Totally agree.
If we expand on this, we'd experiment with adding more systems to manage rather than making stuff faster and more dense etc.
I think there is an intensity-sweetspot somewhere in there. For me that is probably quite a bit slower and more chill than what this ramps up to currently. A bit more thought, and a little less reflex. Experimentation will tell.
And like you say, further expansion would also need a structure that feels less arcady. Adding different sections of the river with specific challenges and hazards, some npcs for immersion and charm and a solid end goal would go some way towards that.
Thanks!