Well, the quoted paragraph contains the words "slog", "bored" and "frustrated", even if they mention the payoff is well worth it, though not sure that's what I want in a videogame. I find it somewhat worrying when I compare with other reviews that say that the game takes quite a few hours to get started. Also, I just read the Edge's preview and well, it's pretty brutal, saying that the game often feels like work, among other things. Still, given the range of reviews, it seems it's the kind of game one should at least try.