Umm, well you could maybe have guessed this, but I’m a big fan of old school Zelda, particularly Link to the Past. Secret of Mana is high on my list too. I’ve replayed both as an adult, and likely will again at some point.
I played a lot of RPG-ish puzzle/interactive story games as a kid too, like several of the Zork games, 7th Guest, Myst, etc.
Something like Planescape: Torment could land high on my list of things to try if I get to that point.
All of that is off topic, of course, except that I really do think there are lessons to be learned from the mechanics in those games that could be translated effectively to E&P, and extend the game’s longevity, fun, and engagement.
E&P has been a game largely centered around hero acquisition and leveling — I’d like to see more ways to use those heroes as the game continues to mature, rather than just an endless stream of new heroes.
Despite the crappy loot, I actually really like Raid Tournaments for that reason, they give a new spin and new life to a lot of heroes.
Class Trials were an interesting addition on that front too, giving more use to heroes, and more reason to level ones you might not have otherwise.
To me, Alchemy Lab and the process of getting stuff you need could have been new avenues for usage of heroes too. I proposed adding Alchemy Recipes to the game as something you could quest for, collect, and level up. I was looking for the designers to add a whole new component to the game.
Instead, it looks like we’re going to get a building that I might never use, and if I do, it’ll just be for background grinding for some more Emblems every now and then.
I hope to see better from other additions to the game.