Your example is a bit exaggerated, though I agree with you directionally. There aren't quite 100+ levels (more like 50-60 including the Mines and the Quest), and you don't have to do all those things: I rarely genocide sea monsters; my magical breathing is usually just a ring of levitation, which you need in other parts; you can easily get by without rustproofing your armor; the means of removing confusion and the speed boots are both things that you want/need earlier in the game too (vs a special preparation just for the Planes).
Once you've beaten it a few times and have a generally strong command on all the game mechanics and interactions, I think the fun part tends to be figuring out just which things are really necessary and which aren't, and generally optimizing your plan along some dimension or another (conducts, time, minimizing tedium, going for a streak, etc).
Once you've beaten it a few times and have a generally strong command on all the game mechanics and interactions, I think the fun part tends to be figuring out just which things are really necessary and which aren't, and generally optimizing your plan along some dimension or another (conducts, time, minimizing tedium, going for a streak, etc).