What a unique game. I stopped playing open world games at some point mostly because running around for long periods of time in worlds that are actually mostly empty became a time investment I couldn't justify any more after leaving school. Also, I stopped playing violent games and obviously, basically all open world games are focused on combat (or horror).
Eastshade is very different in both of these regards. For one thing, even though there is a lot of gorgeous scenery to see and discover, it is relatively densely populated. One also receives multiple ways of traveling faster quite soon and so aside from the very beginning, it rarely happens that you have to actually run back and forth for a quest (one still might have to go back and forth but can use various modes of travel). Speaking of quests - that's another thing. They have actually created a game with quests and drama that doesn't require combat. Feels more like a first person adventure game. Personally, it reminds me of a mix of a dense Elder Scrolls game (quests, collecting ingredients, brewing and crafting things) and Dear Esther (gorgeous scenery). One actually doesn't paint as much as one might think. Many quests are about talking to characters and interacting with the environment. Painting is for the most part about earning money and progressing in the main quest.
Now, even after months of patches, the game still has flaws but since non of them are game breaking and this being the first game of a presumably small team, I am willing to look the other way and would still wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is into adventure-type games.