Looking back I’m not sure what I meant by base building game here. I usually use that to describe Tensura (I don’t like it personally. I dropped it after 1 season. It felt like there wasn’t any threat or anything interesting to work towards in the plot).

In the case of Honzuki I think the reason I felt bored was because the goal of the plot felt too vague. But maybe I’ll give it another try because apart from that, I 100% agree with all your points.