Movement doesn't have concequence. At first it was freeing to travel around so effortlessly, but now it just feels like nothing has weight or inertia. Some of the weapons are satisfying, but there are so many that you blow through them without really getting too attached. The level design is an awful mess. The whole tile-based system they use is clever, but it generally teaches you that nothing matters and everywhere you go is the same as where you've been. Environments repeat, as do enemies. There aren't any vistas or surprises or variety. There aren't any different levels, just a random number generator throwing crap against the wall with slightly different rules thrown in.
And for a game that lets you jump around like mad, it has a curious habit respawning you after jumping to a part of the map that looks like it should be accessible. This isn't about an exciting use of movement, but the speed of movement. So that you can feel like you can finish the level faster, so you can do it again to grind for that XP/mod/weapon/loot spawn.
They're so clever with their systems, with grinding layered on top of grinding. Each Warframe (basically a character with unique stats and abilities) is constructed from four elements: the blueprint, neuroptics, systems, and chassis. For one particular Warframe I wanted to unlock, I got the blueprints from a boss. I got the neuroptics and chassis by grinding different bosses which had a 25% chance of giving what you need. The last component came from a boss that was two worlds further down the progression from where I was. Fine, play a bunch of levels, unlock junctions, get to where you need to go. Alas, in order to fight the boss once for a 25% chance at the part you need, you need to grind admission points by beating the previous level twice. Grinding on grinding on grinding. It's a deviously sly way of keeping people 'playing'.
What else is there? A million different currencies? Check. A trading system deliberately hindered by the developer? Yup. Stories/campaigns totally disconnected from the gameplay? You betcha. A complete and total disregard for user experience? One YouTuber summed it up by saying, "Warframe doesn't come to you. You need to go to it." What an eloquent way of saying that the developer knows they're so good at being addictive that they know players will do whatever it takes.
I'm a couple hundred hours in and I still don't fully understand all the different little economies and systems. Mods, relics, sculptures, focuses, weapons, Warframes, syndicate standings, Arcanes, Forma, Nightwave challenges, Nightmare levels, Kuva, conflicts, hunting, nemesis, experience, mastery levels, mining, fishing, boarding, credits, ducats, platinum, companions/pets, decorations, cosmetics... All of these have their own little system intertwined with other little systems. It is a rats nest of addictive meta structures built around gameplay that's shallow and repetitive, but just occasionally enjoyable enough to make you think you're actually playing a game. I truly believe that the jumping and shooting and fighting itself is secondary to the massive economy that surrounds it. Like a five foot fungus that has grown off of a 6" tree stump.
I don't like this game, but I'll probably keep playing it because it's mindless and stupid. Just like me, apparently.
-Cril
I see my red head, messed bed, tear shed
Queen bee, my squeeze
The stage it smells, tells, hell's bells
Miss-spells, knocks me on my knees
It didn't hurt, flirt, blood squirt
Stuffed shirt, hang me on a tree
After I count down, three rounds
In hell I'll be in good company
The Dead South - In Hell I'll Be In Good Company
