot and enemies) now outright kills you instead of transporting you to a random location. However, to compensate, the shelters you find are pretty nice places to find.
The enemies and hazards that you face are a step up from the crazy entities that you had to deal with in ITR. Again a disconnect from ITR, you now only face primarily other gun welding 'demons'. There are a few classic enemies that make an appearance, but they are thankfully rare (Screw you spawns/creeps. I've never seen a 'friendly' one of you, bugged or not, ITR or ITR2, so you just annoy me most of the time). The environmental hazards (known as anomalies) are hit or miss. Most of the time they are manageable, but because of how randomly they are placed at tide, at times they -really- can hinder a pathway.
Now the best part of the game in my opinion, the gunplay. It's sad that there aren't any more actual loot boxes to find in the world, guns that you find are mediocre at best. However, the guns that you unlock make up for the lack of guns in the wild by being extremely fun to customize and play around with. And not just guns as well, being able to customize your kit down the how many pouches you want and where. How many weapon carry handles you can add. It allows for near infinite possibilities and styles of gameplay. Hopefully there will be more guns added but at the moment the have the core spread that most people would need.
Personally, I believe the decision to scrap the multiple ammo types (SS, AP, FMJ) was a step in the right direction. Back in ITR, you had no real choice in what ammo you could use. SS was worthless and you get to a point in the game where you could not progress unless you bit the bullet (ha) and bought AP. In ITR2, only your gun and your own skills determines if you survive or die. You can genuinely succeed with your trusty PM if you are good enough.
If you can get past the annoying story that has no impact in the game, the occasional crashes, and understand that this is NOT ITR: Chapter 2; Electric Boogaloo (Which I will add here that I also LOVE ITR as well, just for different reasons) then a whole wide world that will leave you on edge until you explore it and learn it awaits you.
