The opening village section is easily the best and most iconic part of RE4, but if a similar setting and pacing were continued throughout the game’s length then I think that many players would tire of the experience. The best games tend to build from a trough to a climax and then often back down again – RE4 did this expertly.

This, this, this. There seems to be a trend that game production linearly follows the game narrative–so, when a game is rushed out the door, it is the ending, not the beginning, that suffers for it. There is no necessity that development need proceed so, but I can see why it is done (and there are several good, technical reasons for this as well).

A sad case in point would be our current playthrough of Vagrant Story, which is ostensibly a dungeon crawler and as such the game does little to vary its content and pace. Every room is an encounter, one that demands full attention and use of the proper tools to handle the threats. The enemies in these rooms respawn upon reentry and the game requires some degree of backtracking. The experience puts the Crawl in Dungeon Crawler, which ultimately just leads to fatigue.

Very true. You should say so in the Vagrant Story thread.

Confess now, my child, and I promise not to tell Fearless Leader of your transgressions.

I see and hear all.