Hey there! First off, thank you so much again for taking the time to write such detailed and constructive feedback. I really appreciate looking at the game through that specific design lens (great article link, by the way!).
I actually took your points regarding the Arena and "interesting decisions" and used them as a foundation for the major update that just went live (v3.2.0).
Here is what I changed based on your input:
- Healing: You were absolutely right. Healing is now always available in the shop with fixed prices. You now have to decide: Do I spend Glory to heal, or risk it for better loot?
- Item Choices & Trade-offs: I overhauled the equipment system. Stats are now percentage-based (scaling with your Llama), and I added items that offer strong positive effects but come with negative side effects to create those trade-offs you mentioned.
- Shop RNG: To prevent the "useless items" frustration, I added a Re-Roll function to the shop. Re-Reolling will be only available if you haven't bought an equipment yet and every re-roll will increase in price, making the decision harder when to buy.
- Combat Flow: The turn-based system is gone. I switched to an Active Time Battle (ATB) system where SPD/Initiative creates the action order, making that stat much more valuable. Also, we now have a Tag-Team system where your other llamas jump in immediately, even when an enemy llama gets KO'd, to create a "cycle" of llamas.
I hope these changes bring the strategic depth you were looking for. I'd love to hear what you think of the new Arena!