One day people will realize that virtually nothing changed about the game and they just weren't critical enough when they played the game in the first place to realize that it didn't really get better or worse.

YES, you can still parry trolls and 2-star draugr with biome-appropriate gear.
NO, fishing mechanics didn't change.
NO, food doesn't really take more grinding than before (except onions initially, heh)
YES, stamina was perceptibly different, but ONLY for a handful of days in September.

If the game feels better or worse than before then I'm sorry to say that you're probably imagining that. Honestly the single best "feature" of the update for me so far is that it's just running better.