Repeating the same action over and over again until you finally unlock the next level isn't a challenge. A challenge is to be presented with a problem that you have to solve (devising a strategy) in order to progress with the story. Here the answer comes with the question ("I want that, so I have to do this"); all you have to do is try and try again until you succeed.Agreed... If it was not a challenge, it would not be entertaining, and nobody would play it for more than an hour. Sure,.. some things need you to grind excessively, but you don't become a massage master after watching an online course, and 10 massages. Real life is slow.... I think its paced on the slower side of what is necessary, which is good. If it was as fast as some people want, it wouldn't need a percentage skill check, it would be a simple count of "has this been done 3 times already? Yes,.. ok,.. you're a master."
DS needs to tweak the grinding a little, but making it too easy to complete each grind is nearly as pointless as asking for a save position so you can see the pictures. In fact, some people can't even be bothered to look back one page for pictures, its that much effort. Theres no chance of these people grinding through the game to see them.
I agree with you that real life is slow, but if Max decides to become a martial arts expert in order to kick Eric out, I don't want to have to click him through all his training years.