i enjoy the engineering challenge of obtaining metal.

-scout the area, mark metal on your map
-determine the final destination and any midway camps needed
-determine paths and transport. backpack? cart? boat?
-mine the metal, fight off enemies
-transport loot through the world, fighting off enemies, making use of day/night cycle to optimize.
-bring it back to smelter, fuel kiln with wood, replant trees

this is one of the few games where the loot cycle doesnt end as soon as you see it. you have to plan ahead of time for how youre going to get the loot out of the dangerous area. i find that to be a lot more interesting than, say, strip mining in minecraft for diamonds.

i do agree that the game kind of peaks early with the tree-felling, which is inherently more interesting due to the physics, danger, and chain reactions. when i first played this game, i remember thinking about how much excitement must be lurking in later biomes considering just getting lumber was such an adventure, but they definitely blew their wad on the early game.