I dont understand why mindreading is panned. I am just beginning and I have already learned a lot of info about the various characters and gotten a few good laughs too, not to mention immersion in the game world and background story.
I guess if you just want to get on with killing stuff and are not interested in story then fine...sort of play it as a hack and slash; seems like a shame to reduce the game to that - power level and then complain the game is too easy.