Exactly. I played the hell out of BotW, but I never came anywhere close to beating it. I spent countless hours just running around and seeing what I could see and do.
I think I might have beaten one or two of the beasts and probably about half the shrines. And most of that came in the tail end of my many hours of gameplay. Yet I'd been all over the world, and had all kinds of fun adventures.
That's how I played Horizon Zero Dawn. I am playing Botw at the moment but it lacks that Alttp or Oot or Link's awakening spark. I guess the zelda novelty wore off along the years because I can see how BOTW has better mechanics than Horizon (but I prefer Horizon settings much more).
I think I might have beaten one or two of the beasts and probably about half the shrines. And most of that came in the tail end of my many hours of gameplay. Yet I'd been all over the world, and had all kinds of fun adventures.