I don't mind upgrade trees and leveling up being added into all game types. Sure, give me some games that are just pure action where the only upgrade is finding a new weapon that is useful in certain situations or as a way to add just a little bit of variety.
What I really don't like is having to min/max everything of every game.
"Hmmm... this is a boss of the water temple, so let me put on my armor (or armor modifiers) that reduce water based damage, equip my weapons (or modifiers) that increase fire based damage, etc."
Like Division 2... you have multiple gear loadout slots. Meaning, I assume, you have to micromanage multiple sets of equipment in order to "get the most" out of the game.
Or getting new guns/armor in Division 2. "Well, the new one is better in this way... but it's worse in this way."
I ain't got the time motivation for that.
I get that people like that. They want to spend hours trying to get the most optimal equipment.
I don't. Breakpoint was nice since they offered the option to turn off gearscore. So I was able to play through the whole game (minus the stuff that required gearscore) changing guns twice I think. Once I found equipment I liked, I was able to continue using it.
That game still had some upgrading to guns, even with gearscore turned off, but it was just a flat upgrade, which isn't bad.
I love RPG's normally, in general - but I don't need every game turning into one and/or borrowing elements from RPG's or ARPG's.
Anyone remember when Ghost Recon series was like GRAW, without loot and tiered gear and was linear w/ one mission and then the next in SP Campaigns?
Anyone remember when AC didn't have loot and tiered gear? Anyone remember in AC games, when a backstab actually always killed an enemy? Or when you had say 12 enemies on you...and then you can fight all 12 head on and kill them all w/ one or two swings, effortlessly?
For especially these grind-fests - we need multiple difficulties. A "Story Mode" for this kind of game, probably would be ideal. This way, the game can be made easy...for those who don't wanna min/max all the time. Some people...just want to stick to the action.
Not everybody wants to be focused on the grind and what to equip, dealing w/ Inventory screens, Workbench Screens, and Buy/Sell Vendors screens all the time.
I think there should be a feature in these loot-games, where you can set the game can auto-set it so it just equips for you what it thinks is the best item automatically, once you get it (if the game allows that at all times) or get to an area where you are allowed to swap/switch loot.
Or in Inventory screen, there's a button to just "Equip All Best Loot."
EDIT:
Seems like, everything goes through a phase.
Myst hit it big, so...Myst clones everywhere! Doom was hot - so, Doom FPS clones everywhere!
Once, we complained there's too many linear games. Open-world games came and we loved it - now every game goes open-world.
Diablo struck it big - Sacred, Nox, Dungeon Siege, Space Siege, Silverfall, and more clones came.
RTCW delivers a great FPS SP and MP experience - screw it, all games (even mostly SP-focused ones) must now have Competitive MP as something to check on the box.
MMO's hit it big w/ UO, Everquest, and especially WoW - tons more show up...and fail.
Left 4 Dead hits it big - 4 player co-op everywhere! AC hits it big - it feels like there's UbiSoft clones everywhere, inside Ubi and outside of them. Hellgate London innovates and sticks looter onto the shooter game - then here comes Borderlands! Destiny especially and then Division do well and copy the looter-shooter, but they turn that into online-only looter shooter - here's more of them...and even now Godfall!
Grrr.
