Why the circle in Dark And Darker

Theres no need for the circle Dark And Darker Gold. It doesnt make sense. Put portals and then more than required hell portals. If you dont get a blue one then youre forced to hell. Not dying to a circle that doesnt even have to take your health. If they leave the circle then take away the consumed by darkness mechanic.

Im loving the game, but it feels like they are trying to slam 3 types of games into one.

You started the game with nothing. If you take the time to learn the rooms, the mobs and then the mechanics of everything else, you'll also be leveling up which makes you a little bit stronger. You die and you lose everything but that progress. So every ... uh, however many dungeons it takes per 5 levels, you get a little bit stronger with perks. By each of those intervals you should've learned something else about the dungeons and how things work. Patience is key.

Dark And Darker - The less durable classes

Pretty sure the slow interactions are an attempt at balancing classes

The less durable classes (except for wizard) need to have fast interactions to be able to run away or keep distance, these being the rogue and the ranger.

Unfortunately, i do believe they overdone it.. but that doesnt mean it isn't the only way to interact, for an example barbarians who have a very low resourcefulness stat to interact with items have access to 'Smash' perk which destroy all unreinforced doors or chests using a two handed axe.

Wizards, in extreme cases can use fireballs to blow open doors for an escape too cheap Dark And Darker Gold.