I do agree with you to a point. The catacombs level is quite a chore and by the end I must admit there is not much to take your mind off it apart from the anticipation of something else happening or obtaining something new to play with. However if the battle model had been more complicated and as a result more time consuming, just think how drawn out the section under Aleroth could have been. Perhaps time plays tricks on me and I have forgotten all the hours of hacking and slashing but the important thing is that the atmosphere and story is what sticks in my mind. I'm not so sure that would be the case if it had been the battle system that shone.
