cRPG became over-serious with :
- upkeep, level cap and retirements nerf. Because before, dying to someone didn't mean anything because the stats differences were enough to make up for any player skill differences. Some fights felt like boss battles (captain georges for example), and you were a boss battle for someone else.
- the multiplier system. Now, everyone is ultra-concerned about winning rounds at all costs, not about having fun. That's why you see derp behavior that the pre-january versions were clean of.
Both are tightly related. When there were enormous stats differences, the way you got xp and gold wasn't based on success. So getting killed by tincans had absolutely no importance.
And finally, also in January, every piece of equipment became extremely easy to get. It's just like if the target public of this mod was emo kids that lack the patience to appreciate what they buy. Before the patch, equipment had a value. Your first armor, weapon etc. were things you didn't forget about. Now it's so easy to get, equipment lost it's value.
I still like the mod, but for different, and obviously less reliable reasons.