Sequels having less features than the previous game without being a complete enough experience that you could ignore it. If they got rid of a lot of shallow features to focus more in-depth on others, that’s understandable.

Honestly I am so over tutorials/slow starts. If it takes an hour of cutscenes, bullshit exposition, walk forward, jump three times… i don’t have the patience for it anymore.

A nice post prompt, OP. To start, and to riff off yours, I’d say games that don’t have a run option, and insist on a milquetoast in between of “fast-walking.” Here are mine that I can think of from some of the most recent games I’ve played:

–No third-person viewing option in an RPG; e.g., Cyberpunk 2077. After readily having the option in my hundreds of combined hours in Skyrim and FO, it felt preposterous not having the option to view my character at will. Crazy.

–Needlessly loud start menu music or fx leading to the title screen

–I’m doubtful there’s any sort of terminology for this, but, mission-style games that don’t make any attempt to establish a linear, interlocking world. E.g., Nioh. It’s very souls-like overall, but I really wish this aspect of the game was more like a From game in this regard.

Might edit in some more if this post stays active.