So I just beat the game… at level 1, with everything cleared/collected (aside from the four bad end classes) and all equipment upgraded to +9 or higher.
Hardest fights were Gilded Hunter (his power-up has a limited duration and can be guarded through), those twin Yetis in the Deeps (Fire Weapon & Ice Guard), the Spire Fire/Ice boss fight (used this build), and the final bosses (used this build, swapping Blood Guard for Hasten after Skull King fell).
I’ve never really seen the appeal of low-level challenges, and honestly there were more than a few frustrating moments… yet after beating the game and leveling up to 90 for NG+ everything suddenly dies so satisfyingly fast. The contrast made it almost worth the effort. Ironically though, it seems I didn’t have to go through all that trouble in the first place since the level caps are much more generous than I thought. Wish I found that page earlier.
Some other complaints would be:
– Unlimited Queen’s Steel unlocks far too late.
– The vestige scene walking speed is far too slow.
– The Good/True ending doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
A mixed experience overall for sure, but an ultimate net positive I think.