I have to agree with you there and amazing finishing (ending at least) so fast.
The way it's setup is very anti-Zelda in a way, it's more in a way like the first version of Guild Wars in a way (once the expansions were all out.) You have this vast but concisely limited with far reaching outer walls to the world. There's a story and you must follow it, but when and how is greatly up to you. Anywhere you go some thing or dude has something they need help with or a little job or quest and you get paid, goodies, or something better for the work. You can go it in any direction and do whatever. Story, piss time, look for goodies, grab up supplies, trade goods, or other things to upgrade stuff. But it's not taken to an annoying level like Monster Hunter having to craft every single thing painfully and slowly. The game can be hit for an hour or six in a sitting, probably if you don't clock watch you'll blow more time than you realize but it won't feel as such. Running in and getting sword happy no longer applies unless you like to die, it's about screwing the enemy using the environment more than a blunt object. I can't think of a game where I use a glider and an unlimited set of bombs along with arrows more than a primary weapon(sword, etc.)
Zelda has not been my favorite since Majora's mistake that turd came out. Wind Waker reminded me of the SNES/GB(GBC) type games and I finished it happily, but that was the last 3D one I did finish as the rest were slow painful large empty dogs with problems. Their shitty style of open world in the 3DS release made me walk away from the franchise almost completely but I picked up BotW as mostly a lark to see what they did this time, and it ends up being the first Zelda in years I don't hate and makes me want to keep playing it actively and willingly.