I think the mistake here was using guides. I used guides when I first played them and I remember feeling similar about them. I replayed some games again over th

I think the mistake here was using guides. I used guides when I first played them and I remember feeling similar about them. I replayed some games again over the years, without guides, after enough time had passed so that I couldn't remember much anymore - it was a completely different experience, and much more enjoyable. Sure, sometimes you have to basically brute-force your way forward, but often enough you do figure stuff out and it's rewarding, you feel like you're starting to 'get' the humor.