Ideally you want to CO-OP with some friends as that does make the grind a bit less tedious. It always seems easier with others even though your fitting out more characters. More characters mean more pack space too which helps. Its probably the iron grind that is the worst and most tedious in my opinion. While the crypts can be interesting at times it always feels slow going. In any case it is a fun game but I will admit playing solo can feel like a chore at times. It does get better though especially once your out on the water exploring new islands.