I'm obviously not an authority on anything, but I did mention that Evil Games are equally interested in allowing players to break/trivialize them.

I think there's a point where getting players stuck because they lack basic resources just isn't very interesting anymore.

problem for me is I mean a very specific thing here that currently is impossible for me to put into words where I'm not sounding either like an ass, or like the most pretentious game clown under the sun.
And maybe that also means that I am those things, but I still have hope that I'm not.

Also putting a funny badge on your game to advertise your supposed AI-free game puts pressure on everyone else to do the same, as opposed to forcing game studios who actually use these things to properly declare themselves.

It's a stupid idea, stop trying to make it a thing.

It's not exactly the same, but this reminds me how there's a bunch of shared Sound Effects between Metroid 2 and the first Wario Land game.

It's funny: This episode of me mistakenly thinking I was trapped in this higher level area has now lead to me being horribly overleveled for the stuff I was meant to do.

The boss fights are still mean though.

I'm now around 24 hours into the game and have just unlocked the item upgrade system.

Well at least I'm now properly leveled for the areas I was supposed to do.

Funniest part of this whole mess is that I could've just driven out of this whole thing the moment I've entered it. But did ever try interacting with the steering wheel? Noooo, the allue of the forbidden place was just too strong.

Friends, I feel very silly to say this but:

It was possible to escape all along. That whole Episode of being trapped in the cursed monster Dimension? It was all in my head.

What an adventure nonetheless. Time to go somewhere that's less murderous.