I don't know why you are putting words in my mouth. I don't think KP is some miracle from God. In fact, I feel its balancing and pacing is sadly quite off. If I had I had the time I would be interested in reworking it myself but alas I understand that making a game (even just reworking a game) is a colossal task.
You gave me a quote but in my opinion it says exactly the same thing that I am saying: The game was implemented exactly as it was planned to be implemented from the get go. There was no rushing taking place. There is no talk of cutting a previously announced feature. Remtairy had a plan and implemented it. As I said before, that there would be no edicts on level 4 was already announced very early. That there would be 4 minigames was also announced early. There was not any kind of charade taking place with empty promises to increase subscribers.
Does the last floor feel rushed to you? That's fine. Do you wish there were more minigames? Also fine. Maybe the devs intentions were not properly implemented or you wanted something else from the game than the dev intended or you simply just want more of the game.
But these weird accusations in this thread about the dev purposely leaving out things for some nefarious purpose just sound strange to anyone following the development. The game was very steadily developed over 3 years and then was released. At this point the game was considered finished as the dev implemented the features they intended to implement. Then after 1 year of part hiatus due to sickness, part writers block and part development time a lackluster dlc was released. That's the end of the story. You and others are implying that there must have been 'something' that changed during the development, but there was nothing. You just don't like the game.
Anyway, I realize I'm just repeating what has already been said and I partly feel we are just splitting hairs about definitions at this point anyways. I've said my piece and we obviously disagree, so lets move on.
I really like your reply. I'd like to add, that in almost all dev environments, games or otherwise, you'll start out with rough/general ideas. Some will turn out to be integral parts and become part of the roadmap, some will be abandoned - and the rest will stay as placeholders.
Some of those placeholders might actually be turned into something more later down the road (either be implemented in parts somewhere else or even become their own thing), some will get wiped - and some will stay just the way they are, because they don't subtract from anything (unintrusive/non-obstructing).
And re last stage: At the final sprint some still underdeveloped things from the roadmap will inevitably be cut short to actually make it to the finish line within a reasonable time limit/budget. No one really likes doing that and we sometimes hate management for giving the order - but it also means less crunch/overtime and a finished/polished result, which most users will be happy with. Same goes for games. Just look at Demon's Souls for one of the most teasing placeholders ever, imo (Sixth Archstone) and at Dark Souls for an obviously underdeveloped end game area (Bed Of Chaos, anyone?). And no one would accuse FromSoft of being lazy or not delivering on what was promised. It stings a bit, because we can all imagine what could have been - but we also know the realities of (game) dev. Unless you're Chris Roberts, I guess.
PS: If you don't mind me asking: What aspects of the balancing/pacing would you change, if you could?