Good review! I think the only "Metroidvania" games I'm willing to forgive for their lack of a map at this point are those that were designed in the 8-bit era, where a detailed map system might well have required more memory than the developers had available. I think Super Metroid and virtually every game in that vein to come along since have had one and been better for it. It's one of those quality of life things gamers have rightfully come to expect from the genre, so I can see how it would make the game a chore to play (especially since, as you noted, there doesn't seem to have been a lot of thought put into laying things out so they facilitate enjoyable exploration).
"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy on reality
"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world
"What if everything you see is more than what you see--the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn't? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things." - Shigeru Miyamoto on secret doors to another world
