I also find the negativity odd.
The only thing that I worry about is that it might end up giving you a very 'rigid' option of strictly predefined paths.
Like if it gives me the option to either go that way pick that gun and be aggressive, go this way through this vent and be stealthy or put a neon sight over a turret that would inform me that I can use it to shoot these guys and throw it on that guy, instead of making more 'dynamic' maps in which I can use the environment and any available item in a 'creative' way.
What worries me is the fact that in the stealthy approach the pc actually comments on the way he got in, which tells me that he did follow a predefined path.
Apart from that little comment though I haven't seen anything that reinforces my worries.
Also, I don't mind the highlight that much. I don't mind not having to search around in dark corners as long as I can be creative with what I find.